Introduction
If you eat avocados it is nice to keep the stones because new avocado plants can be grown from them. Another interesting way you can extend the life of an avocado is to make ink from the stones and skins. This ink can range in colour from pink, to red to deep brown, depending on your water and the stones and skin themselves. This activity requires a sharp knife and so must be done by an adult. The ink produced has a beautiful, granular quality and you can play around with creating textures and tones, building up layers and experimenting with the tools you use.
Materials
- 3 avocado stones (large)
- Skins of 3 avocados (optional, the skins give a brown colour, the stone gives a pink-ier colour)
- Sparkling water 1L
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Sieve
- Clean jar
Method
- Remove the flesh of the avocados and eat.
- Chop the avocado stones into small pieces, chop the skins of avocados if you wish (this gives more of a brown colour, if the stones are cooked with no skins they become a more reddish brown.)
- Add sparking water to the stones and cook over a low heat for 40 mins, as water evaporates add more.
- Reduce the water until there is very little left in the pot and the ink has darkened and thickened.
- Allow the ink to cool a little and strain through a sieve, discard the stones/ skins.
- When it has fully cooled, the ink is ready to be used.
Notes
You will find different results with this ink depending on the water you use and the stones + skins combination