Before working with avocados, it is important to know how to select them. While there are some fifty varieties of avocado worldwide, only two are really distributed on any scale: the very popular Haas avocado, which has black bumpy skin; and the Fuerte avocado, which has smooth green skin (and is sometimes called a sweet avocado).

The variety with which most people are familiar is the Haas, which is popularly used in salads, guacamole, and as a garnish for a variety of plates. The tricky thing about avocados, however, is finding them in the correct stage of ripeness, since they only remain perfectly ripe for a couple of days, depending on their storage condition. (This is why they are somewhat expensive, since retailers are forced to build spoilage into their prices.)

Look for avocados of a decent size (about the size of an average fist) and avoid extremely small ones, as they often ripen too quickly and have crumbly, underdeveloped pits. Also avoid avocados which are cold to the touch, if you have a choice, since this means that they have been refrigerated, which can cause some spotting in the flesh. A perfectly ripe avocado will yield to a gentle squeeze, about as much as they fleshy part of your hand below your thumb when your fist is clenched. A good avocado should also be free of soft spots and visible blemishes.

If you are buying avocados that will be used two to five days later, pick ones which are not yet ripe-which are hard, like an apple-and keep them on the counter until they are ready to use. Avocados ripen more quickly in warm, moist environments; and more slowly in cool ones. Thus, if you are buying them in advance, it is a good idea to check their ripeness consistently; and place them in a paper bag-some people say with a banana-to ripen them more quickly. Conversely, if your avocados are getting too ripe, place them in a cool place; even in the refrigerator as a last resort. Temperatures which are too cool may cause some spotting in the flesh, but is better than losing the entire fruit.

When you are ready to use an avocado, you should slice off the top, where the stem is; then hold it in your non-dominant hand and cut into its center lengthwise with a chef's knife until the blade hits the pit. When you feel the pit stop the knife, roll the avocado along the blade until you have cut all the way around the fruit (your final cut should join up with your first one, making a perfect half). Use both hands to gently twist each half in

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