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The big problem in buying avocados is that
they're never ripe when you want them to be. How often do you see
shoppers standing by the avocado shelves, feeling around for that rare
fruit, the perfectly ripe avocado? Most times they all feel as hard
as rocks; that or else they're hopelessly soft and squashy and clearly
past their best. The proper and sensible thing to do is buy the fruit a few
days before you need it. An unripe avocado will ripen in between 4-7
days at room temperature. Once it is ripe, it will keep well in the
fridge for a few days, but you still need to plan well in advance if you
want to be sure of the perfect avocado.
The alternative is to hope for the best and
keep feeling around until you find a ripe fruit. A perfect avocado
should have a clean, unblemished skin without any brown or black
patches. If ripe, it should "give" slightly if squeezed gently in the
hand, but not so much that it actually feels soft. Over-ripe avocados
are really not worth bothering with, however persuasive and generous the
offer from the man on the market. The flesh will be unattractively brown
and stringy and the bits of good flesh you do manage to salvage will be
soft and pulpy. Good for a dip, but nothing much else.
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