Jeanne Muchnick's 'Best Thing I Ate This Week': Guacamole in Armonk

Those who know me (and follow me on Instagram) know I've long been a fan of the guacamole at DeCicco & Sons. I've entertained with it for years at dinner parties; taken it with me on vacation, (it's great paired with sunsets on the beach!); brought it to friends' houses (always a hit); and shlepped it to family get-togethers, including driving it in a cooler to my daughter's place in Philly.

Whether paired with chips or crudité, it's consistently the best thing I ate this week.

The family-owned grocer, with 10 stores throughout Westchester (and not to be confused with DeCicco Family Markets, which is another branch of the family), started making its famous guacamole in 2006 and now produces about 189,000 pounds a year, all of it handmade and hand mixed.

Lucky me got to visit the Armonk store (other locations include Ardsley, Bedford, Brewster, Eastchester, Harrison, Larchmont, Millwood, Pelham and Somers) and watch the guac magic in action.

It all starts with high-quality avocados, which are high in oil and come from Mexico. The custom recipe — a secret — includes avocados, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice and salt. That's the mild version; if you prefer spicy, that includes jalapeños. I'm Team Mild, which is also the store's most popular. (They make approximately 3,000 pounds a week of mild.)

What also makes it so addicting is the grocer's dedicated staff, who expertly carve the avocados quickly and efficiently, then place them in a huge bowl where they're mashed and mashed more. I even got to do some of it, which requires true muscle power.

The end result is a mixture that's equal parts smooth and chunky. It's honestly so delish that if you put it in your own bowl at home and served it to guests, they'd never know you didn't make it yourself.

For me, that's just another reason to love it.

If you go

Address: 10 locations, so check out the website for one near you. I visited DeCicco & Sons Armonk, 17 Maple Ave., Armonk, 914-499-1100, deciccoandsons.com

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Jeanne Muchnick's 'Best Thing I Ate This Week' is handmade guacamole