cupcakes
At some point or other we’ve come across foods that appear to be incredibly delicious, but decide to take a pass in case we make a fool out of ourselves trying to eat them properly. Such tricky foods like to make an appearance at fancy dinners, or your first date, when it’s important to let your gracefulness shine through. Next time you have a scary dish staring you in the face, try to keep these things in mind:

When eating…

Lobster
It’s best to put away any jewelry and make sure a napkin is nearby before starting with this guy!

  • Some people leave this for later, but if you are super hungry and need a little taste before all the hard work ahead, start by gently twisting the legs to remove them. Suck the meat out out as you would though a straw.

The Claws

  • Twist off the two claws at the first joint. Separate the two parts of the claw and remove the meat from the smaller part with a seafood fork/your finger.
  • Use the cracker provided to crack the tips of the claws. With your forefinger (or pinky finger if your fingers are a bit chubby, like mine), push the meat from the cracked tip through the larger opening.
  • Dip into delicious buttery sauce.

The Tail

  • To separate the tail, hold it with one hand and the body with the other, and twist.
  • Remove the small “flippers” from the end, which you can also eat.
  • With your fingers, push into the end of the tail where the flippers had been attached, and push out the tail meat through the larger opening.
  • Peel off the top of the tail and remove the digestive organs before you eat the meat!

Dip your hands in the lemony sauce, dry with napkin and continue with your meal.

Crab

  • Crabs are significantly less work than lobsters. Simply remove the legs and suck their meat, as you would with the lobster’s.
  • Next, crack the shell open and remove the meat with a fork. Enjoy!

Shrimp
Usually, in a fancy dinner your shrimp may come peeled with the tail attached; in this case, hold it by the tail with your fingers and eat. In some places, like here in Spain, it is normal for you to have to do all the peeling. In my opinion it tastes better this way! In this case:

  • Start by gently twisting the head off from the body. Some people like to suck this part; I’m not such a fan.
  • Remove the small legs by pulling on them. This will tear the bottom part of the body, which will make it easy to peel off the shell.
  • Leave the tail so that you can hold it. Dip it in the sauce and eat!

Sushi

  • Wash your hands with the warm towel provided.
  • Put a little bit of soy sauce in the small dish, but don’t fill it to the brim! You may add wasabi and mix it in, but sushi usually contains a little bit already so it isn’t necessary if you don’t want it to be too strong.
  • When eating hand-pressed sushi (nigiri-zushi), pick up one piece with your index and middle finger and put your index finger on top. Dip the fish side into the soy sauce, NOT the rice as it will fall apart! Bite in half, and dip again into sauce before you finish it.
  • For hand-rolled sushi (maki-zushi), dip into soy sauce with chopsticks and eat in one bite.
  • Optional: eat pieces of ginger in between to refresh your palate and enhance the flavor!

Chicken Wings
This video explains it best!

Olives
They may not seem as scary or complicated as these others, but still there is a simple etiquette to be followed when eating olives.

  • As hors d’oeuvres (or appetizers) it’s alright to eat them with your hands. Stuffed olives are usually most common, but still watch out for the “bone”!
  • In a salad or part of a dish, just eat with a fork as you would everything else.
  • In a cocktail, drink the contents first and then tip the glass back so the olive falls into your mouth.

Unfortunately there is no graceful way to eat burritos, tacos, ribs or large burgers.

What are your tips for eating tricky foods?