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 . . . .
Joan, you make me think the answer to all of these is gadgets. More gadgets!
DeleteAh, but in my own defense, my avocado "gadget" and the apple corer make it all so simple . . . . 😊
DeleteDon'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
I like the way you're keeping it simple, Dru Ann.
DeleteAvocado: 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.
Annette, getting the pineapple already done at the produce section makes me think of my young friend Samantha, whose first post-college job was in produce at Whole Foods. She could turn an entire whole pineapple into chunks ready to be put into containers in two minutes flat!
DeleteNow THAT is a skillset I wish I had!
DeleteThe 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.
Brenda, I'm going to have to try that 'cubing while it's still in the skin" thing with my avocados. The scoop is fine for guacamole, but you want it to look prettier if it's going into a salad.
DeleteAvocado: 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.
Grace, all the while I was reading the Reds answers, I was asking myself : don’t they have from their groceries whole fresh pineapples already peeled and cored. They are so much better than cans et they don’t cost more.
DeleteWe do, Danielle, and weirdly, I just never think of it. Pineapple is more of a pantry staple for me, to be used in fruity desserts or drinks, so I need it in shelf-stable form.
DeleteI 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.
Judy, your mention of apple sauce reminded me of my days as a young stay at home mother. We have apple trees on our property, and every fall I'd gather a bushel, peel every one (and cut away where the bugs had been at them) use my core and slice gadget and then cook them down into SO MANY mason jars of apple sauce. It was actually worthwhile for a few years, with two tiny tots.
DeleteNow, I let the apples fall and the deer and my dogs eat them. Much easier.
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.
EDITH: I knew about the raw peach allergy but did not know you also can't eat raw apples!
DeleteThis would be tragic for me. I think apples are the fruit that I enjoy eating raw all year round.
I hardly ever cook with apples.
Grace, it's all northern tree fruit! I can eat berries and tropical tree fruit. It's truly tragic. I experimented a little this summer, taking small tastes of peaches and apples, hoping it had gone away. Not yet!
DeleteEdith, that is a tragedy! For several years after my dental/broken jaw trauma that sliced the nerve controlling taste buds, I could not taste sweet or salty things. The one thing I most missed was fresh nectarines, which tasted like cardboard.
DeleteAw crap! But yes, it is always good to try eating small test bites to see if your food allergy goes away. That's how I found out I could eat raw & cooked tomatoes again after 3 years of allergic reactions.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI was thinking of you Grace, when i tried those test bites.
DeleteYikes! You ladies are making me so grateful I don't have food allergies. My experience with not being able to eat chocolate or drink wine during menopause was bad enough...
DeleteMy solution to fresh pineapple: I’m very (as in throat closing) allergic. So just don’t! ;-) Happy Monday, all! Elisabeth
ReplyDeleteThat's the easy way to deal with a fruit, Elisabeth!
DeleteI don't have anything new to add about avodcados, oranges, or butternut squash. But I've been surprised no one has mentioned an orange-peeling tool. I have two identical ones. I think they were originally Pampered Chef purchases, though possibly Tupperware. It's an orange plastic thing about 4 incheds long and has got a little thing that sticks out the side that you can use to score the peeling, then a hooked end that can be inserted to dislodge the scored hunks of peeling. It can be used for a second pass to remove more of the pith. With it I can peel an orange in a few seconds without getting anything under my fingernails!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Susan! I have one of those tools too, that I got years ago at a Tupperware party. It works amazingly well. A trick my mother taught me about peeling oranges: slice off the top, then with a sharp knife, or the Tupperware tool, slice down, just through the skin, so you have 4 sections, which are then very easy to peel with fingers or the other end of the Tupperware tool.
DeleteMy Tupperware orange peeler broke years ago after having been one of my favorite kitchen gadgets ever. Alas.
DeleteSusan, I'll have to look for one of those - sounds like the kind of gadget that might turn up at a yard sale. Oh, Tupperware, you were so great. We miss you.
