Chopsticks? (peanut, chef, consume, cereal)

[ackmondual]

I end up using what's available. At home, I have chopsticks on hand, so I'll eat a pizza slice, sandwich, steak (one hand chopsticks, the other hand knife), pasta, etc.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Gerania

My mom was from England, and there are tines up and tines down sides of the family.

Well, had the tines been relatively flat it wouldn't have been so bad. The fork tines had a sharp curve. The peas and potatoes on the back was too much to get into their mouths and they seemed oblivious.

I normally wouldn't have noticed but the man was elderly and had an ear trumpet. I'd never seen one in real life. He set it next to his plate and would occasionally put his fork down on the table, and pick up the ear trumpet and lean over and have his granddaughter repeat something. I wondered if he was going to impale himself with the knife which he continued to have in a death-grip.

So there you have it. Squashing peas like bugs, building a mountain of mashed potatoes on the back of the sharply curved tines that then was too much to fit in their mouths, and the ear trumpet and the man nearly impaling himself. It was, unfortunately, a floor show that couldn't be unseen. Fortunately, my father missed it all.

[hotzcatz]

This is Hawaii, there's lots of chopsticks around. Personally, I prefer them for eating salads since it's easier to pick up the parts without having to stab it with a fork.


Forks don't seem as clean to me as chopsticks. It's much easier to clean a chopstick than to get between the tines of a fork.


Peas are easy, if you'd like a challenge, eat M & Ms with chopsticks. Especially the tapered Japanese type.

[turf3]

If you go to a steak house in Japan, they will bring you...


A knife and fork. To cut your slab of beef with.


Have done this many times. Have also eaten many thousands of meals using hashi.

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by KimNChicago

I think people just like to try other customs, to see how they work, feel, etc... Not a big deal.

I do find it odd though that some people I know switch hands to use their knives--not everyone, but many here in the States; I was taught to use my knife in the non-dominant hand, and I taught my kids how to use it too, but not because I thought the other method was wrong, just how I was taught.

I'm reading this thread up to this point, and I'm thinking "Huh. Learn something new every day." LOL


Never would've even THOUGHT there was more than one way to use a knife and fork. For me, my knife is in my dominant hand, which happens to be my right hand. When I'm done cutting, I put my knife across the top of my plate, and then switch my fork to my right hand.


Regarding chopsticks...I always like to try and use them, if we're eating out, but I also appreciate that a knife and fork are provided. I like that, for me, it necessarily makes me slow down.

[Hemlock140]

I have always enjoyed using chopsticks when eating Chinese food, either at a restaurant or at home. I have never used them for anything else. So, I guess I'm guilty as charged, and I cannot offer any good reason.

[vision33r]

Originally Posted by Flightoficarus87

I used to be pretty chopsticks-averse, despite my love for the many varieties of Asian cuisine. But I'm now at the point where it doesn't feel right (for me) to eat things like sushi, pho/vermicelli, or even some good ol' "Americanized" Chinese (Hey, I love General Tso's chicken, lol) without them!

I don't think any differently of someone on whether or not they choose to use chopsticks though - I just think they're fun to use, and at the very least, it's some good practice for whenever I finally do make my way to some of the places on my travel list...

I've seen older folks tries to eat Asian food items with fork and knife. It just looks silly and inefficient. For example, soup dumpling must be eaten with a chopstick and spoon in order to pick up and eat the dumpling and not break the dough.

When someone was eating pho with a fork I l giggled watching someone thread the noodles as opposed to slurping it with chopsticks.

Eating sushi with a fork is also not very good as the fork can break the seaweed or roll.

Many Asian dishes requires dipping and the chopstick is the most versatile tool to use for dipping small items.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by ackmondual

I end up using what's available. At home, I have chopsticks on hand, so I'll eat a pizza slice, sandwich, steak (one hand chopsticks, the other hand knife), pasta, etc.

Why would you not eat a pizza slice or sandwich with your hands? They're literally designed for utensil-free eating.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by vision33r

Eating sushi with a fork is also not very good as the fork can break the seaweed or roll.

My experience with sushi is that other than in America, it's generally regarded as finger food.

[kennywally51]

Originally Posted by kokonutty

Does anyone else here think it's odd that Americans eat almost everything with knives, forks and spoons daily but if their menu choice changes to Asian food many will eat those items with chopsticks instead of what they customarily use? If you like using chopsticks why not use them for steak and fries or fried chicken and mashed potatoes or spaghetti and meatballs?

If eating foods derived from European cuisine do any people use the two-handed knife and fork technique instead of the American method of changing hands?

Sorry, I love rice but not other Chinese, but whatever, I do use chopsticks, BUT for mixing up the separated oil into the peanut butter ...lol

We all got our own weirdness, AND in addition to the chopsticks, I got some asian soup type tablespoons they're good with shoveling the rice into my pie-hole, I got them off amazon and they're painted ceramic and add another dimension to eating.

Some may even call them pretty, tho I'm not head over heels for pretty per se, but with eating tools, it's fine, no problems.