It will not be a secret to anyone that each country has its own specific customs. This also applies to the process of eating food. Chopsticks, as a culinary tool, began to be used in Asian countries from about 1200 BC. Today they are most often associated with sushi, however, they began to use them long before this dish was even invented. Let's find out what types of sticks exist, how to use these devices, and to whom we are obliged for their invention.
A bit of history
As mentioned earlier, the first chopsticks appeared around 1200 BC. e., but in China they began to be used at the beginning of the IV century BC. e. According to official statistics, more than 20 percent of the world's population uses them daily. In China alone, 45 billion disposable pairs are produced each year.
We are obliged to the Chinese to invent and popularize this variety of cutlery. They were the first to experiment with them about three millennia ago. However, initially they were used exclusively for cooking. They were used to gently lower the products into boiling water without getting burned.
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As the country's population grew, cooks had to look for new cooking methods. They began to cut it into small pieces, requiring less fuel for cooking. Thus, the popularity of chopsticks gradually grew until they received widespread use.
Not all sticks are the same
In every Asian country, they differ in shape, size and material. For example, in China they are made longer and thicker to make it more convenient to take food. In Japan, where these cutlery appeared a hundred years later, are made from bamboo. Here, the main food is seafood, so the sticks are thinner in diameter, shorter and pointed at the ends. These differences are also related to the fact that the Japanese, unlike the Chinese, do not eat from the common pot, but their portion, so they do not need to reach far to take food.
Disposable devices began to be produced since 1878. For their manufacture, a variety of materials were used, among which ivory, jade, coral and silver are considered the most valuable. Modern sticks are made mainly of bamboo, because it is easy to process and is very cheap.
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In South Korea, sticks are different from those used in China and Japan. In this country they are flat and made of metal. This is due to the fact that Koreans are simply crazy about barbecue, so wooden appliances burn and quickly deteriorate.
How to hold sticks?
This question interests many people who love Asian cuisine. And there are a lot of them, because over the past few years, not only around the world, but also in our country, sushi and rolls have become very popular. As for how to hold the sticks, there are no general rules. Each person does it the way that suits him. In addition, in different regions there are preferences regarding the ownership of cutlery.
In China, there are several beliefs about how best to hold sticks with food. If a girl takes them close to food, then in the near future she should get married. And if a person holds his sticks high, then he is waiting for a long road. Therefore, the vast majority try to take cutlery in parallel or X-shaped. As for foreigners, it is much more convenient for them to take the sticks separately so that they form the Latin letter V.
Rules of etiquette
In Asian countries, they take good manners very seriously. This is especially true when people come to visit their friends or acquaintances. In order not to offend anyone, they recommend that you adhere to the following rules:
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- Do not take food from common plates, but pre-lay it on your own.
- Do not pierce foods with chopsticks if you are unable to take them.
- Use special chopsticks for serving.
- If you haven’t finished, don’t put the dish on a common plate.
- Never put sticks directly on the table. If you want some rest, put them on a plate.
- Do not poke cutlery on other people.
Also, do not stick sticks in food, which is often done by Europeans and Americans. If you have finished the meal, then put them on a plate parallel to the table. In Asian countries, this is considered a very great insult to deceased ancestors.
Why and how to use chopsticks?
For those people who first pick up these cutlery, they seem too heavy and uncomfortable. They cannot take food with them, constantly dropping it. However, chopsticks have many advantages. According to Dr. David Samadi, they help maintain weight. Residents of Asian countries almost never have obesity. This is due to the fact that chopsticks make you eat very slowly, which allows you to control the portion size and eliminates overeating. Therefore, when a person rises from the table, he will never have heartburn.
If you have never used chopsticks, then at first you will have certain problems with them. To simplify your task, take one the way you do it with a pencil, and lock between your thumb and forefinger. Between them, you will form a hole in which you need to stick a second stick. And then everything is very simple. You only need to move the devices, clamping the products and putting them in your mouth.
But keep in mind that this only sounds simple, and in practice, handling sticks without a habit will be quite difficult. But with a little practice, it will start working fine for you, and you can use them no worse than the Chinese or Japanese.
