AHChallenge: Chopsticks in Europe

Like conchiglie or fusilli? If so, once again I have no idea why someone would eat that with a spoon as you miss the pronging action that a fork offers. Something like macaroni perhaps, but then again I revert back to my statement on smaller objects: that is why forks are curved.

If we argue that "pronging" is somehow superior to a decent spoon, then we should all be using forks for eating steamed bowls of rice, which seems a strange argument to me.
 
Cherry tomatoes stabbed with a fork roll away if you don't pierce them from the right angle, and errupt water once pierced. Croutons and feta cheese can be scooped, but might fall off the fork a few times before it gets to your mouth, especially if your attention is diverted elsewhere (for example, a dinner conversation). I always hated eating salad with a fork.

Let's pay more attention to the “eating slower so you don't over-stuff yourself” argument, too.

Like all things, the cherry tomato problem comes with practice just like eating rice can be problematic for people with chopsticks. Never have that issue with croutons (I always have them in soup so can't comment on that) but the dinner conversation problem is just control with food... no utensil on any food is going to solve that issue and feta isn't particularly special for that. It's like saying spoons are bad for thin soup because sparkling conversation could distract you to spill it.

@ Eating slower: I think this is the best part about chopsticks and why I prefer them to eating with a knife and fork. BUT, the challenge of getting chopsticks to be used purely on the grounds of eating more slowly isn't something that is likely to catch on, especially when a lot of the national cuisine in the west started out as food to be eaten efficiently whilst working or in big banquets in which you were expected to eat a lot.
Although I will argue to the high heavens in favour of chopsticks for their portion control and taking time to enjoy your food; the efficiency and versatility the fork offers (outside of soup, you can literally eat anything with a fork) is hard to replace outside of perhaps a upperclass orientalist fascination with them (at least pre 1900).


On a side note, I never new I could become this distracted by a conversation regarding eating utensils :D


On an
 
If we argue that "pronging" is somehow superior to a decent spoon, then we should all be using forks for eating steamed bowls of rice, which seems a strange argument to me.
You can indeed use forks for eating a steamed bowl of rice; albeit you don't prong in that instance. You pile on ala my pea example.

Now rice is small enough that I could get somebody wanting to use a spoon specifically for it (e.g. if it is just a bowl of rice you are having) as imo that would be more efficient than either chopsticks or forks. However as part of a greater meal (e.g. alongside a curry/stirfry etc) why bother changing back and forth for a spoon when a fork will get both just fine?
 
As for the challenge... What if Hoxha's Albania decides to promote chopsticks there during the time that Albania is alligned with Mao's China? I don't know much about Albanian cuisine but a quick peruse suggests there's plenty of traditional foods compatible with chopsticks (salad, mezze, stew, sausages, dolmades, pickled vegetables, sardines and seafood).
 
As for the challenge... What if Hoxha's Albania decides to promote chopsticks there during the time that Albania is alligned with Mao's China? I don't know much about Albanian cuisine but a quick peruse suggests there's plenty of traditional foods compatible with chopsticks (salad, mezze, stew, sausages, dolmades, pickled vegetables, sardines and seafood).

I thought you were asking for a pre 1900 pod?
 
You can indeed use forks for eating a steamed bowl of rice; albeit you don't prong in that instance. You pile on ala my pea example.

Now rice is small enough that I could get somebody wanting to use a spoon specifically for it (e.g. if it is just a bowl of rice you are having) as imo that would be more efficient than either chopsticks or forks. However as part of a greater meal (e.g. alongside a curry/stir fry etc) why bother changing back and forth for a spoon when a fork will get both just fine?

Uh, you hold a fork with your left hand and the spoon on the right? At least that's what we do in the Philippines. Chopsticks are reserved for special occassions, i. e. when we're feeling fancy.

But no, in all seriousness, how do you eat rice with a fork? Do you just poke it one morsel at a time? :confused:

And why are we even arguing the merits of fork over chopsticks and vice versa? Have we really sunk so low on PODs?
 
And now I understand the one great thing that makes the Philippines not just in Asia, but of it: Rice is meant to be shoveled into your mouth with a spoon! That rice-eating with forks is just not right! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

(We don't use chopsticks here outside of a Chinese restaurant, though.)

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Back to the question at hand: perhaps a Catholic Japan would help? Or maybe a bigger wave of Orientalism focusing on China?
 
Uh, you hold a fork with your left hand and the spoon on the right? At least that's what we do in the Philippines. Chopsticks are reserved for special occassions, i. e. when we're feeling fancy.

But no, in all seriousness, how do you eat rice with a fork? Do you just poke it one morsel at a time? :confused:

And why are we even arguing the merits of fork over chopsticks and vice versa? Have we really sunk so low on PODs?
I don't know why, I just find myself really enjoying this conversation. Makes you think about the things you take for granted.

There are a few ways to do it, but the misconception seems to be that forks are purely a pronging or skewering tool. The curve in the fork is designed for piling, either by itself or with assistance of a knife + for certain small objects the individual skewers can hold them in place. If you want an example, look on the last page to my link in regards to peas.
 
(We don't use chopsticks here outside of a Chinese restaurant, though.)

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Back to the question at hand: perhaps a Catholic Japan would help? Or maybe a bigger wave of Orientalism focusing on China?

Yes, we do. At least if you're raised in a typical Chinese-Filipino household, or eat in a Japanese/Korean/any nationality that uses chopsticks restaurant.

And yes, that might work. Or maybe a POD where the fork never gains leverage over eating with your hands and then someone who went exploring the Orient brings back the chopsticks and the porcelain spoon with him?
 
I thought you were asking for a pre 1900 pod?

After 1400-ish would include post-1900... It doesn't make sense to post the same topic on two forums just to satisfy both boundaries, which makes the two forum divide a bit unfortunate sometimes.
 
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