I found this recipe for Avocado Pie while searching through What's Cooking America's Regional recipe archive and immediately wanted to make it. I loved it for its great 70's color and its simplicity: it's no bake and has only a few ingredients, most of which you can pick up pre-made at the grocery store. It also whips up in about 10 minutes with very few dishes. 

The Process

How easy is it? All you need is a graham cracker crust, which is then filled with a whipped mixture of three avocados (very ripe!), 1/2 cup of citrus juice, 1 packet of gelatin, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. The recipe recommends mixing the filling in the food processor, and while I did it by hand with a whisk, I can see how the food processor would lead to a smoother filling. No matter how hard you whisk, a few avocado lumps are still going to make it through. Then you put it in the fridge to chill for two hours. 

For me, all of these shortcuts made the recipe feel distinctly not modern. I liked that and find easy, time-saving deserts really appealing, although they're perhaps somewhat out of favor these days. What's Cooking America dates this particular recipe to the 1970's, though I found it interesting and surprising that avocados were especially popular in English language books around 1920 and 1950, actually dipping in popularity just before this recipe appears. 

Taste Testing

Most importantly, how does it taste? Well, it's pretty good, even without the suggested whipped cream topping. I didn't find the filling too sweet, and more than anything, it reminded me of a key lime pie mixed with an avocado milkshake. The texture was pleasant, but I found myself wanting it to be even more citrusy. Soma actively disliked it, but he's not much of an avocado fan to begin with. 

I'd also love to hear suggestions for how to make the pie feel a little more 2014. Flavor additions? Different toppings?