DeleteYard sales are a good idea. I have bought some things on Etsy that I couldn't find anywhere else. My favorites are the salt and pepper shakers that since they are plastic, the hole-y tops do not corrode from the salt and they can even be closed to keep moisture out.
DeleteThings you need to know before I start:
ReplyDeleteWe are only 2 people, and usually have 1 piece of fruit between the two of us for dessert for supper. A lot of our fruit comes off the 2nd hand shelf except for apples for eating. Apples for sauce come off the shelf, but they are a different variety.
Avocadoes – rarely buy but always 2nd hand. Somone does not like them. Slice in half, examine for quality, spoon out either flesh or pit. Plop in guacamole. He doesn’t like that either.
Orange – depends on season or variety. There is a variety called sungold which arrive after Christmas (about the same season as Blood oranges) which are so juicy and sweet. Cut in half, then each half cut in thirds. Put on plate with a square of 85% chocolate. Eat. Even tastier, is peel, (depending on orange some you can just zipper off the peels – usually the really good navel ones or else cut in quarters. Scrape off all the pith. Cut off the end of section bits, separate and then cut into nice mouth sided bits for fruit salad. Really good with grapefruit if you don’t have to mortgage the house to buy the grapefruit. Use scissors for small cutting. I have no idea how chefs do that knife thing to peel the orange – that must surely contain some finger parts.
Pineapple, only buy 2nd hand. Fresh not canned affects us both badly, so usually it means only one day of it. Anyway, take off top. Cut another 2 rings. Peel each ring, cut out woody part, make into mouth-sided pieces, and sprinkle with sugar. Put the left-over piece face down on plate in fridge – it keeps a long time to allow mouth to heal. Otherwise, cut the same way and put the mouth-sized bits in the fruit salad.
Butternut squash - ours. Cut off top slice and donate to chickens. Slice rings off from the top down – just enough for supper. Either bake – skin on in butter and maybe brown sugar, or peel and boil. When you get to the seeded bulb, scrape out seeds (see chickens) and bake. A squash can last a month in our house.
Apples – 2nd hand – peel, chunk and make applesauce. These are usually random varieties and always cook up interestingly – Macintosh and Galas cook at different speeds and with different textures. Always eat fresh in spite of the price – Honeycrisp. They are usually just a bit bigger as well. They are about $8 for 8, so not a bad value. Cut in half, cut each half in thirds, place half each on plate (if you place the half on the plate and then third it cut side down, it does not go brown while you eat your supper. Add a slice of chocolate, or even better a half a little coffee crisp bar from Halloween. These apples are so juicy, so remember to either have a napkin or just wipe your mouth on your sleeve!
Margo, as usual, your wonderful writing ought to be part of a book! I will only only add I'm a fan of Honeycrisp as well, and if I'm feeling flush, Pink Lady or Gala.
DeleteThe only fruit peeling I do that is different came from my husband, who used to eat an orange every day of his life: Slice off the navel and the other end, then score the peel lengthwise (you can do this with a paring knife, as well as the Pampered Chef/Tupperware tool) in four equal places. Now you can easily pull the peel off, and then break the orange open to separate into segments. No mess.
ReplyDeleteFor those tempted to whack the avocado pit with a big knife, just know that one of the most prevalent reasons for an ER visit is cuts to the hand from opening an avocado. Just saying. With my hand tremor I don't dare!
I learned something new a couple years ago about avocados: Once the stem "belly button" pops out and the skin loses its shininess, test the top with your thumb. If it yields to light pressure it is perfectly ripe. Put it in the fridge, and the avocado will stay in that stage of ripeness for a long time, more than a week. You can also freeze avocados whole at the stage, and when you use them they will be perfect. With the current price of avocados, this takes a leap of faith, but it's amazing how well they freeze. You can also peel them and freeze right away in airtight plastic or silicone. My middle daughter eats her weight in avocados, so these tips have been lifesavers for her bank account.
You can freeze a whole avocado? Oh my goodness, that never would’ve crossed my mind as a possibility. WOW. What a valuable piece of knowledge!
