Grandpa always loved fruit………

My maternal grandfather was born in Poland in September 1907.  He, and his extended family emigrated to America while he was still an infant, traveling third class on one of the numerous transatlantic ships of the day, and entered through Ellis Island, typical of the turn-of-the-century experience of so many of our immigrant grandparents.

They settled in the Lower East side of Manhattan, crammed together in a cold-water tenement, speaking Polish and Yiddish, eking out an existence, always striving to achieve the American Dream.

Listening to Grandpa tell stories of his childhood, especially of the Great Depression, when I was a child myself growing up in a suburban, comfortable lifestyle, it was easy to picture, but impossible to relate to.  Everything we now take for granted was either a daily struggle for survival, or an incredible luxury to Grandpa, like eating a piece of fresh fruit.

He learned our language, and educated himself, both on the streets of New York City, and putting himself through school, learning how to not only survive, but thrive in his new homeland.  He had a skill and respect for the power of numbers, and taught himself the in’s and out’s of the financial markets, keeping huge ledgers tracking the imaginary money he mentally invested in stocks and bonds.  When later in life he had the means to actually invest real dollars, he did well.  Very well.

His love of learning led him into publishing, and starting at the very bottom in a publishing house, he worked he way to the very top.  When I was born in September 1966, he was the President of the company, producing encyclopedias distributed around the world, and spent the rest of his career sitting at the top of the mountain he had conquered through hard work, focus, and determination.  A true American success story, a survivor, and an inspiration to me, even though I didn’t realize it at the time.  

Grandpa passed away in 1990, I was in my mid 20’s, and his death hit me hard.  It was my first really personal experience with the loss of a close relative.  I was lucky to have had him for so long, and to have learned so much from him.  

One of the many skills he passed along was how to use a pocket knife.  They weren’t the fancy machined locking folders we are all used to, and demanded a level of respect and attention during use.  I learned that the hard way a few times and still have the scars, but I think it is fair to say that my skills with a knife have taken me pretty far in my own life.

Grandpa’s favorite month was September, not because it was his birthday, or mine, but for the fact that in NY September was apple picking time.  He really loved apples, and we would sometimes sit and peel them, our trusty knives carving long strips of peel, a challenge to see who could get the longest continuous piece from an apple.

So, after a rather lengthy introduction (thanks for reading) here is the contest, posted here because the Survival Forum is most the most fitting place for it, and in honor and memory of Grandpa……..

Three bronze level memberships will be available to win.

Non-team members who have posted at least once in the SF prior to today are eligible.

Team members are also eligible, and if you win, can either elect to renew for another year, or pick any other non-team member to pass it along to.

The challenge is to use any knife, other than a dedicated kitchen utensil, to peel an apple, creating the longest possible continuous strand of peel.

You must take a picture of the unbroken peel to post, but once you have your picture, you may separate it into sections for proper measuring.

The three longest peels will win.

This is the Survival Forum, so the measurement is on the honor system.  Also, your unpeeled apple should not measure more than 12” in circumference, again, on the honor system.

Contest runs for two weeks, until the end of the month.  Winners will be posted on October 1st.

Good luck people, make Grandpa proud.

fish

neat idea and nice contest, you sir win the internets... nicely done!..

K.

Thanks for posting and sharing about your grandpa.

I might see about entering

Time to go apple shopping!

It's fun to remember  the old times.

Thanks for the offer. I'm in.

Off to find the apples.

Awesome offer and to the rest of the survival forum, prepare for defeat.

Icould screw this up with a tv apple peeler, but I look forward to seeing peoples work.

Great contest OP
TXL

As a 10 year former resident of the L.E.S I am definitely in. Now which knife to choose....

Cool story, awesome contest. Placeholder

Cool contest.  I've never peeled an apple before that I can remember!

Apple: 11.5" circumference Honey Crisp bought this morning at the local Krogers

Knife: Little pocket knife found in the Main Machinery Room 2 bilge all nasty and rusty on the USS Theodore Roosevelt.  Probably 1992.

Peeled

Cut for measuring

Bottom pieces measured

Top pieces measured

Done and added up


80.5" total.  I'm impressed for a first effort!

