with Food Network Kitchens on avocado

Q: Is it wrong to use hard avocado in your ingredients? Would it have the same taste, or would it be bitter?

A: It's not that it's bitter — it's very bland and doesn't add the wonderful richness they bring to so many dishes. Put non-ripe avocados in a bag with a banana or an apple. This will help speed up their ripening, but it still might take a few days for a hard avocado. If possible, try to plan ahead and once the avocado is ripe, store it in the fridge for several days.

- From a Food Network online chat event

Recipes Guacamole Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad Soft Scrambled Eggs With Avocado