DeleteWow, Karen, those are some very helpful insights about avocados!
DeleteI know! Life-changing, isn't it, Hank?
DeleteWOW, I had no idea you could freeze whole avocados! I have 8 (not 7 as mentioned above) on my table. They may be too ripe, though, but good to know for next time!
DeleteIf the avocados are too ripe can you smash them up (with lemon to keep the avocado from browning) and freeze them?
DeleteLooks like a number of us do the orange peel scoring trick. Yes, avocados will ripen faster if you remove the buttons. Also if you put them in a closed paper bag with an apple.
DeleteKaren, this info is going to change so may lives! Next time my grocer has an avocado sale, I'm going to load up instead of limiting myself to three!
DeleteI often freeze avocados, although I typically slice them so they are easier for the blender. They are wonderful in smoothies.
Delete
ReplyDeletePutting a whole raw butternut squash in the microwave for a tiny amount of time, a minute at the most, is truly a useful tool! It makes cutting them so easy, and the microwave does not change anything else about it.
I'm going to have to try this, Hank. I love butternut squash soup and I like to add cubes to my stews, but the peeling is always the tedious part.
DeleteJungle Reds, great tips! Thank you. It looks like I already know how to do all of these, which is good to know.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Is it possible to use the avocado pit to plant more avocado if you have a garden or kitchen garden box?
DIANA: Yes, you can. This has been a topic of discussion in my Edible Ottawa gardening group. There are plenty of web pages and Youtube history on how to do this.
DeleteHere is one:
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-grow-avocado-plants-258836
GRACE: Thank you.
Deletethat was me, Diana.
DeleteI thought you were supposed to suspend it half in water and let it sprout. I've tried this a few times and nothing ever happened, what did I do wrong?
DeleteI grew an avocado tree from.a seed once. It lasted for a few years but it couldn't be planted outside. It died a few years later.
DeleteAvocados: Don't buy because they are ridiculously messy.
ReplyDeleteOranges: Use fingernails to pry up skin and peel. Get as much pith as possible, but don't fuss too much.
Pineapple: Buy pre-cut fresh from the grocery store.
Butternut squash: Never tried it to cut it.
Apple: wash and eat. Sometimes cut around the core for slices, but usually too much work.
I learned the trick to peaches (cut down to the pit, slice around the pit and twist). I'd love to figure out a better way to cut watermelons so I can chunk them and have a container to snack on. My sister can do it (she says it's the only useful skill she took away from a job at Bob Evans).
Liz, I've cut away the watermelon's rind off and then cut into chunks. But I think the way my mom used to cut it into slices is the easiest.
DeleteLIZ: I use the same technique for Niagara region freestone peaches. But this does not always work for clingstone peaches (as the name implies), the 2nd variety of peaches we get later on in the summer.
DeleteLiz, I like to do the same thing with watermelons, and the best I've come up with is half, then slice, then cut away the rind, then chunk. It's very messy, so I'd also like to learn a better way if there is one.
DeleteGracy, yes. I have read that it works better with freestone peaches, which must be what I have because it works a treat.
DeleteAnonymous and Julia: That's what I do. Cut into slices then cut the flesh out of the rind. But my sister has this trick where she cuts off the ends, stands it up, and slices away the rind so you get the flesh in like a hexagonal log. Then slice and chunk. Something like that. I haven't been able to replicate it yet.
Great tips! Thanks Julia for this interesting post.
ReplyDeleteDiana, it was very popular/cool back in the "hippy" days to get your avocado seed to sprout. It seemed everyone had an avocado seed with toothpicks stuck into the center of the avocado pit so it could balance on the rim of a mason type jar filled with water to cover the seed (halfway up).
Eventually the pit/seed will sprout roots and you can then plant in soil.
People often call tomatoes, beans, squash etc veggies but I was surprised when my bio teacher said that wasn't correct. Say what??? Any plant that has seeds is a fruit (peas, nuts, tomatoes, corn, etc) and if its a plant that we eat the leaf, stem or root it is a veggie (celery, potatoes, lettuce). My grandkids informed me that of course, Nana, everyone knows that! I do now!
