Ripe for Global Domination: The Story of the Avocado

We’re coming up to AvocadoFest 2026, otherwise known as the Super Bowl, when Americans get fully a fifth of their annual avocado allocation. But how did this humble fruit, originally named after testicles, get from its Mexican forest home to a tattoo on Miley Cyrus's upper arm? This episode, we unravel the avocado's amazing journey, a story that involves not only conquistadors and cartel violence, but also a Southern California postman and actress Angie Dickinson lounging in a white leotard. And we discover where the avocado is headed next—a place where it's known as the butter fruit, and often consumed in shake form. Listen in now for all this creamy green goodness and more. (encore) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You can listen to Ripe for Global Domination: The Story of the Avocado online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ripe for Global Domination: The Story of the Avocado is an episode from Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley.

This episode is 46:47 long.

This episode was published on Jan 27, 2026.

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