Eating an orange ...

[Caballista]

I first visited Spain when I was 12 -- with my grandmother and a first cousin. We visited ... well, I have no idea what the relationship actually is -- the third cousin once removed of my mother, or something, who had married a Spaniard and had a daughter my age. Anyway, I remember being totally fascinated to watch the girl eat an orange completely with a knife and fork, never once touching it with her fingers ... Is this the correct way to do it in Spain??? If so, I think I will have to swear off oranges -- I cannot figure out how she managed it. I felt quite barbaric needing to use my hands ;)

[tomc52]

Yes! Last year I was visiting a friend's family in Castellon with my wife who is from Girona, and we were amazed to watch them eat oranges with a knife and fork! I wanted an orange really badly but I didn't dare attempt to eat one in front of them. My wife had never seen this either and we still talk about it.
"What's next, eating M&M's with a spoon?"- Sienfeld

[Dave_K]

Yes! Last year I was visiting a friend's family in Castellon with my wife who is from Girona, and we were amazed to watch them eat oranges with a knife and fork! I wanted an orange really badly but I didn't dare attempt to eat one in front of them. My wife had never seen this either and we still talk about it.
"What's next, eating M&M's with a spoon?"- Sienfeld

I noticed that my in-laws in Madrid do peel oranges by hand, but one thing that struck me was that they take the peel off in a single, spiralling strip. (They did, however, eat a slice of a honeydew-type melon totally with knife and fork, while I picked it up and ate it like you do watermelon at a barbecue.)

Regional variations in orange-eating techniques? I think we could have a winner for most obscure Spanish-cultural esoterica.

[PattyN]

I learned to peel shrimp with a fork and spoon when living in Asia. I think proper etiquette in Spain is to use a fork and knife, which is only slightly more difficult.

[eldeano]

I was in a Chinese in Fuencarral once where the waitress prepared the duck and pancakes for you. She only used forks to place the pancake on the plate, fill with duck and stuff, and then roll up really tightly.

It might be normal for round there but I've never seen it done like that before or since.

[Culebronchris]

Odd really - orange or a banana with a knife and fork yet seafood, with shells, in the soup so it has to be pulled out with your fingers