Avocado

[eash]

Never bought one before, how do I know what to look for when buying one? Should it be firm, soft, colour, etc? If anyone could help please?
Thanks

[Lakitu]

Hiya eash

They're all the same regarding the colour. I like to pick mine that have a bt of give when you squeeze them. x

[Rollo]

The way to tell if an avocado is ripe is to hold it in the palm of your hand and give it some gentle pressure; if ripe, you will feel it 'give' slightly.

[eash]

Thanks to both of you :-)

[angiebaby57]

Bright green ones tend not to be as ripe...the darker ones are softer. Beware if they feel very soft...they should just give slightly when gently squeezed.
I eat a lot of avocado..they are so good for you and really yummy!

[Naomicorlett]

I need need need an avocado bacon and mayo sarnie and I need it now .

[carmalee]

the green skinned ones are usually a bit tasteless - the almost black skinned ones are much better, specially if they have a yellowish flesh - should just give a bit when pressed and ideally the stone should sounds loose. Had a tree outside the back door when I lived abroad - nothing like picking a sun ripened avo then having it with vinegar, salt and pepper - don't eat the skins and don't put any of the avo out for the birds - its poisonous to them so I believe. Enjoy!

[jno]

very hard to tell, I've always found. Sainsburys and Tescos sometimes wrap ones up called Ripe and Ready to Eat but even they aren't always. There are two sorts, smooth light green skin and dark green knobbly skin, but the same little squeeze for both. You want firm but not solid (and not soft, which probably means it's going black inside.)

[eash]

Thanks everyone.
I've eaten avocado before in sandwiches etc but never prepared it myself and fancy trying Avocado salsa wraps at the weekend. A recipe I saw on the weight watchers website :-)

[Jugglering]

Little warning, eash.... once they are cut open, they will start to go brown very quickly (like an apple does), so if you are not going to be eating them straight away, spread a little lime or lemon juice on the cut face, or even cover with cling film to prevent this oxidisation. The browning doesn't really affect the taste, it just looks a bit off-putting!

[eash]

Oh, thanks for that Jugglering.

[grasscarp]

I brought one to work today and ate it mixed up with crabsticks. It was just the right amount of ripeness. (Tesco bought about 5 days ago).

[lorri24601]

if you prepare it in advance,remove the stone and leave it in the storage container or dish with the sliced avacardo, this will stop it going brown :-)

[missrandom]

i get some every week to make gaucamole, and I've found that the more expensive ones (like tesco finest) are always ripe, i find the standard ones can be hard and sometimes never ripen.

[crisgal]

sorry to disagree but i can only afford the value ones and they are fine, you just have to leave them longer than it says on the bag.

[missrandom]

too organised for me, I'm impatient too, i like to use it sraight away :-)

[crisgal]

i honestly think they've got some sort of drug in them!
If i have one for lunch at work, i'm excited all morning!!

[missrandom]

haha, i just stink of garlic (from the gaucamole)

[eash]

Well I bought my avocado but they were all a bit too hard in my local somerfield, still tasted ok to me though! lol