First Caller

This morning's first call was about avocados. The question had to do with how to best store them and how to quicken or slow the ripening process. She had bought some un-ripe avocados and left them in the kitchen, knowing she wouldn't use them all immediately.

Should she refrigerate the avocado if she's not going to eat it right after purchasing? If she's already cut it open and isn't going to eat it all, can she put the leftovers in the fridge? My first thought was to tell her to keep it far away from that refrigerator. But I needed to know where she was keeping the avocados currently. They were near a window, providing them with lots of light. And that spells trouble. They need to be somewhere cool and dark, like a cabinet.

I checked my instincts against the brilliance of the internet, and not only should the avocados be kept away from the window, they should be kept at 60-68 degrees Farenheit. So, no refrigerator if you can help it. Unless you've cut one open and won't eat half until later. Then, leave the pit in and wrap in saran. Be sure to eat it within a day or two if you refrigerate it--it will just get mealier and mushier the longer it's in there (just like tomatoes do).

So, if you want to ripen an avocado, set it in the sun. But if you want them to last, keep them in the cool and dark!