How to select the perfect avocado
Avocados are a nutritious source of vitamins, potassium, sodium and digestible fats. They are a good ingredient for fresh salads or delicious as the base of a fresh guacamole. Choosing the right avocado at the store depends on when you plan to use it. Avocados ripen quickly and do not respond well to refrigeration, so it's best to select the right avocado for your recipe at the store. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine when you will be using the avocado. An unripe avocado will become freshest in about five days, while a fully ripe avocado should be used the same day it's purchased.
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Scan avocados by color. For avocados you plan to use in four or five days, gravitate toward green ones. Avocados with slightly more wrinkles and some dark green patches are good for two to three days in the future. A dark, nearly black avocado is likely to be fully ripe.
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Pick up an avocado of the appropriate color and squeeze it gently in your palm without using your fingertips. If there is some give to the avocado but it doesn't squish too easily, that means it is ripe and ready to eat within one to three days. If it is mostly firm but not hard like a rock, it will be ready in four to five days. A hard avocado should be left at the store.
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Tips & Warnings
The information in this article refers mainly to Hass avocados, which are the most common variety in U.S. stores.
To accelerate ripening, store avocados in a paper bag.
Avoid avocados with extremely soft spots or dark blemishes on the skin.
References
- Photo Credit Zedcor Wholly Owned/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
