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From: gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Avocados
Message-ID: <326@sdchema.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Jan-85 11:18:49 EST
Article-I.D.: sdchema.326
Posted: Wed Jan 30 11:18:49 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Feb-85 13:28:21 EST
References: <340@harvard.ARPA>
Reply-To: gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman)
Distribution: net
Organization: U.C. San Diego Chemistry Dept
Lines: 29
Summary: 

>All of this discussion of guacamole caused me to rush out to my favorite
>grocery store and buy some avocados. Unfortunately, even the ripest ones
>are still hard. Is there any way to speed up the ripening process? Or am
>I stuck with waiting patiently?

There is bunches and bunches of folklore regarding the
ripening of avocados (and fruit in general)

In my experience, the best way to hasten the ripening of an avocado
is to sit it (out of your refrigerator) in a closed paper bag.
Why paper and not plastic?   I dunno...

Another method I have heard of is to put it in your oven, with the
light on, but no heat.   I have never tried this.  Two things that do
not work (from practical experience) are baking (in the oven) or
nuking ( in the microwave).

One piece of advice.  If you bought many avocados, and you don't 
want to eat them simultaneously, Avos don't ripen in the fridge.
So... Put one on your shelf to ripen, and leave the rest in the fridge.
Two days later, pull out another.  Avos seem to store better
in the fridge unripe rather than ripe.  That is try
this system before ripening, and not storing ripe avos in the
fridge until you are ready to eat them.

If anyone is interested, I have sort of a pretty good idea of
why this all works, and will share it if asked

GINO