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[Zoe]

I mean I'm not telling you how you should east but noodles with a fork you just do it like this:

And for vegetables: Forks are pointy, you can just stick it in there and eat.

1) not all noodles are long and thin

2) noodle dishes typically have large vegetable and meat pieces mixed in, do it wouldn't be anywhere near as tidy as that

 

[BronsonLee]

In what way? I guarantee I'll eat rice from a bowl with chopsticks faster than you can with a fork.

You'd be wrong because I'd A: use a spoon and B: immediately push your bowl onto the floor

That's why you have rice bowls. The perfect shape with which to shovel large quantities of rice down your gullet.

Rice that isn't in a rice bowl? I and many other Asians use forks.

This makes sense. Most people don't got a rice bowl

 

[Llyranor]

So you lift the plate? That goes against any western table manners I've learned and is just a strange concept to me. But sure, that would work.

The bowl, not the plate. For plates, we just use forks/spoons.

 

[Stinkles]

So they were converted to forks? Weird!

Yup. Weirdly they only have chopsticks for foreigners to use.

 

[vern]

You don't grab a huge chunk of noodles to start with. You start with a few noodles because you know that once you twirl them there's going to be a lot more. It's not rocket science lol

I mean the fork has tines that grab the noodles, then you twist, I think there is a maximum amount that can be succesfully grabbed with the fork... And that's probably too much for a standard bite. And again, you have much more control over how much you are going to get with chopsticks anyway. It's faster, easier, more efficient way to eat noodles. Stab, twist, twist... Or you can just grab with your chopsticks and go. It's not rocket science lol.

 

[PSqueak]

On the flip side, does anyone actually eat sushi with a fork?!

Mexican here, for me when it comes to sushi, it's either the chopsticks or hand directly

Also, for those wondering about rice and forks, over here Rice is a common complement to most meals, usually served in the same plate as your main meal (let's say, a steak) so it's usually eaten via fork and it's not hard at all.

 

[linid0t]

So did Thai people eat noodles before Western contact? You can't really eat noodles with your hands...

China had the fork for thousands of years, so I assume they got it from Chinese traders or something.

Edit: never mind, explanation below seems better

 

[massoluk]

So they were converted to forks? Weird!

It's like this.

1. Traditionally it's bare hands for Thai food.
2. Then the Chinese come with Chinese food, which we use chopsticks for
3. Then King Chulalongkorn didn't want us to be savage, so he told everyone to use spoon and fork for traditional Thai food.

Two different upgrade paths:
Chopsticks for Chinese and Chinese-inspired foods
Spoon and Fork for traditional Thai food.

 

[voodoojohn]

Yup. Weirdly they only have chopsticks for foreigners to use.

Now that I think about it, Thai people don't eat very sticky rice, right? So perhaps the fork found equal application with noodles and superior application with rice vis-à-vis chopsticks.

 

[CheDominik]

The bowl, not the plate. For plates, we just use forks/spoons.

Poster I quoted was talking about eating rice from a plate though

 

[Norml]

What? You're not wasting any time using a spoon or a fork vs a fucking chopstick. If anything the only thing you're wasting by using chopstick is more energy using the fucking thing. Are people in this thread being serious right now?

One tool is quicker,and less energy used.

 

[BronsonLee]

If you're trying to eat rice from a plate with chopsticks you are making a grave error

 

[andythinkpad]

Chopsticks for sashimi, hands for anything else.

Nah you use chopsticks to pick out the good bit and leave the rice.

 

[Llyranor]

Poster I quoted was talking about eating rice from a plate though

Yeah, lifting the plate to scoop rice with chopsticks would be a bit weird

 

[Haly]

For western rice dishes served on plates, like creamy risotto, yeah, chopsticks are really bad for that. Or something like paella, where the grains are very loose. Our equivalent, congee and fried rice respectively, are also eaten with spoons.

I'm not sure if people understand this but the white rice ubiquitous in East Asian meals tends to be starchy and clumpy. No one picks up single grains of rice (although you can! something a fork can't really do).

