As university students, many learning opportunities are available to us—vector calculus, Latin grammar, double integration, you name it. Unfortunately, when the conversation turns to household duties, no courses seem to provide the right kind of information we need. So I’ve compiled a few tips on the subject of fruits—everything from peeling an apple to making origami with orange peels.
How to turn an orange peel into an elephant:
Origami with fruit is an easy way to make fruit seem more appealing than pizza. Peel a U shape around the top of the orange, and follow it all the way down to the bottom. It should look like a J at this point. This is the trunk of your soon-to-be orange elephant. Then peel the two ears off on either side of where the trunk is—and look, an elephant!
There is something you should know before creating an exotic animal out of every orange you see: this really only works with clementine and mandarin oranges. Trying to peel a navel orange elephant is just frustrating.
How to dissect a grapefruit correctly:
Curiously enough, some people find grapefruit a challenging fruit to eat. My housemate, for example, still cuts her grapefruit the wrong way and butchers it even after being corrected.
One crucial detail to look for in a grapefruit is the protruding mark where it used to hang from the tree. Do not cut through this mark, but cut in half so the mark is parallel to the line. Then use the knife again to separate the wedges, and run a knife in circular motion around the edge to separate the fruit from the peel.
How to ripen green bananas quickly:
Bananas and other tropical fruits are often imported unripe, and then ripened in stores by being sprayed with a plant hormone called ethylene. However, bananas and other ripe fruits also produce this hormone naturally.
To ripen green bananas at home, put them in a bag with a couple of ripe fruits (apples, other bananas, whatever you may have), seal the bag and leave it overnight. The ethylene being produced by the fruits will ripen the green bananas faster.
How to skin a peach without using a knife:
Peaches are great fruit, but the skins are neither pleasant, nor edible. So here’s an easy way to get rid of that fuzzy skin. Pour very hot or boiling water over the peach in a bowl, then rinse with cold water. The skin should peel off easily. This method also works for tomatoes.
How to peel an apple in one beautiful peel:
Cut out the top and bottom pieces of the core to start. Then begin to peel the skin off with a knife or peeler as though you were shaving the fruit. Start at one end and, following the circular shape of the apple, continue peeling until you reach the other end.
The bonus of peeling an apple this way? There’s less to clean up afterwards.
How to make applesauce in three easy steps:
Applesauce makes wonderful snack on its own, especially if you’re in a rush. Unfortunately, it is easy to purchase applesauce that tastes awful—especially the ones that come in metal containers. So why not make it at home instead? Don’t worry, it’s ridiculously simple.
Ingredients:
4 apples 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Cinnamon (optional)
Steps:
1. Peel and slice apples into little bits.
2. Cook all ingredients in a pot on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.
3. Eat the applesauce hot or cold.
4. (Optional) Phone home and tell parents you have just made homemade apple sauce, and feel proud.
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Got household questions you’ve been saving for mom? Send them to Postscript at journal_postscript@ams.queensu.ca, with “domestic how-to’s” in the subject line.
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