It was an evening in which guacamole entered the international conversation and US President Barack Obama struck a blow for authenticity.

Late on Wednesday, the President hijacked his own Twitter Q&A session when he detoured from the topic at hand, healthcare, to answer a question about guacamole.

Justin Green, the political editor at the online publication the Independent Journal Review, threw a curly one at the President: "#AskPOTUS Do you agree with the @nytimes about putting peas in guacamole? If yes, why?"

The President's reply was swift and brutal: "respect the nyt, but not buying peas in guac. onions, garlic, hot peppers. classic," he tweeted.

Guacamole is a Latin American dish usually made of mashed avocado, mixed with chopped onion, tomatoes, chilli peppers and seasoning.

In its "featured recipes" section online, The New York Times had highlighted an avant-garde recipe for guacamole, suggesting the addition of fresh English peas.

"This dish, a collaboration between ABC Cocina's chef-owner, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and his chef de cuisine, Ian Coogan, is the best kind of greenmarket tweak upon a classic," the newspaper said.

But the state of the union between guacamole and peas is not an easy one.

Supporters of the President's position quickly lined up to have their say.

Others were more relaxed on the subject.

It is no secret that Mr Obama is a huge food lover and he has weighed in on the subject of guacamole in the past.

"My big thing – chips and guacamole," he told a "kids' state dinner" last year.

"Basically, if there is a bowl of good chips and guacamole ... I lose my mind."

"He loses it," First Lady Michelle Obama added helpfully.