Many techniques are used in preparing food. Some are tried and true methods passed down through the ages. I’ve come up with a few of my own that are more unusual. I made the following short videos to illustrate them. I hope you try them and find them useful.
Pineapples
These can be challenging because of their size, texture, and different parts. I use a serrated bread knife. Be careful.
Oranges
You know that odd plastic tool in the back of the kitchen drawer? It’s the one with the sharp hook at one end and the curved flat thing at the other end. It’s an orange peeler. You can peel an orange in two neat hemispheres, a spiral, vertical strips, animal shapes, or whatever else you can think of. Impress your friends with your talent and skill. Here is one simple example.
Kiwi Fruit
The fuzzy skin on these highly nutritious fruit can be challenging. My technique is simple and not messy. There is no need to peel them. It is very quick. All you need is a knife and spoon.
How I See It 
I like the kiwi best. Your taste-tease has got me going. Gonna get me some tomorrow. And speaking of experimenting, Jim, I had some cold soup recently and really liked it. Got any experience with that? (I think my taste is changing, here late in life.)
: )
The one I’ve had is gazpacho. I like it. The cold is a surprise to the tastebuds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazpacho
Reblogged this on Our View From Iowa and commented:
Alternative ways to slice or cut 3 fruits.
I can just hear my mother shrieking at your pineapple cutting! LOL! Here’s my technique, which I think may be quicker and safer:
1) Twist green top off, discard 2) Slice off top and bottom 3) Place on end and pare off skin, slicing downwards 4) Cut downward next to core, 4x, turning, slicing off chunks, discard core 5) slice chunks into bite-size pieces -Voila!
Loved the orange demo – impressive!
We cut our kiwi in half along equator and spoon out… aren’t they delish? We’ve been finding bags of organic ones at a great price. Their taste reminds me of raspberries for some reason!
I cut watermelon and honeydews the way Jim cuts pineapple, except I make the many cross-cuts before I cut along the skin.
My pineapple technique is close to Eliza’s. I have a step between 2 and 3: cut the pineapple in half at the mid plane. Step 3 then becomes paring off skin from each half placed with top/bottom up. The pineapple halfs are more stable then as the mid plane is wider than the top/bottom cut.
In all of the various techniques, use a sharp knife and be very careful. Invest in a maille glove. 🙂 http://bit.ly/1MbyUBj
I went online to look for pineapple cutting techniques. Videos mostly showed the method you are describing, or close to it. My method came from the label tag attached to the pineapple by Del Monte.
Yes, kiwi are delicious and one of the most nutritious fruits. Eat them often.
I liked the pineapple the best and will do it that way next time.
Use a sharp knife and a maille glove. 🙂 http://bit.ly/1MbyUBj
I learned how to do pineapple in Liberia. My way is, I believe, exactly that of Eliza, or pretty close. Cut off the top and bottom, put the pineapple on a cutting board vertically, slice off the skin. Then, cut in four pieces through the core, cut out the core from each segment, and cut up into pieces.
What always was fun was watching the Liberian market women do it. They would leave the stalk on the bottom as a “handle.” Then, they’d top and peel it with one hand while holding it with the other. Then, they’d slice it horizontally, core and all, and sell the slices for a nickel or dime to hungry shoppers. 🙂
There is more than one way to … 🙂
Here’s an observation that cuts to the core: we call that first fruit a pineapple because it isn’t an apple and it doesn’t grow on pine trees.
I cut my melons the way you cut your pineapple but, like many of the commenters, I cut my pineapple the way Eliza mentioned. Actually, I buy them pre-cut, they machines do such a nice job, much netter than I ever did. If you put that pineapple top in some soil, you can grow your own next time. There are many YouTube videos showing how.
I love the old orange peelers. I think we got them from the Tupperware lady.
And as far as qiwis are concerned, I am the odd duck that eats the whole fruit, skin included…talk about roughage! 😉 Fun fact: Qiwi’s grow on vines, very much like grapes, although they prefer a cool coastal climate over the grapes warmth.
Very useful Jim, thanks, I enjoyed the Kiwi fruit one, as well as the others. I also found the gloves very interesting.
I cut kiwis in half and the get the kiwi out with a spoon like you eat a cooked egg (well at least I do).
I haven’t tried that method with an egg.
That is how my (Dutch) family does it 🙂
Soft boiled?
Soft or hard boiled 🙂
What a great idea, you must love your fruit! c
Funny.. I just had my breakfast and I am seeing these cool techniques and suddenly I feel hungry.. Just want to put them in my mouth so badly… You have accomplished your mission to make me hungrier for nature.
Good. They are such delicious fruits. Don’t get too messy when you eat them. Or, maybe you should. It could add to the pleasure and enjoyment. 🙂
haha true that