How to Set Up a Guacamole Bar

Don't you love when you order guacamole at a restaurant and they whip it up at your table so fresh? The preparer usually asks what ingredients you'd like to include (anyone allergic to cilantro?) and how hot you can take it. Why not turn this into a party activity? Guests will love getting in on the food preparation act.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Ingredients for guacamole
• Molcajete (Mortar & Pestle)
• 4 to 6 varieties of tortilla chips
• Bowls or baskets for tortilla chips
• 4 to 5-oz. ramekin bowls
• Small spoons
• Wood cutting board
• Small bottle to hold lemon juice

1. Find a guacamole recipe that channels the classic. Google keywords "guacamole recipe." Look for ingredients like garlic, cilantro, jalapeno and serrano peppers, lemon juice, diced tomato, tomatillo, minced onion, sea salt and Hass Avocados.
2. Build your guacamole bar in layers. First cover the area you'll be using. Think terracotta tiles, wood cutting boards, bright yellow table cloths.
3. Place the "anchor" elements: large bowl of ripe avocados, tortilla chips and the Molcajete (a mortar & pestle carved from volcanic rock used by the Aztecs to grind flour). See Resources below for link.
4. Fill each ramekin with the individual guacamole ingredients; leave small spoons next to each ramekin; decant fresh lemon juice into a small bottle (if hand squeezing); set down a cutting board, knife, spoons and any other tools guests will need to concoct their masterpieces.
5. Print out ingredient cards and place next to each ramekin so guests know what they are working with.
6. Go through the bar and mentally make a batch of guacamole to be sure you have all the ingredients and tools guests will need.

Tips & Warnings

• Avocados ripen more quickly when placed in brown paper bags.
• Be the first one to make a batch of guacamole so guests won't be shy about making their own recipes.