Monday, August 8

The Art of Eating an Orange!

I'm not sure there really is an Art to Eating an Orange, but it's the way I grew up eating one.  I honestly believe it's the best way to savor each and every drop of juice that pours into your mouth, feel the threads of the carpels as you sink your teeth into the meat of the orange while juice oozes from the vesicles, all while you delicately grasp this round, somewhat uneven textured, piece of fruit.

When I was a little girl each and everyday I came home from school my snack of choice was an orange and a pickle.  I know, it sounds weird but I loved having the sweet with the sour, I suppose.  What else could it be?

The way I ate the orange then and now are different however, not by choice.  One day my husband walked into the house just as I was eating my orange the way I like it.  He looked at me and said, "What on earth are you doing?"  I said, "eating an orange."  He said it was so disgusting the way I ate it, that I quit eating it that way, unless of course no one is at home.

I mean, I don't want to look disgusting while eating it but then again, why not enjoy it the way I like to, at least in the privacy of my own home!  So when no one is at home, I'll eat it that way, otherwise I conform when in public.

I know I've peaked your curiosity with the way I savor this orange, baseball looking piece of fruit, so I'll share my eating method but, don't hold it against me.  In fact, do me a favor - try an orange this way.  PLEASE, report back, with your own critique! 

The Art of Eating an Orange

First, wash the skin of the orange to get off any pesticides.  Of course, when I was a child we didn't know about these things, so I never washed it unless it was covered with dirt.

Slice the orange in half, perpendicular to the stem.

Then, holding one half in your hand, place an edge of the cut side into your mouth and with your upper teeth proceed to scrape the meat of the orange into your mouth.

Once you have gone all the way around the orange doing this, you then squeeze the remaining orange juice into your mouth!

That's not it, there's still more?  Now turn the orange inside out, so the remaining meat is arched outward.

With your teeth, peel off the remaining meat and tissue.  Eat and enjoy!

When I was growing up I would toss the skin away.  However, now I use the zest of an orange in a variety of recipes.  If this is something you like to do as well, I'd suggest zesting the orange before devouring the insides.

How awful is this eating method?  Honestly I wasn't raised in a barn but for some reason this is how I ate them.  No one taught me, it just happened to be the way I found the most satisfaction from my oranges.

How do you eat an orange?  Do you peel the skin away, sectioning out each segment, then placing each half moon in your mouth?  Do you eat it like I've described above or do you have your own special way? 

If you've never tried eating an orange the artsy way, like I love to, then please do, and report back to me, right here. I'd enjoy hearing what you think.

Do you have a favorite way of eating fruit that you would never reveal in front of others?  If so, please share it with us.  We won't judge you, after all we all have something odd that we do, right?

Words of Caution if eating an orange this way!  Watch out for spurts of juice in your eye and don't forget the floss, your teeth will need it when your done.  But hey, it's all worth it.  It's the most fun you'll ever have eating an orange. At least I think so!