I am of the opinion that chopsticks have been superceded. Knives and forks are just better tools for eating with. I don't feel I get any kind of authentic Eastern experience eating with chopsticks.
That's my view anyway. Clearly not everybody agrees with me because lots of people still use chopsticks. What do you use with you Chinese takeaway and why? It's the why bit I'm most interested in. |
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By *1bttmMan
over a year ago
Shoreditch east London |
Chopsticks to the east is the same as what cutlery is to the west.
It's simply a matter of conditioning and what u've been brought up to use.
Its probably likely that someone used to chopsticks feels the same way as u do but about cutlery. |
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Chinese food tends to be served in bite-sized pieces, often in communal dishes, removing the need for a knife.
But yeah, for Westerners, part of using chop sticks to eat East Asian food is showing that you’re not a yahoo. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Many decades ago I see a piece on tv showing how to properly eat spaghetti with a fork and spoon. At the time, I thought - "what a load of poncey bollocks". Eat with whatever you feel comfortable with. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Supposedly they're good for managing the rate at which you eat so you don't stuff yourself 
LvM
 I use a shovel. "
Why... because I can't use chopsticks.  |
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By *uzie69xTV/TS
over a year ago
Maidstone |
"Supposedly they're good for managing the rate at which you eat so you don't stuff yourself
LvM
Not sure about that ... I'm quite proficient  "
Me too but then I'm Oriental and have been using chopsticks since I was about four years old...
Try transferring 30 ping pong balls from one water filled bucket onto another in under one minute. Then you'll know you've mastered chopsticks... |
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By *iss SJWoman
over a year ago
Hull |
I wish I could use chopsticks. I have some junior ones that are joined at the top that kids use. Otherwise, unless I can spear it, I just can’t make them work for me. Maybe that should be my New Years goal. Practice makes perfect  |
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By *uzie69xTV/TS
over a year ago
Maidstone |
"Many decades ago I see a piece on tv showing how to properly eat spaghetti with a fork and spoon. At the time, I thought - "what a load of poncey bollocks". Eat with whatever you feel comfortable with."
I do eat Italian noodles (spaghetti, linguini) with spoon and twiddling fork... molto facile!
But I eat Oriental noodles (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) be they dry or soup noodles with chopsticks. |
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"Many decades ago I see a piece on tv showing how to properly eat spaghetti with a fork and spoon. At the time, I thought - "what a load of poncey bollocks". Eat with whatever you feel comfortable with.
I do eat Italian noodles (spaghetti, linguini) with spoon and twiddling fork... molto facile!
But I eat Oriental noodles (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) be they dry or soup noodles with chopsticks."
Me too but the latter less successfully than the former |
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By *uzie69xTV/TS
over a year ago
Maidstone |
"Its probably likely that someone used to chopsticks feels the same way as u do but about cutlery."
I'm not sure this is entirely true. Right across SE Asia most people can and use both.
But I guess this is true re Western culture. We learn yours so we are proficient at both. Like language for example... Most of the world are bilingual, their own plus English.... |
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"Supposedly they're good for managing the rate at which you eat so you don't stuff yourself
LvM
Not sure about that ... I'm quite proficient
Me too but then I'm Oriental and have been using chopsticks since I was about four years old...
Try transferring 30 ping pong balls from one water filled bucket onto another in under one minute. Then you'll know you've mastered chopsticks..."
Not sure I have the time to master that |
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"I am of the opinion that chopsticks have been superceded. Knives and forks are just better tools for eating with. I don't feel I get any kind of authentic Eastern experience eating with chopsticks.
That's my view anyway. Clearly not everybody agrees with me because lots of people still use chopsticks. What do you use with you Chinese takeaway and why? It's the why bit I'm most interested in. "
This is my opinion too. Cutlery is just more effecient and logical IMO. I can use chopsticks but I'm not there to show off or impress people with my etiquette. I'm there to concentre on enjoying a good meal. However Mrs Misfit disagrees and is always down for the chopsticks.
However there still a little something in me that bring me to take a knife And fork to Sushi however logical it may be. It looks so good and seems a shame to destroy it until the last moment. So I do use chopsticks (or figures at home) for sushi.
Mr |
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"I am of the opinion that chopsticks have been superceded. Knives and forks are just better tools for eating with. I don't feel I get any kind of authentic Eastern experience eating with chopsticks.
That's my view anyway. Clearly not everybody agrees with me because lots of people still use chopsticks. What do you use with you Chinese takeaway and why? It's the why bit I'm most interested in.
This is my opinion too. Cutlery is just more effecient and logical IMO. I can use chopsticks but I'm not there to show off or impress people with my etiquette. I'm there to concentre on enjoying a good meal. However Mrs Misfit disagrees and is always down for the chopsticks.
However there still a little something in me that bring me to take a knife And fork to Sushi however logical it may be. It looks so good and seems a shame to destroy it until the last moment. So I do use chopsticks (or figures at home) for sushi.
Mr"
That's a fair point. I use chopsticks for sushi (or my fingers ) but then they are just blocks of stuff so fairly easy. Rice is a total bastard with chopsticks, and as for soup... |
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Spent a fair bit of time in Taiwan and China and the first thing I noticed with people who have used chopsticks their whole life is that they seldom pick food up the way Westerners do with cutlery.
The chopsticks tend to transfer food from a bowl held close to the mouth with a sweeping motion.
Totally natural once you’ve seen it.
Yes, soup is challenging.. but spoons exist. |
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"Spent a fair bit of time in Taiwan and China and the first thing I noticed with people who have used chopsticks their whole life is that they seldom pick food up the way Westerners do with cutlery.
The chopsticks tend to transfer food from a bowl held close to the mouth with a sweeping motion.
Totally natural once you’ve seen it.
Yes, soup is challenging.. but spoons exist. "
That what I've seen. I've often wondered if someone would invent a chinstrap to attach to bowl next to the lips. Then you can keep a hand free while the other is shovelling. Very handy when your busy and haven't really got time to stop working but need a good meal. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I wish I could use chopsticks. I have some junior ones that are joined at the top that kids use. Otherwise, unless I can spear it, I just can’t make them work for me. Maybe that should be my New Years goal. Practice makes perfect "
Are these not just tweezers? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Equally some folk will eat entirely by hand, the 'clean' hand. Rolling rice into a basic ball and grabbing the food with it. Something westerners reserve for BBQ, or fast food. |
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When I traveled to Taiwan and China I would always use chopsticks.
The people I met were amazed and said that American visitors would never make the effort. I replied that Americans can barely use knives & forks correctly. |
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