Phil Wright put finger to keyboard and emailed us with this thorough observation of an everyday activity. Got an apple handy? Good. Now pay close attention...

"One day while eating an apple and reading a book, a little back water of my mind suddenly noticed something odd. I had subconciously turned the apple around in my hand. Nothing odd about that. What was odd was the feeling of satisfaction and calm that accompanied the action. A sort of internal "Ah, that's better".

Having inadvertently caught this going on in my subconscious, I naturally gave it some serious thought and I realised that the incident came about because I had been holding the apple the wrong way round.

The wrong way? I was surprised to find that there was a right and a wrong way to eat an apple, but I discovered it was something I knew in my very core. (Sorry, I couldn't resist that).

So, what is the right way to eat an apple? The apple can be held in either hand, but here any latitude for personal choice ends. The apple is basically held with the thumb and the annular finger in the dimples at either end. That is the third finger. Under no circumstances may the middle (or second) finger be substituted. The apple is then cradled by the palm and index and middle fingers. The little finger plays no part.

Now we come to the key feature of the correct hold; the one that caused me such subconscious unease. It is essential that the thumb is placed in the stalk end. If the thumb is placed in the opposite end, the apple eating experience will be stressful and plagued by irrational fears.

I hope that other listeners will find apple eating far more satisfying by adopting the right way to hold the apple."