Cooking is what I love to do. There’s nothing in the world I like to do, besides music. If I wasn’t doing music, I’ll be doing this. It’s all about what makes you happy, right? So, I’ll be cooking for the rest of my life.
– Zuzuka Poderosa
By way of Brazil’s lively Rio de Janeiro, you can’t expect any less from this baile funk performer who also has gypsy and Indonesian blood running through her veins. As exotic as her blood pumps, this Amazon warrior queen aka Zuzuka Poderosa can also shake, that is prepare some mean ol’ choco avocado shakes!
Now I’ve been following the works of this carioca bass vocalist, and while engaging in her fun and quirky tweet statuses, I noticed some ripe green avocado flicks. Next, I read that she used them to make an avocado milkshake. Whoa! I, being obsessed with avocados, couldn’t wait to let my taste buds get a load off her specialty blend. Luckily, I ran into Zuzuka at the LAMC and asked her then if she minded sharing some recipes with me and Remezcla. She’s like, “Girl, cooking is what I love to do!” Awesomely enough, Zu invited me over to her Bushwick home to try some there.
We meet up a few days later in her artsy yellow apartment then plan to head over to the Food Bazaar to buy the goods. We pick up some large Spanish-Florida avocados, Mexican hess avocados, powdered cocoa, chocolate syrup, honey, condensed milk, and almond milk. I’m delightfully surprised about getting that chocolate, and I’m all for it. After all, who can resist chocolate? I definitely know I’m in for a treat.
So here’s the recipe to Zuzuka’s avocado milkshake, this serves two:
INGREDIENTS
1 Spanish-Florida Avocado
8 ½ ounces of almond milk
Honey (as desidered)
4 ice cubes
Put all in blender and shake!
Her second shake involved adding chocolate, typical for a milkshake, but uncommonly for an avocado one. This tasty drinkable desert then turned into choco avocado popsicles, extra mighty! Here’s our chat:
Zuzuka: So, the next recipe is going to be… I’m going to try something new. I’ve never used hass avocado before. The hass avocado is a little more creamier. A friend of mine was cooking with it the other day, and I was really into it. Both kinds of avocado are really amazing. So, now I’m going to make something that you can drink as a shake. I highly recommend it as a desert because it has condensed milk and chocolate. If you’re into the healthy tip, like I am, I would make a whole pint of this shake. DJ King Louie over here would probably drink the whole blender. I’m sure he’s going to be very happy about this. So, we’re not going to use honey. We’re going to use hass avocado, almond milk, condensed milk, and then we’re going to add chocolate. I’m kind of glad that the avocado isn’t too green, I thought it would be.
[the avocado pit falls out]
The bouncing pit. Its a warning, don’t get bruised by the pits.
Z: See how the consistency is really creamy? And it smells different too.
What’s the main difference between the two avocados?
Z: I think it’s just the sweetness and the consistency. It’s a lot less sweeter and creamier. Okay, I think I’m going to use the whole avocado, because its small. And I think it’s good to use hass avocado because it is less sweet and the condensed milk is already so sweet. So it works well.
And the condensed milk will change the texture, right?
Z: Yes. Let me try this chocolate. Oh. it’s so sweet…well, it’s chocolate. Can’t expect any more or less than sweetness. Okay, so now add almond milk. Then I add La Lechera [condensed milk] for sweetness, instead of honey. I’m adding a little more so we could have three servings, three cups. I don’t even know how much I put in, I have to wait and see. Maybe a fourth of a cup.
That seems right.
Z: I’m not really crazy about this chocolate syrup. Well, we have more chocolate over here. Maybe this will work. Natural, oh natural.
The natural one doesn’t have any sugar, right?
Z: Nope, let’s see.
Oh, it’s really bitter.
Z: Yeah. I think I’m going to use this one, because it’s natural. And then maybe a touch of the syrup. I’m not going to use a lot, just one tablespoon and a half. And a touch of the syrup. Let’s see what happens. The reason why I used it is because its natural, you know. Oh, I forgot the ice.
[blends shake]
Z: Okay, let’s see. I hope this one works out. But if it doesn’t we have the other one.
King Louie: Yea, that one will be good for ice cream.
Z: Yea. Oh Jesus. I think it needs…I think, you can’t really taste the avocado.
KL: Because of the chocolate?
Z: Maybe because of the chocolate, but I don’t think I added enough avocado. Let’s add more avocado so you could get the taste of it. I like the fact that it’s not super sweet. But if you guys want it to be more sweet then I could add more honey. Or maybe there isn’t enough condensed milk. I think there is enough chocolate in there.
Yea, it is pretty chocolate-y. What does it taste like to you?
KL: Tastes chocolate abuelita with avocado.
Mmm, this is really good!
Z: Now we freeze to make’em popsicles.
KL: That’s gonna be the bomb!
Yeah!
Z: So, take as much as you want, guys.
INGREDIENTS
1 hess avocado
1/2 Spanish Florida avocado
1/2 tbs of cocoa
3/4 condense milk
4 cups of almond milk
chocolate syrup (as desired)
Put all in blender and shake! Then freeze to make’em popsicles.
Follow Zuzuka Poderosa’s food-centric twitter @ZuCanCook