Anon, as I mentioned above, I've tried the toothpick and water method and could never get a seed to sprout! Maybe I'm just not enough of a hippy to make it happen. :-)
DeleteWay pre--Hippie Days for me (1952) second grade window sills sprouting avocado with tooth picks. Don't remember if mine sprouted! Elisabeth
DeleteI just pop the avocado pit into the corner of a garden bed, pointy side up. Ignore. By the end of the summer when your bed of vegetables in harvested your pit will be sprouted, healthy and ready to transplant.
DeleteI always cut the avocado in half then take a small knife and gently hit the seed with it. Turn the knife and pop out the seed. I know it is a concern about getting cut, but people use knives for all kinds of chopping.
ReplyDeleteOranges, usually cut the bottom slightly to start to peel.
Pineapple - buy it cut
Butternut squash - but it pre cut but like the microwave suggestion and will do that in the future. Thanks guys for the tip!
Apple - cut around the core, but somewhere in my gadget drawer I used to have an apple corer...
Honestly, Anon, I also have an apple corer, but like you it's "I don't know where" in a drawer, and when I want to cut an apple it always feels as if it will take more time to find the darned thing than to just go ahead with a knife.
DeleteJulia, what a great post! I love learning new tips about what goes on in our kitchens z, I just bought an avacado yesterday and when I sliced it around and twisted it open it was perfectly rip. I used a spoon to pop out the pit and then sliced in the skin and scooped out the slices with a spoon. ( Added a very ripe delicious yellow tomato, spoiled with salt, pepper and grated manchengo cheese. Surrounded by shrimp simmered in coconut milk and smoked paprika. Dinner on the deck with a glass of chilled Soave. Delicious!) I love avocados! And I so love Jungle Red Writers and guests and company!
ReplyDeleteSuzette, you're making my mouth water!
DeleteSome here have mentioned allergies to certain fruits. My aunt was allergic to latex and I was surprised to hear that certain fruits such as avocado, banana, chestnut, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, apricot, strawberry, and tomato all contain laytex.
ReplyDeleteThat's fascinating, Anon! I always assumed latex was entirely man-made, but I guess it has to be made out of something....
DeleteJulia, "The Rubber Tree Plant" song (aka as High Hopes) is my silly way of reminding myself that rubber grows from the ground. Elisabeth
DeleteSince we are coming up to apple season/sauce. If I am eating a whole apple I don’t do anything but bite into it as is until I come to the core. If I am making apple sauce, I cut the apples into quarters, cut out the small section of seeds, peel the quarter and put into pot. If it is a large apple I might cut the quarter again before putting in pot. Sometimes I quarter several apples before starting to peel them.
ReplyDeleteI am not a big fan of squash so that’s not a problem. Have never eaten an avocado, there is something about the texture that doesn’t appeal to me, perhaps someday I will get curious enough to try it.
Pineapple: pull out one of the leaves to see if it is ripe. If so, twist the. leaves off which will leave you with just body (whatever it’s called) quarter it, the core is easily sliced off. Cut between the fruit and the skin of each quarter. You can then slice individual pieces and leave them in place to serve as is or perhaps with toothpicks.
By the way, you can supposedly plant the top part of the pineapple.
Almost forgot the orange. If it is a navel orange, score quarters of the skin, it’s usually thick enough to be removed with your fingers. For other oranges I usually peel the skin with either a knife or fingers depending upon which is easier. If I am making orange juice I cut the orange in half and squeeze each half. It requires a lot of oranges for just one glass so I don’t do it very often, but it is so much better than the store bought,
Anon, you're making me think of the times I've been in Florida or Mexico and had real, freshly squeezed orange juice. It's SO much better than anything else! It made me realize how people who got to taste it while in the south came up with ways to make it available up north.
