Chopsticks

[Yorky]

I've lived in Asia now for over 25 years and have become reasonably adept (although no expert) at eating with chopsticks. Only certain foods, predominantly noodle dishes, and I find them more efficient than other eating utensils. Do you eat with chopsticks regularly?

 

[Morning Glory]

I don't use them regularly - well in fact its rare. I gather its a good way of losing weight if you eat everything with chopsticks!

 

[Yorky]

At first I found them very difficult to master but back in '96 it was explained to me by a Chinaman in Taiwan that I should not try and emulate the Chinese way of holding them because they learn from birth and their fingers tend to be smaller and more supple. He suggested a different way of holding them and had me practicing with peanuts from a bowl at a bar. I cannot explain in words or pictures but I still use the same "hold" today.

 

[rascal]

We eat Asian a lot, I can't pick anything up with the things. I just ask for a fork. Maybe I got into Asian cooking too late. My kids are very good at using them. They make it look simple. We have a lot of them here for guests.

Russ

 

[Yorky]

We eat Asian a lot, I can't pick anything up with the things. I just ask for a fork. Maybe I got into Asian cooking too late. My kids are very good at using them. They make it look simple. We have a lot of them here for guests.

I ate ba mee moo daeng last night (which made me think of this post). The egg noodles, pork and bok choy were easy but I had to stab the wontons as they are very slippery. I keep a spoon on hand for finishing the soup.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I like to use THESE! Makes holding the food better!!

 

[Yorky]

I like to use THESE! Makes holding the food better!!

I can understand that.

 

[TastyReuben]

I'm somewhat adept at them, but not great. My ex-sis-in-law is Korean, and she showed me the basics when I about 10, I guess.

We don't eat a lot of Chinese takeaway (or Asian cuisine in general), so it doesn't come up much.

My wife is much better at than I am. She worked in a small family Chinese restaurant for a few years and always ate with the family during her shifts, and they made her use them.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I used them, and can use them for an entire meal if needed. It just tends to be a rather slow meal.

At the Vietnamese vegan resturant we frequent, they are served by default. Sometimes I can manage but other times I can't despite getting the same food. I've put it down to my neck problems which at their worst last year cost me the complete use of both of my arms. Luckily the surgery as you know was successful but i do still have good days and bad days with my arms. If i know its a bad day I'll just ask^for cutlery straight off but usually I try to use the chopsticks. I do threaten to practice at home, but always forget. I can't even do so with tonight's evening meal because the soup had already been cooked and pureed.

 

[CraigC]

We're pretty handy with them. I have a little difficulty as the tip of my right middle finger is missing due to a pygmy rattlesnake bite when I was 17. I did not receive enough Crotalid antivenin to take care of the local effects. Had to adapt my guitar finger picking style.

 

[Yorky]

I have conducted a little internet search and discovered that there are many ways that folks hold chopsticks. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the way that I recall the Chinese hold them (Hong Kong and Shanghai).

Whereas this is the way that I hold them.

 

[Morning Glory]

If I can find any chopsticks I'll try them out and see how I hold them - I can't remember.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I have conducted a little internet search and discovered that there are many ways that folks hold chopsticks. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the way that I recall the Chinese hold them (Hong Kong and Shanghai).

....

Whereas this is the way that I hold them.

I think I hold chopsticks the way you do. I start out like I'm trying to write with two pens in my hand. I use chopsticks every time I eat Asian food (including Indian food, assuming rice is involved). I've gotten quite adept at using them.

These are some very nice chopsticks that I have; I "borrowed" then from a sushi place in Ferndale:

In my defense, there was no specific statement saying "please don't take the chopsticks". Most Asian restaurants provide cheap chopsticks that they don't mind people taking, but these might be in a different category (in retrospect, I am not in the habit of taking silverware from restaurants I like).

 

[Morning Glory]

Now I found the chopsticks. This is what I do:

 

[Yorky]

Now I found the chopsticks. This is what I do:

That looks very much like my grip.