3.Lettuce
Chop it as the base for a salad or shred it to mix in a taco. Fresh lettuce adds a crunch of freshness and fiber. Iceberg makes up about half of the lettuce grown in the Golden State; the other half includes romaine, butterhead and leaf. One- third of California-grown lettuce is sold in ready-to-eat packages.
4.Avocados
Put out a bowl of guacamole and some chips, and you practically have a party. A slice of avocado adds a smooth richness to dishes and helps offset any spiciness. Avocados are also a superfood that provides heart- healthy oils. There are more than 3,500 avocado farmers in California. Hass avocados, which make up 95% of California’s crop, were developed in La Habra Heights in Southern California by a postal worker named Rudolph Hass in the 1920s.
5.Cheese
What would some Mexican dishes be without cheese? California produces about 2.5 billion pounds each year, with mozzarella being the most popular, followed by cheddar, Monterey Jack and Hispanic-style cheeses. California produces more Monterey Jack cheese than any other state; it’s considered a “California original” because it’s a descendant of a type of cheese made in the missions more than 200 years ago.
Sources: California Avocado Commission, California Milk Advisory Board, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, University of California, Davis
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