In a message dated 97-08-20 03:43:17 EDT, [log in to unmask] (Dariusz
ROZYCKI) writes:

<<
 Does anyone here know what the best conditions may be?  Seems like all
 the commercial (sorry to ruin your appetite) bananas around here never
 ripen enough on the shelves, and a meal without a banana, to me is
 incomplete. ;)   My guess would be the higher the temperature the
 better.  How will putting them in the sun work (while it's still summer);
 what about winter-time?  Any other good methods?
  >>

Bob:
I'm told that bananas exude an ethylene gas which trigers the rest of the
bananas on a bunch to ripen (& therefore they're shipped in containers with
similar gas to help them ripen).  So a closed container like a paper bag &
warm temperature probly helps 'em ripen quickes.  Dunno if the ethylene gas
story is true.