"How do I eat this, with a knife and fork?" Little head with a big question mark as you stare at a whole orange on your plate at a formal dinner.

No Paddington, do not segment an orange at a formal dinner like that !

Well, when it comes to eating gracefully, fruit, especially those unpeeled ones, is a big challenge. This week, let's tell the story of 300 fruitful rounds of fork and knife!

The behind story

A painted cinerary urn with a young man reclining on the lid，150BC-100BC

In ancient Rome, the enjoyment of food and drink at a banquet (known in general terms as ) was a social ritual of great importance. In an era when cutleries were lacking, the Romans enjoyed fruits by using hands. This custom continued throughout the European continent for centuries to come.

It was not until after the Enlightenment, that is, in the 18th century, the emancipation and freedom of thought brought about the abandonment of the feudal system, and the fork gradually became popular in France. Fruits on the table also had a new way to enjoy.

When it comes to modern times, the popularity of knives and forks is becoming more and more widespread as well as people pay great attention to manners and etiquette, and fruits on the table need to be treated with grace. So here are a few ways on how to taste fruit with a fork and knife.

Banana

Bananas are actually one of the less difficult of the many fruits. First, cut both ends and put them aside on a plate.

Next, open the skin along the inner curve, not as hard as opening your delivery box. Instead, be gentle and take one step at a time. Then, carefully flip the banana peel.

At this point, it's time to get ready to enjoy - cut the banana into bite-sized pieces. And don't forget to cover the opened peel and place your fork and knife on the right-hand side!

Orange

A full and juicy orange may seem difficult to overcome with a fork and knife, but it is not. A simple summary is actually: divide it into multiple equal parts.

The first step is to cut it in half, then in quarters, and finally to divide them in half again. This way, you get 8 portions of oranges of about the similar size.

Second, the test of knife techniques is here. Find one of the sharp corners, squeeze the knife under, and turn around. A proper skill allows the orange to be completely separated without any white on it.

Mango

Again, this is not an easy task. The first thing we have to do is to cut the sides along the pit.

When you get two large and two small mangoes, you are not far from victory. Separate the flesh along the skin. Because the skin of the mango is relatively thin, be careful not to cut it off.

Of course, to be honest, mangoes are actually more convenient to eat with a spoon !

Melon

When faced with a large melon, a small fork and knife is indeed unable to help. Therefore, the first step is to go to the kitchen and use a larger knife to divide it into quarters and then remove the seeds inside. When you get the melon ready, cut it into thinner slices.

Next, you know that. Still cut along the melon skin to separate the flesh. Then cut it into appropriately sized, and enjoy!

Wait, here, some people in France like to add some sea salt on the melon, they say it may become even more delicious! 

These are some of the different ways to enjoy fruits with a fork and knife, and hopefully they can give you some insight into these tricky fruits at the dinner table. Let’s grab your fork and knife and find a fruit to practice on!

Founded in 2018 by Matthieu Ventelon, Hedonia is the first institution in China combining professional Wine and Etiquette expertise in the same training offer.

Find more information on our website : http://en.hedonia.cn