Avocados 101
We would like to introduce our guest bloggers, the experts on everything avocado from Avocados From Mexico. They are here to share tips and tricks on everything you need to know about our favorite fruit, avocados.
Avocados 101: Everything you need to know about handling everyone’s favorite fruit!
Fruit? Yep, we said fruit! Avocados are a fruit because they contain a pit or seed. And it’s a fruit unlike any other. Here, you’ll find everything you’ve ever wanted to know about selecting, handling, and storing (oh, and EATING) the beloved fruit that moonlights as a vegetable… the avocado, all courtesy of the avocado experts at Avocados From Mexico.
How To Pick The Perfect Avocado
This question can be answered with another question: When do you want to use your avocado? If you want to eat your avocado right away, then look for one that’s ripe. A ripe avocado will have very dark, greenish-black bumpy skin and you’ll feel a slight give when you gently press it. If you want to eat your avocado in a day or so, then select an avocado that’s hard to the touch with smooth lighter, brighter green skin. That way your avocado won’t be overly ripe when you’re ready to use it.
Check out more on selecting the perfect Avocados From Mexico here.
How To Ripen An Avocado
Have unripe avocados that you want to use in your favorite guac recipe tomorrow? Grab a banana! Yes, a banana… and a brown paper bag. Place your avocado in a brown paper bag with the banana. Ready for the science? Ripe bananas contain a natural plant hormone called ethylene, which triggers ripening in mature fruit. The paper bag traps the ethylene gas that’s produced by the fruit and speeds up the ripening process. Check your avocado in the morning – it may only take an overnight stay in the banana bag hotel to ripen! And remember, this same science applies if you DON’T want your avocados to ripen fast… keep them away from your bananas.
Find a couple more ripening tricks here, including what to do if you’ve already cut the avocado, only to find it’s NOT ripe – ah!
How To Store An Uncut Avocado
Believe it or not, ripe avocados like to get chilly. Once your avocados reach your ideal stage of ripeness, you can store them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days to slow down further ripening and keep them just