Here are a few tips for tips to pick out a great avocado.

•   Check color of the fruit first, though each type of avocado has different coloring, the most popular market varieties should be either a dark greenish black or very dark brown color, almost black skin.
•   Rather than squish the fruit, gently squeeze. A ripe avocado will be in between firm and mushy. Rather than using your fingers, which will bruise the fruit, place the avocado in your palm, flex your fingers and apply pressure to the fruit, the fruit should yield to minimal force, but not smash in your palm. The skin should not remain dented. Mushy avocados are over ripe, and hard avocados are under ripe.



•   The next test I do is the stem test, and is usually the best indicator that I have found. Using my finger and thumb I sweep my finger over the stem gently. If the stem pulls away with ease, the avocado is usually ready. I look under the stem next, if the coloring is light to medium green or light brown the avocado is typically ready. Dark brown or black inside is over ripe, and super light brown light green unripe.
•   Another trick, which is somewhat contrary to the stem test, is rather than removing the stem, grasp the avocado and with your index finger gently press down on the stem. If the stem sinks in gently and with little or no resistance then it is ripe.ÿ

I hope this helps take the guess work out of picking avocado!