With its rich, creamy flesh, the avocado is also called "butter of the forest." In Japan it is enjoyed as a dish, such as in salads or dressed with soy sauce, but in Vietnam it is a little different. The standard is to enjoy it as a sweet smoothie or dessert with added sugar or condensed milk, and there is even a signature drink called avocado coffee. In Vietnam it is called "bo," a familiar fruit grown in the highlands.
This article covers Vietnam's avocado production regions and season, the uniquely local sweet ways of eating it, how to make the popular avocado smoothie (sinh to) and Da Nang's signature avocado coffee, how to choose and store it, and how to enjoy it in Japan. If you want to learn about it alongside other fruits, see the Complete Guide to Vietnamese Fruit as well.
What is Vietnam's avocado, "bo"?
The avocado is a fruit that grows on an evergreen tree in the laurel family, native to Central and South America. Characterized by creamy, smooth flesh, it is grown in warm regions around the world. In Vietnam too, it is widely grown, mainly in the cool highlands.
In Vietnamese, the avocado is called "bo (bơ)." This is also the word for butter, well expressing the smooth texture of the flesh. Vietnamese avocados have flesh that is springy and thick, with an appeal of sweet richness. Locally they are enjoyed as a fruit on their own, or made into sweet drinks and desserts, and they are a familiar sight in markets and cafes.
Production regions and season in Vietnam
Vietnamese avocados are grown mainly in highland areas with a large day-night temperature swing. The cool climate raises flesh that is rich and delicious.
The main production regions are Da Lat (Lam Dong province) in the central highlands and Dak Lak province. High in altitude and cool, these areas are an environment suited to avocado cultivation, where high-quality fruit is harvested. The season is roughly from early summer to autumn, and in this period large avocados line the markets in abundance. A representative variety is a type called "sap" (sáp), with springy, rich flesh, which is popular locally. Agriculture in the central highlands is also central highlands category explored in more depth in the. For the best time to eat other fruits, see the Vietnam Fruit Seasonal Calendar for reference as well.
The Vietnamese way of eating | sweet desserts are the standard
How avocados are eaten in Vietnam differs greatly from Japan. Rather than salads or soy-sauce dressing, the standard is to turn them into sweet desserts with added sugar or condensed milk.
| Item | The Vietnamese way | Ways familiar in Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Seasoning | Sweet, with sugar and condensed milk | Soy sauce, salt, wasabi |
| Positioning | Dessert or snack | A dish at a meal |
| Standard | Smoothie or ice cream | Salad or dressed dish |
The most familiar style is to top the flesh with sugar or condensed milk and eat it by the spoonful. The smoothness and sweetness of well-chilled flesh are prized, and it is enjoyed as a snack or dessert. Beyond that, there are plenty of sweet, cold variations, such as ice cream made from frozen flesh and shakes made with milk. Many people who visit Vietnam are surprised to find the avocado treated as a "sweet fruit."
How to make an avocado smoothie (sinh to)
When it comes to Vietnam's standard drinks, there is "sinh to (sinh tố)." It is a smoothie made by blending fruit, condensed milk, and ice, and the avocado sinh to is especially popular.
- Scoop the flesh out of a ripe avocado with a spoon
- Put the flesh, condensed milk, a little sugar, and ice into a blender
- Blend until smooth
- Pour into a glass and, to taste, drizzle condensed milk over the top
The rich flesh and the sweetness of condensed milk melt together into a cup like a drinkable dessert. Chilling it well with ice is the key to the taste. Adding milk to loosen it gives a smoother mouthfeel. At local cafes it is loved under the name "sinh to bo (sinh tố bơ)," a standard menu item perfect for the hot climate.
Da Nang's signature avocado coffee
Vietnam has a unique drink called "avocado coffee" that combines avocado and coffee. Known as a specialty of the central city of Da Nang, it is popular with tourists too.
