Eating Etiquette: How to eat tricky fruits and vegetables

June means weddings, bachelorette and summer parties, and who is not excited? Most of the worry would probably be about what to wear if you’re a wedding guest (don’t fret! my suggestions here), and the least would be about consuming tricky fruits and vegetables when eating out with ten other unknown guest at a common table. For most of us, hello me about 7 years ago, I would normally observe first before diving in, about 2 or 3 awkward minutes of pretending to be looking at my phone or somewhere. Yikes! Today let’s navigate how to eat tricky fruits and vegetable and come prepared for your next dining occasion.  

Fruits

Banana – if you don’t want to be seen eating banana the primal way, hold, peel and bite there is always the option of using a fork.  Peel it fully and use a fork to cut into bite size pieces.

Melon and Watermelon – most of these fruits are already served pre-cut bite size pieces, but if it isn’t and you can’t resist, fruits with rind can be eaten by sliding the knife under the flesh, and sectioning it into pieces and eaten with a fork.

Grapes

Do not pick it individually, use your fingers or ask for a scissor to cut a bunch.

Grapefruit & Orange – I would like to eat grapefruit especially after coffee during breakfast, do you know that it's considered a fat-burning food that can kick-start your metabolism? It will take forever to peel them since the rind is very hard, cut it into half and eat with a pointed spoon, but do not attempt to squeeze out the juice. For oranges, its best when peeled by knife in spiral and eaten by sections.

Lemon – often cut into wedges and served as garnish. It is polite to cup your hand around the lemon while squeezing so you don't spray those around you, and squeeze the lemon low over your plate, not up high.

Vegetables

Peas – to avoid the peas from rolling out of your plate, use the back of the fork to squash it or use the aid of other dish, like mashed potato before scooping it with your fork. Spearing a couple is also recommended.

Corn – messy but delectable finger food. Do not butter the entire corn, season it or butter by sections. Hold the ends by hand and eat by rows, do this as neatly as possible without making loud sounds.

Salad leaves – sometimes the leaves are too large and if we shove it in our mouth we end up smearing our cheeks with the dressing. I usually go for the fork and knife. I use the knife to fold the greens over the fork before spearing some other topping of the salad.

Sometimes how we eat particular food in our home isn’t just right in public, better be reminded than be unrespectful and be perceived as no manners by others.  If confronted by unfamiliar food, it’s always OK to ask a friend/host or take the cue from other diners.

Whatever party your attending this week, have fun and stay sober!

xoxo,

Clyde

Famous for its Hot Choco, and where Coco Chanel and
 Audrey Hepburn used to have tea in Paris, so lucky
to have at least try it.

At luxury lifestyle mall Capitol Piazza City Hall,
the home of the famous Angelina