JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Our tag line here at Jungle Red
Writers reads, “It’s The View. With bodies.” No where is that more evident than
in our monthly Reds & Readers livestream (which, if you aren’t attending,
whyever not?!?) Earlier this month, while talking about Lucy’s brand-new THE MANGO MURDERS, she was explaining to those of us not lucky enough to live in
the Florida Keys how to take out a mango’s single big-@$$ seed. Somehow, this
quickly evolved into a passionate discussion about peeling, chopping and
quartering fruits and veg. (With a side debate on whether the avocado was the
former or the latter.)
Fortunately, we managed to wrench ourselves away and get back to Lucy’s delightful book (which, btw, has been crushing it) but the degree with which we all had most. Definite. Opinions! Stuck with me, so now, here’s our chance to share how we deal with some of the ordinary and exotic fruits and veg.
Avocado: I cut it in half, circling the seed, pop that sucker out with a table spoon, and then scrape out the delicious innards. This works for me because 99 times out of a hundred, I’m making guacamole, and it’s all going to get mushed anyway.
Oranges: Slice off the bumpy end. Does it have a name? It probably has a name. Peel by hand, using whatever fingernails are strongest. Spend way too long trying to remove as much of that white stuff as possible. That probably also has a name.
Pineapple: I solve this problem by only buying pineapple chunks in a can, then replacing the attractive wedge of fresh pineapple with a tiny umbrella when garnishing a pina colada.
Butternut squash: I’m a pro at this because I cook them all the time in the winter. Slice off the stem end. Cut the neck from the bulbous part. Peel each section with a very sharp peeler, then scrape out the seeds with a tablespoon. (As you can see, I like scraping my veggies.)
Apple: Slice in half lengthwise, then quarter. Cut out the core and seeds with a small knife. Give the cores to the dogs. Continue slicing into very thin segments. Plate, and eat while feeling virtuous for having an apple instead of cookies.
Okay, Reds, now it’s your turn:
LUCY BURDETTE here: (Thanks Julia for the kind words!)
Avocado: Cut in half lengthwise, take the side with no pit and cut it into squares, perfect for a salad. Don’t throw out that pit because it keeps the avocado from turning brown. (for a while…)
Oranges: I like Julia’s method. Or else pass them
over to John!
Pineapple: Cut off the top and the bottom. Use a big, sharp knife to slice off the skin. (Is that what it’s called?) Cut the whole thing in half, and then wedges. Must cut out the inner core because otherwise it’s woody. A pain, but so good!
Butternut squash: We have some monsters in the garden so I will keep you posted!
Apple: Just eat it, skin and all…
Avocado: Yes, cut in half lengthwise, pull apart. WHAP a sharp knife into the pit, twist, and it comes right out. This is dangerous, always think, but it works. Then scoop out with a spoon. I have a very cool gadget that scoops out the avo as perfect slices, but it’s a pain to wash.
Oranges: Peel by hand. I used to cut into quarters, and make little smiles, but that’s messy.
Pineapple: Cut off the top. Cut off the bottom.
Slice off the sides. Regret the whole proposition. Look for the corer thing,
fail. Do my best with a big knife to cut off the skin, then around the core
from the top down. Luckily it is SO good.
Butternut squash: Put the whole thing in the microwave for a minute. It cuts like buttah. And can easily do what you want with it.
Apple: Oh, I have a fabulous marvelous corer gizmo! It just perfectly takes out the middle, then I cut the rest into slices.
Avocado: cut around halves. Hold, twist and half without stone comes away. Hank, I have seen people striking the stone with a sharp knife and lifting it out but it doesn’t work for me. Maybe I’m too chicken and picture the odd finger falling to the floor. I use a spoon. If I’m planning to add to salad I cut in quarters and peel off skin. It’s easy.
Oranges: cut in quarters. Eat with juice squirting everywhere and running down my chin. Satisfying.
Pineapple: attack with gloves on and giant knife. Or better still buy can of pineapple chunks (although I just got back from Hawaii and the pineapple is soooo good.)
Butternut squash: struggle. Curse. Buy frozen
butternut squash chunks. (but I will try Hank’s microwave method!)
Apple: I too have a corer but I’m quite happy to wash the Apple then eat the whole thing.
Avocado: Exactly the same. Very satisfying to pop that pit out.
Oranges: Use a spoon to break the skin and then begin peeling. White stuff is called pith, I think.
Pineapple: Big knife time! Evil laugh as I lop off the top, shave the sides, then put it on its side while cutting into even slices. Lastly, I use a paring knife to core each slice.
Butternut squash: Same. Then I dry the seeds to see if I can make them grow in my garden. No success yet.
Apple: Like Hank, I cheat and use an apple corer. It was a required tool when the Hooligans were little and ate their body weight in apples.
Avocado: Cut in half. Too often realizing my carefully selected “ripe” avocado is half rotten. (aka riven with ugly black spots and hairy inner growths) Toss.
Oranges: Cut in wedges (eighths) and bite the inside off the outside, juice running down my chin. SO DELICIOUS (btw) at this time of year.
Pineapple: Much too complicated and so much waste! Requires a dinner party.
