# Note to self: Do NOT buy avocados in october **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533 "2010-10-08T21:08:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/1 "2010-10-08T21:08:04Z")
It was organic. It had the consistency of a rock. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/2 "2010-10-08T21:09:29Z")
There’s a chance it wasn’t ripe. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/3 "2010-10-08T21:11:51Z")
Let them ripen in a bowl on the counter. Check each day, and eat your avocados on the days they reach perfection. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/4 "2010-10-08T21:15:38Z")
ooooh, I wish I had known that :(. Is there a chance I could still salvage it, know that I cut it (with some effort) in half? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/5 "2010-10-08T21:29:29Z")
Probably not. They start turning brown pretty quick after you cut them. Go buy another one, a few days before you feel like eating one. Check it everyday…the minute it gives a little when gently squeezed, pop that baby into the fridge or use it. Once they are ripe and ready to eat, they will keep in the fridge for several days. But they won’t ripen in the fridge. Avocados are the “special snowflakes” of the produce world. But oh, so yummy. Once you cut a ripe one, if you use only half, squeeze lime juice over the other half and cover tightly …meaning make sure it is touching the surface…with plastic wrap until you are ready to use the other half. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/6 "2010-10-08T21:34:30Z")
Yeah, it is pretty brown. That’s okay, now I know for later. Thanks for the advice peeps! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/7 "2010-10-08T21:57:45Z")
Oh, poor little avocado. It was screaming “Nooottt Yeetttt!!” just before the knife went in. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/8 "2010-10-08T22:19:12Z")
Just so you know, avocados is weird. They don’t have a “season” like other produce, because they literally never ripen on the tree. You can just leave 'em on the tree for weeks and they stay in some sort of suspended, rock hard, animation. Only when you pick it and let it sit for a while will it ripen to eating consistency. This rather rocks for both the consumer and a seller of produce, of course. It means that they can pick some avocados today, some tomorrow, some next week…all off the same tree! Growers don’t have to hire pickers for one frantic rush and then have no income the rest of the year, they just pick as needed and send 'em off to market. And as a buyer, you don’t have to worry about being tormented by the sight of off season nasty avocados that would be a waste of money to buy! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/9 "2010-10-08T22:41:13Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Oh, poor little avocado. It was screaming “Nooottt Yeetttt!!” just before the knife went in. :eek::D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/10 "2010-10-08T23:17:48Z")
I have stone counters in my kitchen and for a long time I had a hard time getting my avocados to ripen properly. They’d go directly from rock-hard to stringy, watery mush. (I think I even started a thread here on it.) Finally I figured out that there was something about the temperature of the stone that was screwing up the ripening process. Now I set them on the wooden windowsill when I get them home and they always ripen properly. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/11 "2010-10-08T23:18:44Z")
The other trick is to put them in a brown paper bag and fold the bag up. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/12 "2010-10-09T00:52:23Z")
And lemon/lime juice will keep them from turning brown. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/13 "2010-10-09T00:56:26Z")
Moved MPSIMS --\> Cafe Society **twicks** , who’s all :smack: about the “put 'em in the fridge when they’re ready and you’re not” tip. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/14 "2010-10-09T01:26:30Z")
There used to be a really small fruit and vegetable shop near my previous address. The owner went to the markets every day and only bought enough stuff to stock the store for the day. If you wanted an avocado he would ask, “For tonight?” and pick one out according to your intended eating date. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/15 "2010-10-09T03:12:06Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > The other trick is to put them in a brown paper bag and fold the bag up. With a banana peel inside with it. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/16 "2010-10-09T03:35:19Z")
Apples work, too. Also, when buying avocados that are hard, make sure there is a bit of the stem still on the fruit. If that’s missing, it will ripen from the top, down, and will never be completely ripe. That is, the top will be going mushy by the time the bottom starts to ripen. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/17 "2010-10-09T03:36:09Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Just so you know, avocados is weird. They don’t have a “season” like other produce, because they literally never ripen on the tree. You can just leave 'em on the tree for weeks and they stay in some sort of suspended, rock hard, animation. Only when you pick it and let it sit for a while will it ripen to eating consistency. > > This rather rocks for both the consumer and a seller of produce, of course. It means that they can pick some avocados today, some tomorrow, some next week…all off the same tree! Growers don’t have to hire pickers for one frantic rush and then have no income the rest of the year, they just pick as needed and send 'em off to market. And as a buyer, you don’t have to worry about being tormented by the sight of off season nasty avocados that would be a waste of money to buy! Not true. There are cultivars of Avocado trees that produce ripe fruit in the spring, other cultivars that produce in the summer, others in the fall and still others that produce in the winter. Its true certain cultivars hold the fruit on the tree for relatively long periods of time, but the fruit will eventually get ripe (soften) on the tree. And fruit that ripens on the tree is delicious, but unlike some other kinds of fruit, it doesn’t _have_ to ripen on the tree. I have several cutivars in my yard here in California. If you plant the right ones, you can have fruit year round. If you live where Avocados don’t grow, there may very well be avocado seasons during which you’ll see lots of them come into the markets. One reason for this is that some cultivars don’t ship well. They ripen too quickly or bruise easily so commercial growers don’t grow these types. Here’s a website that lists several cultivars and when they get ripe. Scroll down to “Cultivars”. [http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html](http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/18 "2010-10-09T05:38:23Z")
Avacados ripen well in sunlight. Leave them on a window sill, or even outside if its not too cold. When its warm, a couple of hours in the sun will ripen a very hard cado. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/19 "2010-10-10T22:03:58Z")
Also, if you only need to use half, put the half with the seed still in it in a bag and in the fridge. It will take longer to turn brown if the seed is still there. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-self-do-not-buy-avocados-in-october/556533/20 "2010-10-10T23:07:30Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Apples work, too. Apples release a chemical that ripens fruit. If you need something ripe, quick, put it in a bowl of apples.