Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I feel like such a novice vegan, but I'm so clueless about avocado. I had it once as a child but my auntie cut it hedgehog style (like how you do mango) and drowned it in salt so I'm not sure if it was the salt I hated or the avocado.

How do I buy the best one?

Do I have to use the whole thing in one go or can I wrap half up for tomorrow?

Does it go brown, and if so, do you have to put lemon on it, like how you stop apples going brown?

These things have really put me off buying one so if i knew the answers I'd just go for it!

Thanks!

Hass avocados are the best ones! A nice ripe one should be firm, with some give around the top. I give it a squeeze with two fingers- the narrow part should be a bit soft, but the rest of the avocado shouldn't be. If you want to be sure that it's not overripe, you can flick off the little bit where the stem was and see inside. It should be light green and not brown.

You can definitely wrap half of it up, I do this all the time and they can keep for up to a few days. I keep the pit in the half that I'm not using. My mum always said that they keep a bit longer this way. They do go brown, but not as quickly as apples, and wrapping it up usually prevents it for a few days. No need for citrus unless you're making guacamole or something.

My boyfriend used to hate avocado, but he's recently come around to it. I started out with guacamole, then moved onto putting it on burgers and in sandwiches. He's a fan now!

I wish I could remember who told me that when choosing an avocado you can use your own face as a guide! It's one of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten.

If it feels like your chin it's too hard. If it feels like your cheek it's too soft. If it feels like your nose it's just right, Goldilocks!

I usually just store leftover avocado - if I have any - cut side down in a closed container. Mashed up Oma piece of toast wirh just a pinch of salt it's a pretty easy and tasty breakfast!

That's amazing!

I've never had to worry about storing leftover avocado though, I eat one every day.

Thank you all, I shall try one next time I go to the shops (and try to be seen poking my face and comparing!)

There were a few blog posts about storing avocado halves - using onions has been helpful as has wrapping them in aluminum so no air gets to the meat.
http://www.thekitchn.com/the-absolutely ... kee-126950

I love avocado and my toddler will happily devour an entire one!

you can also eat it sweet! here in Brazil it's almost anathema to eat it salty. The traditional way to eat it here is take it out of the skin, mash it, and mix in brown sugar. I've also had Mexican smoothies made with it and some kind of milk and sweetener, it is luscious.

I still am a sucker for guac- either creamy or chunky salsa-style.

nothing is better than perfectly, melt-in-your-mouth ripe avocado on toasted bread with some salt and sriracha sauce. i usually buy 6-7 avocados at a time and let them ripen on the counter - then I pop them in the fridge when they're ripe. they will be fine for 2-3 days in the fridge after they become ripe.
it's pretty good on bread with some marmite or tomatoes as well. or with fake meat slices.

you really can't go wrong with avocado - but the hass variety is what you want, the other kind is not nearly as delicious!

Wow! This is so cool! I just made up a recipe for a breakfast treat with fresh oranges and avocado mashed with sugar. I thought I was being so innovative, ha!, but it's neat to know that there's a long tradition of sweet avocados!

My favorite smoothie is 1/2 an avo, 1/2 a small cucumber, fresh squeezed OJ, fresh squeezed lime juice, and dates! Sweet avos for the win! But, Haas is not the only good kind: fuerte and bacon avocados are also amazing!

Storing cut avocados with cut onion in the fridge definitely works better than wrapping, according to my own kitchen science anyway :)

Egads. Don't mash up Oma!

Cool! I will try your smoothie. It sounds amazing.

Also, another vote for Bacon Avos. They are my new favorite.

ooh you could make avocado pesto! (Oh she glows).
basically, basil, avos, garlic, some evoo, and lemon juice.

soo good. i eat that with some pasta and sausages.

i've yet to see a hass avo though.

It's weird, I'm almost 35 and I've only really gotten into avocados the last 3 years or so. I always knew they existed but I was indifferent, now I love them. I like to make massaged kale salads with just avocado, apple cider vinegar, salt and garlic. I also really like them cubed in salads, on burgers and in panini sandwiches with hummus.

Oma and some toast wirh! Wait, that's not vegan.