K

Awesome.  And great pics too. So the bar has been set at 80.5"

Feel free to try to top yourself, all entries will be accepted until midnight on Sept 30th.

fish

mid-week bump

Only 63", I'll be working on another.

Less than a week left..........

T minus 4 days.

Anyone else interested?

I am interested.  Will see what I can do when I get home

Thanks to the OP for the generous offer and contest.

I finally got a chance to sit down and give this a try.  Started with a good sized fuji fresh from the store, it measured about 10.5" in circumference.





It kind of looks like some of the peel broke, but on closer inspection, it is just folded, but still intact.  So I am still in business.



I broke up the peel to make measuring a little easier for the more circular peel sections.



I carefully measured the individual pieces and added them all up.



and came to 65.5 inches.  Well under the bar, so I will have to make a second attempt before the contest ends.

It is much harder than it seems.  You need to strike a good balance between the width and thickness of the strip.  Too narrow and thin it breaks, too wide and the length suffers, too thick and it is hard to work with. Also, the wider the blade, the harder it gets to make smooth curves.

Good work however, and since there are only three entries so far you are in good shape regardless.

2 days remaining

topper1: email sent, thanks.

24 hours left

hope a few more entries are going to get in under the wire.

last chance for entries until midnight tonight

If you were gonna do it, now is the time to get to peeling!

Topper1 asked me to post his entry for him, he was having photo hosting problems.



Here is my entry.

Apple varieties:

#1 Red delicious-fail
#2 Fuji-fail
#3 Golden Delicious-67"
#4 Braeburn-WAS the best but broke at the end-fail

Knives:

Small blade from (2) Swiss Army knives.

Thanks for the contest.

Topper1

Awesome story and contest! Im new here and not participating... and kind of surprised more didn't. This thread, unfortunately, is making me hungry for apples =)

Last call for entries......

Apple had a nice curve on the top (I started on the bottom first on this one) and let me get some nice thin slices. I got out the digital slide calipers just to be precise  





64.671"

Here is my second attempt.

All of my knives have a wide blade and I was thinking using a thinner blade might work better.  This is a knife off my wife's key-chain.  It is a boy scout knife so don't laugh.



I looked over the apples at the store and bought the biggest one I could find.

11.25" in circumference



this time I used a smaller knife hoping that it would make a skinnier peel, it was more difficult to hold but it worked out ok.



I guess the peel wasn't all that more skinny, but it will have to do.



I got it all measured up and...





came to 68.25 inches... better than my first attempt, so that is good.

oops I think I submitted it too late since the OP is on eastern time.

This contest is very apPEALing.



Too bad I found it too late.



You know what they say, early worm gets the apple.



Cool idea for a contest OP.

Well, contest is over.  I am a little surprised that more people didn't enter, but whatever.  Improved the odds for those that did.

Four entrants, and six entries, ranging from 63" to 80.5", pretty good lengths indeed.

Also, since I did not specify a time zone, that final entry is good to go, not that it matters too much, because since only four of you guys entered, I just went ahead and made you all team members.  Except JakeThePimp, you I renewed.

So kmmuellr, Parana1, and Topper1, go find an avatar, and I'll see you in Team.  Don't forget to bring the beer.

As for everyone else, thanks for reading about Grandpa.  He was an awesome guy.

I'll probably do this again next apple season.  Give you guys plenty of time to practice your technique.

regards.

fish

Awesome. Many thanks.

Here's to all the Granddads

Thanks fish,

I've got one last apple from my father-in-law's place.  This apple is not like the ones that folks buy at the store.  This apple is only about 2 inches across, so  I would be surprised if if had a 7 inch circumference.  I was gonna enter it because it grew in granddad's yard.

I was gonna peel it last night, but I got home at 12:03 local.  

Wow, I didn't even meet the min length and you still sported for the membership. I too was surprised there were not more entrants. Thanks a bunch Fish, grandpa must have been quite a guy.

You are very generous Fish, thank you for the membership.

Thanks for the membership, Fish!

Now I've got to learn what new features I've got!  

Thanks again!
K