Robbie Sigona’s Produce Tips: Avocados

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  It's important to know the difference between a Fuerte and a Hass avocado to make sure you get one that's ripe.

  Avocados ripen best off the tree and are generally delivered not-quite-ripe to farmers markets and stores.

• Sigona’s always has ripe avocados available for our customers (look for the orange Ripe stickers). We have natural atmosphere rooms that ripen our avocados to perfection.

• Ripe avocados yield to gentle pressure. Avoid fruits that seem “too squishy” when gently squeezed.

• It’s important to know the difference in avocado varieties when selecting the fruit. For example, the skin of Hass avocados darkens when ripe, while the skin of a Fuerte avocado stays green.

• Select avocados that feel slightly heavy for their size.

• Once ripe, the fruit can be refrigerated until it is eaten, but not for more than two or three days.

• Sliced avocados brown quickly so if preparing slices for later use, squirt them with lemon juice and cover with plastic wrap to keep the air out.

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Robbie Sigona is produce buyer for both the Redwood City and Palo Alto Sigona’s Farmers Market locations. He works with local farmers and scours the market for the very best in fresh fruits and vegetables — some you won’t find anywhere else.