I had the good fortune to travel to Savannah, Georgia, this spring, a lovely, bustling city with a college-happy culinary scene.

Each night, after strolling its historic, moss-shaded streets, led by our freshman gustatory guide, we tucked into delights such as sublime hummus wraps on a warm, fresh pita breads, a perfect cheddar-drenched cheeseburger and truly delicious, handmade pizza. But the best thing I ate was an avocado hoagie (a grinder in these parts): Wedges of perfectly ripe, buttery avocado with thin slices of onion and a web of alfalfa sprouts, draped in melted mild provolone, all lounging on a warm, crispy roll.

It was so simple and so fresh. I pledged to eat more avocado and more sprouts when I got home. And so I have.

It just so happens that June is California Avocado Month. Although California haas avocados are in season now, they reach peak harvest in June, so look for them to be at their freshest, most plentiful and least expensive.

Not everyone loves avocados. In my experience, the folks who don't like them say they taste like soap. An under ripe avocado does indeed have a waxy, soapy flavor that is not pleasant. And one that is over ripe can develop nasty, hard, brown spots that taste so bitter, you really don't want them in your mouth.

The trick is to eat them when they're just right. You kind of have to buy them by feel. If you want one that you can eat right away, it needs to yield convincingly when you give it a gentle squeeze with your fingertips. If it's very soft, it probably has some brown spots and you're likely going to have to throw some of it away. But if you've found over ripe ones at a really good price, there's nothing wrong with that.

If they're hard or if they yield only on the surface, buy a couple anyway and store one in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator, where it will continue to ripen very slowly. Store the other at room temperature but keep an eye on it. Check it every day and the minute it becomes tender, go ahead and eat it.

An avocado has tons of monounsaturated fat — the good kind, the kind that lowers cholesterol and is great for a healthy heart. But there is some research indicating that the avocado has additional cholesterol-lowering properties plus a sugar that may make you feel satisfied longer. I love that something so creamy actually might be good for you.

I'm such a fan of avocados that I often eat a whole one all by myself. I love to darkly toast some grainy bread, then cut the avocado in quarters, stopping at the pit but running your knife all the way around the outside. Then I twist to separate the halves, then twist again to separate the quarters. The pit will come right out. If the avocado is perfectly ripe and firm, you can use your fingers to peel off the tough skin. If not, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Then I layer the avocado onto the toast, mash it a bit, sprinkle it with a lemon juice, then top it with some thinly sliced onions and a nest of sprouts.

It's a great way to start the day. Enjoy!