Butternut squash: Engage son-in-law who is a robotics engineer. If I’m alone I cut in half, scrape out the seeds, and cook it in the oven or cut into chunks and boil. Much easier to peel after it’s cooked and cooled.
Apple: Slice hunks off the core.
Avocado: Slice in half length-wise, twist until halves separate. If using the whole avocado, stick tip of paring knife in seed and pop out. If not, leave it as is so the avocado won’t turn icky so fast. Lately, though, I’m with Hallie. The avocados don’t get ripe. The skin gets hard, then inside they are half rotten and have black hard threads running through them.
Oranges: Cut off stem end, peel with fingers, then slice carefully leaving the membrane between the segments. Or sometimes I just cut the orange in half, then into half-moon slices that I can bite–over the sink!
Pineapple: They are monsters. I don’t like canned pineapple, but will only cut up a fresh one if I want to use it for something special. There’s a Mark Bittman recipe for grilled shrimp with pineapple that I’m determined to cook before the end of the summer.
Butternut squash: Diced, in a bag, in the produce section at Trader Joe’s.
Apple: Cut in half, slice into wedges, slice core out of those with a paring knife. I think I might have an apple corer somewhere but never think to use it.
JULIA: Who woulda thunk there were SO many ways to slice and dice produce? It's your turn now, dear readers? How do you filet your fruit?
Avocado . . . I have a spoon-like gadget that slices the avocado in half . . . a fork-like edge on my avocado tool takes the seed out . . . then I the spoon part to scoop out the avocado . . . .
ReplyDeleteOrange . . . use a spoon to break the skin, then slide the spoon [bowl side against the orange] around the orange to peel the skin away . . . break the orange into sections . . . eat . . . .
Pineapple . . . I don't even try; I get a can . . . .
Butternut Squash . . . cut in half . . . scrape out seeds . . . bake until soft . . . scrape out of skin . . . .
Apple . . . I have a corer that also slices the apple into eight pieces, so core/slice and eat . . . .
Don't eat avocado
ReplyDeleteOrange - peel with fingers, sometimes slice into fours
Pineapple - buy already diced from produce section
don't eat butternut squash
Apple - wash and bit into it, sometimes will slice into fours
Avocado: Same as you, Julia. Rhys, I have the same fears as you regarding the knife.
ReplyDeleteOrange: Peel with fingers, then pull the wedges apart.
Pineapple: I've never bought a whole pineapple and don't like canned, but I can buy fresh pineapple, already peeled, cored, and chunked at the grocery store. Putting it on my grocery list right now, since it's been a while.
Butternut squash: I'm definitely trying Hank's microwave trick, because I'm usually temped to borrow my husband's power saw.
Apple: Cut in half, then quarters, cut out the core and seeds.
The white stuff on the orange is the pith and if I peel the orange I try to get as much of that yucky stuff off there as possible. I like to slice the whole orange and then either cut those slices in half or quarters. Then you can just tear the flesh away from the rind with your teeth. We call the quartered circles orangies like a niece did long ago as a little tot.
ReplyDeleteI either just wash and eat an apple or slice it up and getting out the core and seeds with a knife from each slice, although I do have one of those corer things somewhere if it made the move.
Avocado slice lengthwise twist pop pit out with a spoon. Cube. Scoop cubes away from skin with spoon.
Leave the pineapple to my husband.
Skip squash as I do not care for it.
Avocado: Same method as Julia. I have 7 avocados sitting on the table now, so sadly some will be too ripe like HALLIE's.
ReplyDeleteOrange: Peel the rind with my strong fingers, then pull the wedges apart.
Pineapple: My grocery provides fresh pineapple that is already peeled & cored.
Butternut squash: Don't buy this. Instead, I usually get squash such as delicata which don't need peeling. You can eat the rind.
Apple: Eat it as is.
I am inconsistent and have used most of these methods except for the ones that require special tools.
ReplyDeleteAvocado- I slice in half end to end circling the pit. I remove the pit with a sharp knife only when I am ready to use the second half. Sometimes I scoop, sometimes I slice.
Pineapple- slice off both ends. Admire the top. Stand pineapple up and slice it down the sides cut it in quarters. Core it. Cube or slice it.
Orange- anything goes: quarter and eat over sink, or slice through the peel and peel with fingers, or section, or do the whole thing with fingers.
Apple- again, anything goes: wash and bite, wash and quarter, then core, peel first, core and slice or chunk. Is the apple for a pie, a soup, a salad, a rice dish, applesauce, snack?
Butternut squash- curse. Peel with peeler. Curse some more. Cut with big knife. Curse. Remove seeds with spoon. Curse. Cut up. Massage wrist.
First, I love the picture of the mango "flower" which we learned to make from our cook in Mali many years ago. The only way to eat a mango!
ReplyDeleteI'm of the twisted avocado school, and then the pit of the knife.
Orange: I hate getting skin under my nails. After I cut off a slice of the end, score down with a small sharp knife all the way around, and then the peels are easy to get off. But mostly I eat clemantines, which peel easily.
I haven't cut a pineapple in years, but they are so good fresh, and Ida Rose loves chunks.
Squash: cut in half lengthwise and bake cut side down. I don't bother peeling.
Apple: Hand a half dozen to Hugh to core and quarter and then bake in a pie, because raw apple allergy.