Growing up in Southern California, avocados are nothing new and always abundant. I grew up with a couple avocado trees in my backyard. My dad is a avid gardener and he planted all sorts of fruits and vegetables in our backyard. I’ve been spoiled because nothing beats a homegrown produce.
I was happy to find a giant avocado tree behind Chic Headquarters. How lucky are we to have an fruitful avocado tree in our parking lot?! Super, super lucky. That means all the guacamole, smashed avocado toast, and chocolate avocado pudding I want!
Avocados do not ripen on the tree. They only ripen after harvesting. Once an avocado is picked from the tree, it can take anywhere from two days to 2 weeks for the avocado to ripen. The ethylene gas produced from the avocado essentially causes the fruit to ripen. The avocados you buy in stores were probably picked a week or two earlier, so it doesn’t take as long for them to be ready to eat. However, avocados picked from a tree at home, can take a little longer– since there is not transit time from the farm to the shipper to the truck and the grocery stores.
So how do you ripen an avocado?
If you are in hurry, place hard, unripe avocados in a brown paper bag at room temperature. The ethylene gas get trapped in the bag causing the avocados to ripen faster. And if you really can’t wait, add a banana or apple to the brown bag because they also produce ethylene gas.
Never refrigerate unripe avocados, as they will never reach their peak.
1. Wash and dry the fruit. Cut the avocado lengthwise.
2. You will end up with two halves.
3. Remove the seed.
4. Cut slices or squares into the avocado, making sure not to slice thru the skin.
5. Spoon out the contents.
6. Make something delicious like smashed avocado toast. (smashed avocado seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with crushed red pepper flakes on top of a buttered toast)
