Some things just cannot be ignored. People who wear socks with sandals and those who listen to Cliff Richard without a hint of irony, for example. And now the people have spoken on the new issue of 2015 – those who mess with their guacamole recipes.
The scandal broke when the New York Times regrettably tweeted out a recipe for the Mexican dip advising that the added twist of peas in the mix was one to be embraced. Embraced it was not. Instead the NYT found itself facing a barrage of outrage from Twitter users, with some going so far as to threaten unfollowing the newspaper’s tweets.
The peas debate was then picked up by America’s top politicians, with Barak Obama tweeting his support for traditional guac – without peas – and White House hopeful Republican Jeb Bush actually agreeing with the Democratic president on the issue.
So why the fuss? Well, perhaps guacamole is one of those things which has reached the limit of perfection. It creates warm memories of good times, barbecues, summer lovin’ and family fun. To add peas takes it to a whole new, uncomfortable level of sophistication. Mess with my guac, mess with me buddy.
The dip unites the echelons of society in America – introduced by Mexican immigrants and adored by high society. In a time when the country is divided by politics and religion, guacamole is one of the few things that bridges the gap between all men. To add peas is to mess with that happy and unusual balance.
So NYT – step away from the guacamole. Don’t think about adding anything unless, of course, it’s chips to dip and a refreshing margarita to wash the good stuff down.