# Foods that take SO MUCH effort to eat **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922 "2009-10-24T00:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/41 "2009-10-24T15:18:40Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > What do you mean “crack and eat” pumpkin seeds? Pumpkin seeds are eaten whole. I’ve never seen anyone crack them open. I’ve never seen anyone eat them whole! There’s a little method you get to know after eating the first dozen pumpkin seeds, so it’s not too much of a pain. Great snack to keep your mouth busy. Pomegranates really don’t seem all that difficult to me. I peel along the “seams” and carefully pull the pom apart and expose lovely beds of seeds. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/42 "2009-10-25T05:01:10Z")
I’m with Cubsfan. Cracking open pumpkin seeds? That’s as bizarre for me to hear as someone telling me they peel cherries before eating them. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/43 "2009-10-25T07:27:20Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Yeah, mango is easy. Cut off the two cheeks, crosshatch, and you’ve got two beautiful mango hedgehogs. Then take the remaining peel off the circumference of the seed, and cut off any usable bits still stuck to the seed. > > It’s dead easy if you know how. Yeah, I saw the video. I’ll do it that way next time. But I was trying to cut it like an avacado. Every other pit fruit I know of, you can at least pull or twist the halves apart. I don’t know what’s different about mangoes, but the flesh had an absolute death grip on the pit. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/44 "2009-10-25T08:26:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I was trying to cut it like an avocado. I made the same mistake. **Fenris** told me the other way of doing it and it works much better. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/45 "2009-10-25T11:40:04Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yeah, I saw the video. I’ll do it that way next time. I do it like the video, too, only I cut a thin slice off the broad end and stand it on that end to set it up for cutting. It’s way more stable and doesn’t wobble dangerously. With this method, if you’d like peeled slices, you can slice off the peel first and then cut off the “cheeks”, then slice it up. Mmm, I’ve got one in the fridge, plus Greek yogurt. I think it’s mango lassi for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/46 "2009-10-25T13:59:37Z")
(I can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never learned this, but) do you eat pomegranate seeds entire, or do you spit out the fibrous cores? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/47 "2009-10-25T14:27:14Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > (I can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never learned this, but) do you eat pomegranate seeds entire, or do you spit out the fibrous cores? Don’t know about everyone else here, but I always ate the whole seed. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/48 "2009-10-25T14:30:01Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > (I can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never learned this, but) do you eat pomegranate seeds entire, or do you spit out the fibrous cores? I’m pretty sure you can eat the seeds, but I usually spit them out. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/49 "2009-10-25T15:51:02Z")
Not really an answer (because somebody does the agonizing peeling for you)-those little Limfjord shrimp you get in Denmark. They are about 1/2" long-delicious, but worth the effort? Only if someone else does it. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/50 "2009-10-25T16:04:01Z")
Pumpkin seeds I shell in my mouth, pomegranate seeds I eat whole. Lots of fibre, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/51 "2009-10-26T19:39:43Z")
you guys do know you can eat the otside of the squash right? When I roast mine I just cut into bitesized chunks and eat it rind and all. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/52 "2009-10-26T20:20:58Z")
So what’s the easy way to get the skins off poblano peppers? The way we\* do it now is burn the little mothers on an open flame, then put them in a bowl of cold water, and scrape most of the blackened flakes off. It’s messy and probably not as effective as it ought to be. \*”We” in this case means my husband, because just being in the kitchen while he mauls the peppers about makes my throat and eyes burn. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/53 "2009-10-26T20:34:53Z")
I’ve never roasted poblanos but when I roast red peppers I skip the water and put them in a covered bowl to cool. Then I use the side of a spoon to scrape off the skin. eta : I also crack my pumpkin seeds, and spit the pomegranite seeds ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/54 "2009-10-26T20:46:19Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > So what’s the easy way to get the skins off poblano peppers? I’ll broil them in the oven, turning frequently (same as your method, but I can do more that way). Then I’ll but in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let them steam a bit. Most of the skin peels off, with a little help from a paring knife, after that. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/55 "2009-10-26T20:48:36Z")
Okay, so nix on the cold water. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/56 "2009-10-26T20:54:41Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > I’ll broil them in the oven, turning frequently (same as your method, but I can do more that way). Then I’ll but in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let them steam a bit. Most of the skin peels off, with a little help from a paring knife, after that. I do it in a similar manner, but I seal them in a zip-lock bag until they’re cool enough to handle with bare hands. The peels come right off in my hands. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/57 "2009-10-26T23:58:10Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > you guys do know you can eat the otside of the squash right? When I roast mine I just cut into bitesized chunks and eat it rind and all. Not something like a hubbard, it is amazingly tough. Though precooking it makes it a heck of a lot easier to peel and puree into soup ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/58 "2009-10-27T04:22:04Z")
What about prickly pears? Even with the visible spines cut off like you usually see them in the grocery store, those things are dangerous. Touch one barehanded and you almost definitely end up with a microscopic, perfectly invisible, yet incredibly annoyingly painful prickle in your finger. I’ve learned to only handle them through a paper towel. Once the peel is removed, it’s smooth sailing. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/59 "2009-10-27T11:49:36Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Generally being a big fan of all things New Orleans, I will add boiled crawfish----I think that they taste pretty good, but are nowhere near worth the work it takes to get full. There are about a dozen other Crescent City specialties that I will go for ahead of the mudbugs… I lived in south Louisiana for 10 years before I finally got the hang of eating crawfish. The trick is that you only have to peel the first one or two rings of the carapace, then grab the tail and gently squeeze. If it’s fresh crawfish, the tail meat will come right out. But, yeah, I’ve never been able to eat so many crawfish that I couldn’t eat just one more. But as **aruvqan** and others have pointed out, that’s not the point to a crawfish boil. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922/60 "2009-10-27T14:43:45Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Pistachios. > > You can spend forever cracking those damned, addictive nuts open…not including the ones that WILL NOT OPEN! > > As a German friend told me, “You can starve to death trying to eat those…” A long time ago I had a love/hate for pistachios for the same reason. So good, yet I hated them for the ones that didn’t open. Then a friend taught me to always hold on to the shell of the previous pistachio. You can then use that to leverage the next one open if necessary. It works surprisingly well. I’d say I rarely find more than one or two that can’t be opened now. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-take-so-much-effort-to-eat/514922.md?page=4)