Last week, Oklahoma University's student paper The Oklahoma Daily posted the full contract for Jack White's on-campus performance on the college, which included White's tour rider. While actually pretty tame for rock star tour riders, the document did include such tidbits as a detailed recipe for backstage chunky guacamole.
White voiced his displeasure with the newspaper for sharing the document onstage during the concert, saying, "Just because you can type it on your computer doesn’t make it right." The newspaper followed up with a defense for publishing, citing the Freedom of Information Act and the Society of Professional Journalists' standards to "seek truth and report it and to minimize harm."
We weren't really going to do anything with this information, but then we got a note from White's publicist thanking the students of OU, and pointing out that White doesn't actually write the tour rider. "We're not even sure he likes guacamole but we do know that the folks who work hard to put on the show do enjoy it," it read.
The note ended with "By the way, now that's it out there, we recommend you try Lalo's guacamole recipe. It's delicious." (Lalo being Lalo Medina, White's tour manager.)
So since it's our deadline day today, and we have White's management's blessing, we thought an afternoon snack might help us get through the final stretch of the day.
Our copy editor Esther Gim (who "loves guacamole") remarked on the recipe's chunky texture, and noted that the serrano peppers add a kick that "cleared (her) sinuses." Others praised the recipe for it's simplicity, "not unlike White's stripped down approach to music."
The recipe is reprinted below. It supposedly serves a tour party of 31.
• 8 x large, ripe Haas avocados (cut in half the long way, remove the pit—SAVE THE PIT THOUGH—, and dice into large cubes with a butter knife. 3 or 4 slits down, 3 or 4 across. You’ll scoop out the chunks with a spoon, careful to main the avocado in fairly large chunks.)
• 4 x vine-ripened tomatoes (diced)
• ½ x yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 x full bunch cilantro (chopped)
• 4 x Serrano peppers (de-veined and chopped)
• 1 x lime
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, careful not to mush the avocados too much. We want it chunky. Once properly mixed and tested, add the pits into the guacamole and even out the top with a spoon or spatula. Add ½ lime to the top later so you cover move of the surface with the juice (The pits and lime will keep it from browning prematurely.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until served. Please don’t make it too early before it’s served. We’d love to have it around 5 pm.
