[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]here’s a large, glass mug filled nearly to the top with avocado juice, its consistency thicker than what one would normally consider a juice, but also silkier than a smoothie and less dense than a shake. Big chunks of banana hide inside the creamy liquid, becoming a hearty surprise with every few spoonfuls of the cocktail.
Topping the concoction is a Lebanese cream called ashta, a generous drizzle of honey, almonds, and a sprinkle of pistachios. It’s a Lebanese-style drink called an Avocado Carnival and it tastes just like California on this sunny Sunday afternoon at Fruzion, a fruit cocktail cafe like the kind you’d find in Lebanon or Montreal. This one is in Glendale – they also have a location in Chatsworth – but their story, inspiration, and recipes come from all around the world.
When my husband and I split an Avocado Carnival on a recent afternoon in Glendale, we spent the rest of the night talking about it while somehow resisting the urge to go back and get another one. We agreed, though: for two Angelenos who love avocados and dessert, it was the tastes of California.
Mary Simone Yacoubian, who owns Fruzion with her husband Mike, says that she has heard this before from customers. "Someone said that they're shocked that it didn't originate from California because it's fruit," she tells me inside inside the Glendale fruit cocktail and crepe shop on a recent morning.