We recently went over how to make do when you forget your tongs, but what are you supposed to do when you don’t have a bowl? Hit the produce aisle.
An apple bowl is not only good in a pinch as many people find them to be interesting and they can lend a bit of flavor to a session with a light tobacco. Here is my guide for carving your own apple bowl and enjoying the fruity goodness.
All you need is an apple, spoon and knife. You start by cutting off the top quarter of the apple to create a level surface. A flat top will allow you to get a better seal and avoid having your coals sliding around during the session.
Now you take your spoon and use it to carve out a curved recess into the apple while digging out all the seeds. Insert the tip of the spoon and use a rotating motion that you can see in more detail in the video at the bottom of the page. Don’t cut too deep or there will be nothing for the top of the hookah stem to grip into.
Now take your knife and cut a hole into the bottom of the apple about the same size as an opening on a standard bowl. If it’s too large, the seal will be lost and if it is too small it might not fit on the stem or you could split the apple open and ruin your bowl. Don’t worry about trying to create a bottom with holes similar to a traditional bowl. It’s not worth the hassle and, if you pack your bowl right it’s not going to be a problem.
I like to use a grommet, but it shouldn’t be necessary with the soft flesh of the apple. All you need to do from this point is fluff pack the tobacco like you normally would and foil it up. It smokes just like a normal bowl and can add a little flavor to the session (here is a different way to add flavor to the tobacco). It’s worth a try and, like I said, great in a pinch. Try it out and let us know what you think.