DeleteLove this! Hank, I'm stealing your butternut squash tip - I've cussed every one I've ever had to prepare, but I love the fruit! Avocados, I use the half and twist method. Hasn't failed me yet. Pineapple - chop the top and bottom, then cut in half, then quarter the halves and then slice off the skin. I'm strange - I love the core. Hubs gets the rest. Oranges - I cheat - mandarins, navel, or tangerines only. Loose skin, easy to peal with a thumbnail start or small slice at the top. Apples. No worries, cut in quarters then core and eat. Has anyone else been having trouble with tough banana skins? I've had to slice into some that tested ripe otherwise. So strange!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had any issues with bananas, Kait, but a friend told me they can bring fruit flies into the house, so now I wash the heck out of the skin before I let a bunch ripen on my counter!
DeleteI don't eat pineapple anymore. The natural acid does a number on my tongue. I watched Jacques Pepin prep one years ago. Take off the top and bottom, stand on end and cut off the skin. Then pick up the whole fruit and following spiral, cut all eyes out with a paring knife. Lay the pineapple on it's side, cut slices and take a biscuit/cookie cutter to remove the core. Pretty but a lot of cutting.
ReplyDeleteIt is, Deana! Pineapple falls in the category of "is it really worth the trouble?" for me.
DeleteWhen I moved to Southern California for college, my roommate showed me the whack the avocado pit with a knife way to remove it. Never failed me - until the time the knife slipped on the pit and stabbed into my palm. I still halve the avocado and, very carefully, use the knife to remove the pit. Then score the inside and scoop out with a spoon. (When I was growing up, you couldn’t get avocados very many places, hence me needing my SoCal roommate to teach me about them. Apparently they are available all over as you all in the Northern climes are familiar with them. Also, they didn’t used to be bad inside as often as they are now. I’m guessing we’re getting a different variety now.)
ReplyDeletePineapples: cut off the crown and bottom with a large knife. Halve lengthwise, then cut again lengthwise. Cut the core off, save for gnawing later. Then take the little “knife” you got from your mom’s kitchen when you cleaned out her house (it’s about the length of a paring knife and has scalloped sides; my husband says it’s called a pineapple knife but I don’t know if he’s right) and cut the flesh away from the skin. Comes out beautifully and then you can chunk or whatever with the fruit.
Apple: cut into quarters and cut away the seeds. If ambitious, get the corer out of the drawer and use it but do a better job than I (meaning line it up straight so you truly get the seeds in the core). Trivial note: apples were the only thing I craved when I was pregnant!
Oranges: cut into quarters and use your teeth to get the fruit out (over the sink is best). Remember to wipe your chin afterwards!
Butternut squash: cut off the stem and other end, then cut lengthwise with big serrated knife. Scoop out seeds, place cut side down in microwave safe pan, put an inch or two of water in the bottom, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for, I don’t know, eight minutes. Check doneness by peeling back the plastic wrap and sticking a fork in to see if it’s tender. If it’s just you and someone you live with and aren’t trying to impress, put each half on a plate, add butter and maple syrup or brown sugar and scoop away with a spoon. If preparing for company, use someone else’s method from above!
— Pat S
Pat, you comment about Mom's little knife makes me think of my mother's grapefruit utensils. She had a special curved knife to loosen the inside from the skin, and a set of spoons, serrated on one side, for separating the individual segments and eating them. Half grapefruit, decorated with a Marischino cherry and heavily sprinkled with sugar was one of my favorite breakfasts as a little kid in the 60s!
DeletePAT S: i only bought fresh pineapple at the Waikiki FM during a 2-week vacation stay at an Airbnb. Sweetest, best fresh pineapple I had ever eaten. I also visitee the Dole Plantation but only got dole whip, no fresh pineapple there.
DeleteI cut the pineapple in a way similar to how you do it.
I'm learning so much reading these... and I am shocked, SHOCKED to discover how many of us don't care for butternut squash. It is a pain to prep but as Pat points out, is delicious with butter and brown sugar. It's also a bargain.
ReplyDeleteI know, right? You can find it on sale for $.89/pound at different times during the winter!
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