 

[Escargo]

Both. Just different uses. Like its much easier to use silverware to eat mash potato and I prefer chopsticks for soup-based noodles.

 

[def sim]

I'd probably eat with my hands all the time if I could get away with it. 😔

 

[tearsintherain]

Married to asian wife, I've noticed it pretty much follows the same rule as language spoken: if any older relative from Asia proper is around, chopsticks and chinese are used. Otherwise, it depends on the food.

 

[pastrami]

I generally use chopsticks to eat Asian food and fork and knife for western food. Spaghetti and jajangmyeon are both noodle dishes, but I use a fork for one and chopsticks for the other.

Also, I must be weird because I still use chopsticks for rice, even if it's on a plate. It's really not that hard to use.

 

[kayos90]

One tool is quicker,and less energy used.

If the fork is quicker for you then you just suck using the chopstick.

 

[Erheller]

Forks and (western) spoons for almost everything. Except potato chips. Once you eat potato chips with chopsticks you can't go back.

I use chopsticks at restaurants so I don't get weird looks though.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Assimilate?

We are Venom.

 

[Lucumo]

Yes? I mean Spaghetti aren't eaten with chopsticks. People in Italy don'r even use spoons most of the time.

Why "in Italy"? That's also mostly the case in other countries. Heck, I would never use a spoon (or chopsticks) for spaghetti. Same with rice, forks all the way.

 

[Llyranor]

Except potato chips. Once you eat potato chips with chopsticks you can't go back.

Glad I'm not the only one!

 

[CheDominik]

1) not all noodles are long and thin

2) noodle dishes typically have large vegetable and meat pieces mixed in, do it wouldn't be anywhere near as tidy as that

Italian pasta like Penne or Farfalle are still easy to eat with a fork without making a huge mess

 

[Norml]

If the fork is quicker for you then you just suck using the chopstick.

Another reason why I don't use them is it takes skill. Like I said before, why waste my time when I can just stab,twirl or scoop?

 

[RMI]

Married to asian wife, I've noticed it pretty much follows the same rule as language spoken: if any older relative from Asia proper is around, chopsticks and chinese are used. Otherwise, it depends on the food.

pretty much my experience. Depends on the food.

 

[BocoDragon]

I rock it like Koreans. Chopsticks are for individual items, but rice? Just use a spoon.. Come on...

 

[Ricky_R]

Dude just use your hands, they're finger food

Fucking why? Just use your fingers at that point.

I don't think people get why chopsticks are used in the first place.

lol, like everyone said, just use your hands if it's such a struggle.

 

[BronsonLee]

We helped!

 

[Kurita]

Unless your rice is very sticky, a fork (not spork) can not scoop the rice.

What

If anything it's hard for me to eat non-sticky rice with chopsticks. I can use a fork to eat any kind of rice.

 

[Jumeira]

The hell?

 

[luoapp]

One part of elementary school graduation exam in China

 

[SRG01]

I prefer to eat pasta with chopsticks. People look at me funny but it's so much easier.

 

[Ashhong]

I mean the fork has tines that grab the noodles, then you twist, I think there is a maximum amount that can be succesfully grabbed with the fork... And that's probably too much for a standard bite. And again, you have much more control over how much you are going to get with chopsticks anyway. It's faster, easier, more efficient way to eat noodles. Stab, twist, twist... Or you can just grab with your chopsticks and go. It's not rocket science lol.

If the maximum a fork can hold is too much for a standard bite then why does it matter? You are the one questioning how to even eat with a fork..I know how to eat with chopsticks. I just find forks more efficient.

 

[Onemic]

you use the chopsticks to shove the rice into your mouth

it's not that difficult

Of course you can do that, but with a plate that would look very....odd. And would still be impractical vs the other option.

 

[andythinkpad]

What

If anything it's hard for me to eat non-sticky rice with chopsticks. I can use a fork to eat any kind of rice.

Have you tried eat rice from a rice bowl?

