Historical society to host book talk about avocados

FALLBROOK – The Fallbrook Historical Society to hear author Rob Crisell talk about "The History of Avocados," Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, 1 p.m. at Fallbrook Heritage Center, 1730 S. Hill Ave. The public is invited.

Crisell, who grew up in Fallbrook in the heart of a three-acre avocado grove and now lives in Temecula, wrote a book titled "California Avocados – A Delicious History."

When avocados first arrived from Mexico in the early 1800s, few Americans knew what to make of them. Intrepid settlers in California were among the first to embrace the savory green fruit, sparking a century-long love affair that transformed the state into "Avocado Land."

From battling over the best avocado varieties to coaxing the public into trying the fruit by devising delicious recipes, Golden State growers created a global phenomenon. Crisell explores how California's favorite fruit became one of the most famous and iconic foods of the twenty-first century.

After a career in publishing, he is now a writer, actor, teacher and winemaker. Most recently, he is the author of "Temecula Valley Wineries" and "The Fantastic Fables of Aesop." He has written several other works for adults and children. He earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University and his law degree from George Mason School of Law.

Curators of Fallbrook history for 50 years, the Fallbrook Historical Society was founded in 1976 during the national Bicentennial as a nonprofit to collect, preserve and share the history of Greater Fallbrook. The Heritage Center Museum & Barn are located at the corner of Rocky Crest and Hill Ave. It is open every Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Submitted by the Fallbrook Historical Society.