Why do people still use chopsticks?!


Question: Why do people still use chopsticks?
I mean not that it matters much to me, but come on - forks and spoons aren't exactly a new thing, or anything to rebel against. It's almost like taking the stairs instead of the elevator up a 1,000 story building.

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I disagree wholeheartedly. I'm English, but I would never consider using a fork and spoon to eat East Asian food. In fact, East Asian cuisine is EASIER to eat with chopsticks.

P.S.
I predict you're an American. You just prefer a fork and spoon so you can get more food inside you quicker.



Actually...forks are relatively new - only a few hundred years old, and using them at the table to eat is very new.

Chopsticks were developed due to Buddhist beliefs that using knives to eat was bad for the soul. The spoon stuck around for obvious reasons, but the old knives became a set of sticks called chopsticks.

Asian cuisine is designed around eating with chopsticks and it's really much easier than what us goofball Americans do with Chinese food by dumping it on a plate and pushing it around with a fork.

Besides which, you only need 1 set of chopsticks, vs. a fork and a knife for Western cuisine.



Tradition. I was there and chopsticks are actually easier to use.... I love my fork but for picking up things, I like the chopsticks...

Both can equally difficult to pick up certain foods. Like Broccoli with a fork, trying to stab at it... or a slippery piece of fruit with chopsticks... meh, preferences I guess...

I was re-thinking your question and was able to come to the conclusion. If your eating stuff like sushi or ramen. It only makes sense to use chopsticks because it will be easier to grab the sushi roll or the noodles. I think it just has to do with the types of food the japanese people eat. However, they do use forks and knives for westren style foods like Steak.



i agree that using chopsticks has a lot to do with tradition, but sometimes chopsticks make food taste better. really, it does.

(being asian) i prefer to use chopsticks when i eat certain dishes because metallic utensils can influence the taste. just how caviar (fish eggs) should only be handled with spoons made with abalone or something that doesn't leave a foreign after taste. when i eat in an asian restaurant and use western utensils compared to chopsticks, the taste just isn't the same. think of it like having a fresh brewed cup of coffee out of a soda can... all the same flavors are there, but the delivery makes the coffee slightly different.

thats what i think. hope it helps.



Not exactly, you are probably new to using chopsticks or not very good with them.

Using chopsticks is a tradition, along with spoons. I would just like to point out in asian countries people used spoons along with sticks (so they are just as old).
Chopsticks can also be easier to pick up things. After using them for a while they get easy.especially if you've grown up with them.



Its about skill

If you have great chopstick skills then even eating non sticky rice with chopsticks is easy-peasy


Im sure you have great fork skills

Restaurants



Traditionally Chinese food is served in large dishes and each person takes what they want from each dish. The chopsticks do not go into your mouth. It's a simple as that.



Why do people still use forks? Who is to say which one is better. They were each developed in different countries/cultures.



Because they are civilized.



Traditions or for fun?




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