Bob’s your uncle: A guide to apple bobbing

As Halloween fast approaches, many of us will undeniably be ready and waiting to inject that little bit of fear into our lives (something we all seem to so crave come October). Fake blood, ripped clothes and ghoulish face paint will sure to be adorned by those of us clinging onto the nostalgia that accompanies this date.

Whilst reminiscing about past endeavours on this spooky, fun-filled day, my mind was drawn to the illusory game of ‘apple bobbing’. The concept really is quite straightforward: with both hands tied behind your back, you and your teeth attempt to catch an apple, which is bobbing along in water. Sounds pretty simple, right?

Wrong. On remembering this enticing game I was immediately inclined to give it a go, so recruiting myself and a few housemates we tried out this shared childhood memory, but to our dismay it was not the once thought of simple game! Aside from getting drenched with freezing cold water, and completely breathless from the endless attempts at dunking our heads in a saucepan (yes, we really are students), the game itself brought hours of endless, competitive fun.

A recommendation before trying would be to carefully inspect the type of apples you choose. Clearly not thinking it through, I chose an apple that had been lurking in the back of my cupboard for a good while. You may wonder why this would be a problem, but fresh fruit could make all the difference. Whilst plunging your head into the arctic temperatures you ideally want to get out, with the apple in your clutches, as quickly as possible. I personally found that a crunchy Braeburn facilitates your gnashing much quicker than a 4 day-old softened Golden Delicious. However, be wary of how crunchy the apple you choose is: a recently purchased one does run the risk of in fact being too hard a surface to break into.

Being students, you may also like to play what I would call an updated version of the game – replacing the water with cider! If you are planning on heading out later on in the evening, what better way to pre-drink?