Hi Walter,

> I just bought an avocado today, and I'm not sure if it is ripe.  Right now
> it feels hard.  How do tell?  Also, I'm looking for suggestions on how to
> eat it. :)

If you can see the stalk, then it is a very good sign, if it is yellow, not
green.

Then, as long as it is hard and closed, you can't tell, AFAIK.

You eat it if it smells good and becomes soft. I suppose that you just cut
a very small segment out of it, and smell it. You can eat it if it smells
good (or great).

You then can also see if it is mature or just soft. The mature ones have a
dark kernel, sometimes even the kernel shell becomes loose or the sprout
breaks through. These are the best ones!

The avocado becomes sweeter and maltier the more mature it is. So I really
love the totally mature ones and I mostly dislike the others. These become
soft, too. And they are eatable. But the bouquet is never as deep as with
the mature ones.

Regarding recipes:
I would, like all Instinctos, always eat the avocado alone. And I would
try to eat nothing sweat or fruity afterwards.

Enjoy you food!

Karl

Ooohhh, before I forget:

I a fatty Avocado, like Hass, becomes very ripe and you don't need it:
Just cut I in half, let the kernel stay in one half or throw it away
and let it lie around at normal temperatures. The Avo will dry a little
and below the new crust a gigantic taste will evolve!! Delicious when I
need it!!! :-))