 

[mercviper]

You'd be wrong because I'd A: use a spoon and B: immediately push your bowl onto the floor

Damn I didn't think of that... :<

This makes sense. Most people don't got a rice bowl

Yeah I think most Americans think of using chopsticks on rice as replacing the fork/spoon method of scooping up rice from a plate to the mouth, or by picking up grains/clumps that a fork or spoon can do much better, when really it's just that using chopsticks for rice is a completely different way of eating it; it needs to be in a bowl and mechanically it's more like guiding the rice down a ramp into your mouth.

 

[Geist-]

Depends on the meal and the availability of chopsticks in the places I eat.

 

[darscot]

The second post should have been the first post. I assume it's all about the food and nothing about the race. I use them when appropriate and I'm a white guy, is that not common?

 

[xxracerxx]

I am not Asian American but I will use chopsticks in my house for various meals.

The second post should have been the first post. I assume it's all about the food and nothing about the race. I use them when appropriate and I'm a white guy, is that not common?

I thought it was and still do. GAF is just weird sometimes.

 

[vern]

If the maximum a fork can hold is too much for a standard bite then why does it matter?

You (or some dude on the last page?) said that they eat with the twist method because they don't bite their noodles, because biting them leaves small pieces.... It's 2 am here maybe I'm not making sense but if you inhale huge amounts of noodles aka an entire fork full twisted like in that photo in every bite that's crazy. You should still be biting your noodles even in the twist method. Seems like a huge mouthful otherwise. When I use a fork I still bite my noodles. But of course I use chopsticks for noodles mainly, because it's easier.


You edited but um yeah I know how to use a fork I didn't question how. I just find chopsticks more efficient (again, for certain dishes aka non cutting primarily).

 

[BronsonLee]

Damn I didn't think of that... :<

Cheat 2 Win

Yeah I think most Americans think of using chopsticks on rice as replacing the fork/spoon method of scooping up rice from a plate to the mouth, or by picking up grains/clumps that a fork or spoon can do much better, when really it's just that using chopsticks for rice is a completely different way of eating it; it needs to be in a bowl and mechanically it's more like guiding the rice down a ramp into your mouth.

It's like Hot Wheels: Rice Edition

 

[Haly]

You can do the twist with chopsticks as well, although if I'm remembering my table manners right you're not supposed to. Doing so makes you look like a chump, like holding a fork upside down and stabbing like a child would. Another example is using the chopsticks themselves to stab things; it makes you look clumsy.

 

[Iksenpets]

I hate those spoons. They look and feel like toddler spoons and they are too big.

What's wrong with a regular spoon?

I'm white and I will not tolerate anyone hating on those spoons. They're way better for soup than shallow-ass Western spoons.

 

[pastrami]

You (or some dude on the last page?) said that they eat with the twist method because they don't bite their noodles, because biting them leaves small pieces.... It's 2 am here maybe I'm not making sense but if you inhale huge amounts of noodles aka an entire fork full twisted like in that photo in every bite that's crazy. You should still be biting your noodles even in the twist method. Seems like a huge mouthful otherwise. When I use a fork I still bite my noodles. But of course I use chopsticks for noodles mainly, because it's easier.

You edited but um yeah I know how to use a fork I didn't question how. I just find chopsticks more efficient (again, for certain dishes aka non cutting primarily).

I will say that I think forks are great for spaghetti because it's easier to scoop up sauce with the noodles. Especially if you have a meaty sauce.

 

[timetokill]

In middle school I was the only white guy in my group of asian friends (predominantly asian school population)

Pretty much none of them used chopsticks, and they'd make fun of me occasionally for using them when they were all using forks or spoons... lol

 

[FallingEdge]

Like for any given meal in their home, or do they assimilate and use silverware?

Honest question.

we assimilate because we are trying to fit in and dont know any better

ty based op

 

[vern]

I will say that I think forks are great for spaghetti because it's easier to scoop up sauce with the noodles. Especially if you have a meaty sauce.

I can't remember the last time I ate spaghetti but for picking up sauces and stuff yeah, spoon or fork would be better. I just said chopsticks are more efficient and easier for most dishes.

 

[BronsonLee]

we assimilate because we are trying to fit in and dont know any better

ty based op

Oh how would YOU know