You only have a tiny window to enjoy a perfectly ripe avocado. It seems like it's rock hard when you buy it and just as you take your eyes off it, that's when it's too late. But thanks to science, you'll never miss out again.
According to food and nutrition expert Kantha Shelke from the Institute of Food Technologists, placing the avocado inside a paper bag will trap the ethylene gas it gives off, which helps speed up the ripening.
Shelke also recommends adding other fruits, such as a banana, apple or tomato to the bag to increase the level of ethylene.
Whatever you do, don't put the avocado in the microwave in an attempt to get it ripe. "It won't work," says New York City avocado restaurant owner Francesco Brachetti, revealing the heat doesn't have an effect.
How do you select the perfect avocado? Got a good guac recipe you can share?