Chopsticks

[you_idiot]

Yesterday while I was in Melbourne, I had lunch at a Chinese noodle bar on Swanston Street, and I thought I'd venture my chances with a pair of chopsticks to have my wonton soup.

Didn't do too badly, made just a minimal mess. Used the soup spoon to bail me out whenever possible.

What about the rest of you?

Do you use chopsticks when provided at a Chinese restuarant? How good are you with them? And if you're not so good, at what point do you call it quits and just ask for the fork and spoon?

Cheers,
William

 

[Rusty Brookes]

I'm a chopsticks man. I was taught at an early age to use them. I'm not too bad, I can normally eat a meal with a minimum of mess (unless alchohol is involved: then watch out!)

 

[TheMase]

I am absolutely hopeless with chopsticks .. I have no ****in idea

 

[NYMets]

I used to work on a Chinese ship and had to buy cutlery in Samoa (the first port)! The crew RAoFL at me trying to get stuff off the lazy susan in the middle of the table)
BUt you lie one like a pen between thumb & index and move the other one with the next finger.....er I think that's right I'll have to go out to the kitchen & try it now LOL!

 

[Catman]

No good with chopsticks.

I think that's why they provide forks and spoons, to minimise the mess made from people attempting to eat with chopsticks!

 

[Desredandwhite]

I AM chinese, so I was trained from a young age ;-)

I'll use them at chinese restaurants and for eating noodles etc, but I'm not fussed really. whatever is closer to hand at the time will do!

Though I don't use them in the "proper" way. I think the accepted proper way is to hold the bottom stick still and move the top one with index finger and thumb - like a pair of tongs. the way I do it is kind of like scissors - they cross over about 3/4 way up.

 

[sussudio]

I'm chinese too, so I'd like to provide some insights. you don't have to use chopsticks for EVERY chinese meal. there are some dishes which are far easier to eat with a fork and spoon, even for chinese. for example, for all the rice dishes that come on a plate, i.e. fried rice, combination on rice, etc - use a fork and spoon.

many a times I have seen people trying to pick up the little bitty pieces of rice and making a huge mess, which is more of an embarrassment than not knowing how to use the sticks. the only time that rice is eaten with chopsticks is if it's in a bowl. the way to do it is to put the rim of the bowl to your mouth, then shovel the rice in. for chinese, it's not bad manners to do this (it is bad manners for koreans though, so be careful).

for things like sushi, it's also not necessary to use the sticks. in fact, sushi purists in japan always pick the sushi up with their fingers and dip it (fish side up) into the sauce.

different for noodles though; these are always eaten with chopsticks, if you know how to use them.

I think people think that, just because they are eating chinese, they HAVE to use chopsticks, when this is not always the case.