Avocado coffee is a cup in which avocado and condensed milk are whipped into a smooth mousse, with strong Vietnamese coffee poured over the top. The creamy, sweet avocado and the bitter coffee form layers, and you mix them as you drink. In Vietnamese it is called "ca phe bo (cà phê bơ)." The rich Robusta coffee pairs well with avocado, and the appeal is that you can enjoy it like a dessert. Vietnamese coffee itself is explained in detail in The Complete Guide to Vietnamese Coffee.
How to choose and store a good avocado
The avocado is a fruit where judging ripeness matters. Let's go over how to choose one and the knack for ripening.
- One whose skin has deepened in color and that gives slightly when pressed lightly is at its eating peak
- A hard one is unripe. Leave it at room temperature to ripen
- One that is sunken around the stem, or that dents a lot when pressed, is overripe
- Once at its eating peak, moving it to the refrigerator keeps it from going too far
A hard avocado ripens to its eating peak if left at room temperature for a few days. To speed it up, put it in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Once cut, the surface discolors easily, so sprinkle it with lemon juice, press plastic wrap against it, refrigerate, and finish it quickly. If you sweeten and freeze the flesh, you can enjoy it as a cold Vietnamese-style dessert, too.
How to enjoy it in Japan
The avocados sold in Japanese supermarkets are mostly from Mexico and elsewhere. You seldom see fresh Vietnamese ones, but the Vietnamese way of eating is easy to try with the avocado on hand.
If you blend a ripe avocado with condensed milk and sugar, you can make an authentic sinh to at home. Combine condensed milk and coffee and you can enjoy an avocado-coffee-style drink, too. The sweet seasoning is refreshing, turning your usual avocado into a special dessert. Some Vietnamese restaurants and cafes put sinh to and avocado coffee on the menu. When looking for Vietnamese ingredients or souvenirs, our sister site, the dedicated Vietnam souvenir site as well.
Frequently asked questions
- How do people in Vietnam eat avocados?
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The standard is to eat them as a sweet dessert with added sugar or condensed milk. People top the flesh with condensed milk and eat it as is, or make it into a smoothie (sinh to), ice cream, or shake. Unlike in Japan, they rarely put it in salads or dress it with soy sauce; it is treated as a sweet fruit.
- How do you make an avocado smoothie (sinh to)?
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Just blend the flesh of a ripe avocado, condensed milk, a little sugar, and ice until smooth. Pour it into a glass and finish by drizzling condensed milk over the top to taste. Adding milk gives a smoother mouthfeel. Chilling it well is the knack for making it taste good.
- What kind of drink is avocado coffee?
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It is a drink in which avocado and condensed milk are made into a mousse, with strong Vietnamese coffee poured over the top. In Vietnamese it is called ca phe bo, and it is known as a specialty of the central city of Da Nang. You mix the sweet, creamy avocado with the bitter coffee and savor it like a dessert.
- Where are Vietnamese avocados grown?
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The main production regions are Da Lat (Lam Dong province) in the central highlands and Dak Lak province. A high-altitude, cool climate suits avocado cultivation, and varieties with springy, rich flesh grow there. The season is from early summer to autumn.
- How do you tell when an avocado is at its eating peak?
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One whose skin has deepened in color and that gives slightly when pressed lightly is at its peak. A hard one is unripe, so ripen it at room temperature. Putting it in a paper bag with an apple or banana speeds ripening. One that dents a lot when pressed is overripe, so take care.
Summary | savoring Vietnam's avocado sweet
Vietnam's avocado is called "bo," a familiar fruit grown in Da Lat and elsewhere in the central highlands. Rather than making it a dish at a meal as in Japan, the local way is to sweeten it with sugar or condensed milk and turn it into a smoothie, ice cream, or dessert. Da Nang's signature avocado coffee and the standard drink sinh to are the prime examples. Even with the avocado on hand, you can recreate the taste of Vietnam just by adding condensed milk. Do try this sweet way of eating, different from the usual.
For the best time to eat other fruits, see Vietnam Fruit Seasonal Calendar, and for the story of the production regions, see Complete Guide to Vietnamese Fruit as well.
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