How to get fruit to ripen when it's freezing?

[ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta]

I have got 4 rock hard mangoes sitting on my windowsill and they need to be ripe for Christmas Day. Everything seems to take weeks to ripen now there is no sunshine around - should I stick them in the airing cupboard or is it the light they need?

stick 'em in a paper bag with a ripe banana i think. the banana releases gas which ripens other fruit. worth a go anyway....

take them to heathrow and put them on a plane to st lucia
or strap them to the bacl of a migrating bird

no it is actually being in a bowl with other fruit they need! the chemical that ripens fruit is ethene - apparently all produce this, so putting the mangoes in a bowl with other fruit with maximise the amount of ethene they are exposed to and consequently will enable them to ripen.

i wrote that very confidently - but must confess i am going on A level biology from years ago.

As hoxtonchick says, banana and a paper bag. I think plastic bags work too.

Keep an eye on them, though, they'll ripen faster than you think, under those circumstances.

Banana in a plastic bag will work a treat.

Bossy Kate, your biology teacher taught you well! A*!

Bananas are meant to help avocados ripen - it's worth trying putting them together

fgs franny it's Christmas in Essex
tinned mandarins is what they need
maybe a glace cherry on top if you're feeling sophisticated

With 'quick Jel' over the top.....eeehh them were the days!

And some Carnation milk

don't forget the dream topping....

this is what you should aim at

Ooh, that's much too posh for us...we don't eat that fancy pants sort of food round here.

You are all wonderful, I knew Mumsnet would know. Now, how do I get the banana to ripen so I can put it in a paper bag with the mangoes?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

What are those round things on the outside, they look like chick peas

Ah, now puddings containing chickpeas, that I could go for.

they're cherry tomatoes

No they're the wrong colour - maybe they're not ripe?

Lychees?

How dare you slight Essex...I'll have you know it is the epitome of sophistication. My prawn cocktail, steak and Black Forest gateau dinners are considered the classiest around!

mb - she was a very good teacher!