Author and Temecula resident Rob Crisell won the guacamole contest at the 39th annual Fallbrook Avocado Festival on April 19 in downtown Fallbrook.
The contest, held on the Community Stage along Main Avenue, featured categories for best taste and presentation and drew large crowds during the daylong event.
Crisell’s winning entry, based on a Michoacán-style recipe featured in his book on California avocado history, was made with avocados sourced from Fallbrook’s Emerald Hills Farm.
“This is such a thrill and an honor,” Crisell said. “I grew up in Fallbrook and graduated from Fallbrook High School in the late 1980s. Winning the guacamole competition was something I didn’t know I had on my bucket list.”
Crisell is the author of California Avocados: A Delicious History (2024), which explores the state’s avocado industry. He has spoken at historical societies, libraries and community groups across California. He is also the author of Temecula Valley Wineries (2023).
The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual festival, which fills Main Avenue with vendors, live music, food and family activities celebrating the region’s avocado heritage. Thousands attended the free event in one of San Diego County’s primary avocado-growing areas.
Crisell can be reached at robcrisell@yahoo.com or calling (951) 551-5338.
