Avocado with Big Sur Furikake

Even though it is only the beginning of March, it is starting to feel a
bit like Spring. The California Bay Laurel trees are beginning to blossom
and blankets of vibrant yellow wood sorrel have popped up along the
highway. Today we are working on our own version of Furikake, a Japanese
spice mix commonly based on seaweed, dried fish and various spices. I
wanted to create a version of Furikake that was a reflection of the Big Sur
Coast, something as savory and delicious as the original, but with a
distinctive Big Sur twist. We are starting with a mix of dried sea grapes,
kelp, chia seeds, grated bay laurel seeds, dried bay leaves and sea salt.
The resulting mixture has a saltiness and level of umami that you would
expect from Furikake, but with a pleasant floral aroma and slight menthol
quality from the bay laurel. We are using it to season avocado, topped
with aerated green apple-wasabi and various sour and spicy garden herbs and
foraged leaves for our new Lunch Menu.