Could someone please explain chopsticks to me?

[Jayburner]

I don't understand using blunt wooden objects to eat with. I did a bit of research and found out they were introduced during the Han dynasty. The problem I'm having is, why? How do you cut a steak and eat it with chop sticks?

I can see maybe these wooden objects being useful for noodles..i'm still on the fence about that. I just don't understand them. Is it cultural thing that the chinese people are hanging on too? Or are they really that amazing to eat with?

Someone with chopstick skills explain this please.

[Deleted]

Ever considered that they rarely eat steak in China and Japan? At least at the time of Chopsticks introduction.

[Ferrair]

its a cultural thing.

same thing why America has football while the rest of the world plays FOOTBALL

and the baseball WORLD series when they are the only ones participating.

[Grym]

We don't eat steak with chopsticks, if I go for a steak, I use knife and forks.

If I go to a dim sum place, I prefer chopsticks, noodles and such some argue a fork is just as easy but I still prefer chopsticks.

Sushi I definitely prefer chopsticks, forks will "destroy" the sushi most of the time when you pick it up.

Pretty much all asian food I would prefer to eat with chopsticks

Oh and chicken wings, I definitely prefer that with chopsticks. When you can use chopsticks, it is almost like eating with the finger extention, make eating things like chicken wings brilliant. fork I pretty much need to "stab" into the meat to eat and when you have to turn the chicken wing it is a hassle to "unstab" and it and stab it elsewhere, especially the last bit you have nowhere to stab. Chopstick can hold onto the bones like you would with your finger.

I was at a friend's place and we ordered take outs, I ordered chicken wings, I asked if he has chopsticks, he didn't and I had to use a fork in the end, wasn't good

[Jayburner]

Ever considered that they rarely eat steak in China and Japan? At least at the time of Chopsticks introduction.

How do they cut meat of any kind?

[Iyotanka]

Take this with a grain of salt but it made sense to me.

'Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese food is usually eaten with chopsticks; but it was the Chinese who were the earliest culture some five thousand years ago. Their food cooked in pots required twigs to remove it. Overtime, as population grew - people began chopping food into smaller pieces so it would cook more quickly thus minimizing the use of wood for cooking - twigs gradually turned into chopsticks

Some people think that the great scholar Confucius, who lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the development of chopsticks. A vegetarian, Confucius believed knives would remind people of slaughterhouses and were too violent for use at the table.

The use of chopsticks reflected chinese pragmatism and frugality in overcoming the difficulties of life. Famine and drought were common in ancient China; therefore food needed to be shared between family members; picking only small morsels with chopsticks to accompany bowls of rice. (Fork-&-spoon would have enabled a user to take large portions - inconsiderate and selfish when food is scarce.)'

[Deleted]

How do they cut meat of any kind?

Do you cut meat with a Fork?

Of course not, like everyone else in the world, they can use multiple kitchen utensils.

[Garnier Fructis]

How do they cut meat of any kind?

It's cut during the preparation of the meal.

[Gemini Sunrise]

It's cut during the preparation of the meal.

If I remember correctly (I probably don't, but there you go), it's almost an insult not to have it cut to bite-sized pieces before the meal.

[Jonexe]

Typically when you order something like a steak in those countries it comes pre-cut, unless it's an 'American Style' restaurant. Centuries of using them is precisely why they still do.

[Rizendragon]

its a cultural thing.

same thing why America has football while the rest of the world plays FOOTBALL

and the baseball WORLD series when they are the only ones participating.

WORLD series is because people from all around the WORLD participate in the MLB. The MLB is considered the premier baseball league in the whole world much like the NHL and NBA in their respective sports.

OT: Not quite sure if this is really ignorance or trolling, but think of the foods they eat. Rice, lo mein, chopped chicken, etc. It's small items that can be clamped with 2 small pieces of bamboo. They get the job done for what they are intended.

[Grym]

Chinese people don't eat "full size steak" and "whole chicken" uncut, go Google "chinese meat dishes" in Google image, you will see how meat are usually prepared.

[Jayburner]

WORLD series is because people from all around the WORLD participate in the MLB. The MLB is considered the premier baseball league in the whole world much like the NHL and NBA in their respective sports.

OT: Not quite sure if this is really ignorance or trolling, but think of the foods they eat. Rice, lo mein, chopped chicken, etc. It's small items that can be clamped with 2 small pieces of bamboo. They get the job done for what they are intended.

reason I made this thread is because of rice. How the heck you eat rice with wooden sticks?

[Grym]

OT: Not quite sure if this is really ignorance or trolling

Gotta be trolling, no one can be THAT retarded.

[Noomz]

I don't understand using blunt wooden objects to eat with. I did a bit of research and found out they were introduced during the Han dynasty. The problem I'm having is, why? How do you cut a steak and eat it with chop sticks?

I can see maybe these wooden objects being useful for noodles..i'm still on the fence about that. I just don't understand them. Is it cultural thing that the chinese people are hanging on too? Or are they really that amazing to eat with?

Someone with chopstick skills explain this please.

Because they were too poor to make anythign else.

[Jayburner]

Its sticky rice, usually clumps together rather well. Its basicly like eating small dumplings. Infact I remember making it once and its a proper bitch to get off your fingers.

that makes sense I guess..big clumps of starch.

[Grym]

reason I made this thread is because of rice. How the heck you eat rice with wooden sticks?

Again you MUST be retarded.

We don't "pick up" the rice, you "scoope" it in your mouth.

Again it is something that should take you 5 seconds to find out on Youtube and Google:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIcltNofLjs

Seriously, try a little yourself next time.

[YuneKirby]

Typically when you order something like a steak in those countries it comes pre-cut, unless it's an 'American Style' restaurant. Centuries of using them is precisely why they still do.

This. In China people don't eat with knives, those are used by cooks during preparation.

Ever get beef fried rice from Chinese takeout? Notice how there are chunks of beef in the rice? That's how they eat in that culture, though typically one eats with a bowl of rice, and people take chunks of meat and other foods from other dishes laid out on the table.

[BananaHandsB]

It's cultural and traditional, and once u practice it a little, they aren't hard at all to use. There are some things that chop sticks actually work great for, even better than forks b/c that don't require penetration into your food. Next time u have some Cheetos, grab some chopsticks...u'll thank me =)

[Elegiac]

I actually prefer chopsticks to white people cutlery; you can use them with one hand and they're very versatile provided the dish is prepared correctly.