We eat organic braeburn apples, I have one everyday for breakfast, and he's always been interested in them and seems to want to join in, so we bite off the skin and let him scrape at the flesh part himself - sometimes he gets a bit of skin or too large a piece but by and large has been fine with it and it's one of the few things he has actively wanted to eat. Sometimes I hold the apple for him, sometimes he even holds it himself. In fact, I think this was the first food he ever ate, although I know it is supposed to be too difficult for them... I think you must be right regarding the drool - it does seem to make sense like that.