So what’s the deal with fruit ripening faster in a brown papered bag? How and why is this happening?  In a recent Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food I found this little tidbit titled “The Time is Ripe.”

“It’s true:  Some fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, and plums, ripen faster when stored in a paper bag.  The science behind the trick?  Ehylene, a gas emitted from most produce, transforms hard fruits into soft, sweet ones. By placing unripe fruit in a bag, you trap the gas, concentrating it and speeding up the ripening process.”

Science. Cool.