Jack White’s ultimate guacamole recipe
Back in 2015, a college newspaper managed to obtain and share Jack White’s concert rider. As well as requesting that all bananas be removed from the premises, the former White Stripes guitarist asked for a very special bowl of guacamole. He even included a recipe, which you can find below.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a rider is a set of demands some music artists make of their hosts when they’re on tour. Occasionally, these demands are a little wacky. Take, for example, Kanye West’s stipulation that his dressing room should never be without a barber’s chair. The rapper also asks for: “One tub plain yoghurt for dipping, four small Yoplait yoghurt, One bowl of assorted nuts, one bowl of Sunkist Salted Pistachio nuts (no red colouring)”.
On his 2002 tour, Paul McCartney apparently asked for all the lamps in his dressing room to be halogen floor lamps fitted with summer switches. He also wanted only animal-free products and for the whole room to be dry-cleaned the day before his arrival. Jack White is equally pedantic, though a little less health-conscious. His personal preferences include chicken wings, fresh blackberries and assorted chocolates. However, it was the guacamole recipe that made headlines, which includes the instruction: “Please don’t make it too early before it’s served,”
While it’s easy to mock White for his divaish tone, he’s not wrong. Being mostly avocado, guacamole does not benefit from being left sitting around. The best thing you can do is to mix in the lime right before serving, which will not only stop the avocado from going brown but stop the dish from becoming too sour. You can read the full recipe below:
Jack White’s guacamole recipe:
Ingredients:
8 large, ripe Haas avocados
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
1 full bunch cilantro, chopped
4 Serrano peppers, de-veined and chopped
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
“Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, careful not to mush the avocados too much. We want it chunky. Once properly mixed and rested, add the pits into the guacamole and even out the top with a spoon or spatula. Add ½ lime to the top layer so you cover most of the surface with the juice. (The pits and lime will keep it from browning prematurely.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until served.”
