It heard, a long time ago, that it is PROPER and RESPECTFUL to eat sushi with your hands. That made me feel much better about the fact that I loathe eating sushi with chopsticks and refuse to do so...that's why some places offer you a hot towel, for your hands, before they bring your meal. I feel better now, not to feel like I'm disrespecting the culture by not using the sticks. It's ok to use your hands. Just please wash them first...!

Oh heck, let folks use what's most familiar--why make them uncomfortable, and in public yet? Many years ago, friends took me to Jimmy Wu's for my first Chinese meal. They ordered the food and instructed the server to bring only chopsticks. When I objected, they said "learn or go hungry." Well, I learned--sort of--but wasn't happy! I've tried eating sushi with chopsticks, but I'm not adept, so I usually wind up either picking it up with my fingers or using utensils. The way I see it, using utensils is far better than trying to use chopsticks and spilling sushi bits on the table, floor, me...whatever.

EL- I know I'm a mess when it comes to manners; but I just use my fingers. I used to attempt to use those wooden chopsticks that are given to you with your sushi, but someone sent me an e-mail showing the microscopic view of bugs inside of the wood so I just couldn't do that anymore. You can't cut seaweed with a fork but it easily pulls apart with one's hands, so...no manners, but not stuffing huge sushi pieces in either...

Esquire (magazine) Rule No. 569: There is no shame in using Western utensils for Eastern cuisine.

I think it depends on where you are. When I lived in Germany I learned to eat the European way: fork in one hand, knife in the other, no switching. If I ever have the chance to visit Japan or China I will learn how to eat their way, whether it is chosticks or porcelain spoons. In this country I eat with knife, fork, and spoon.

The European way of using knife and fork is much more sensible than the American way. I suspect the American way was a test to differentiate the well-to-do from the hoi polloi.

I personally like to try to use the eating methods of the ethnic group in question...it seems to add to the experience. For instance, I find that eating Chinese food with chopsticks encourages concentrating on the flavor and sensation of the bite-size piece of food being dealt with at the moment.

Hal, for once I have to disagree with you. My understanding is that the American way of wielding knife and fork was introduced in order to slow down eating. The European method is a more efficient way to convey food to mouth, which may lend itself to gobbling. So you could say that the American method is more evolved ...

But I'm with you on the chopsticks.

I cannot eat Chinese or sushi with a fork. Can't do it. I have to use chopsticks.

Let's just say that sushi is always on top on rice or rolled inside of it. Then the proper way to eat it is ALWAYS with your hands. It's a freakin' sandwich. There should be a word for when people act pretentious but reveal themselves as ignorant, like eating sushi with chopsticks or miso soup with that stupid big spoon (there you pick out the pieces with chopsticks and drink the soup from the bowl. Uh huh.)

So EL you don't have to shove that big piece of sushi in your mouth. Bite it in half. Since the rice has never touched the soy sauce it will stick together.

Oh God, Bad Owl needs to fly free. Where's my Robitussin? I thnk I need to call my Rage-aholics sponsor immediately. I think tomorrow's Mystery Thursday might just be my mug shot and you can guess what charges I was arrested on. Or what I had to eat while in lock up.

I eat sushi with my fingers, but I thought I was still supposed to eat the whole piece. EL

I have no opinion or info on eating half a piece of sushi, except to say that it is quite comical to see someone shove something too big into their mouth. Even funnier though is someone trying to eat half of a nigiri or roll and having it drop kerplunk into the overfull soy sauce dish. Seen it a million times, love it every time. I think common sense dictates that it's okay to eat only what fits into your mouth. Ever see someone try to put an unwieldy forkful of salad the size of a corsage into their mouth and literally use their fork to shovel it in like they were haying a barn loft? Been there, done that.

The visual of someone trying to shove a too-large forkful of salad into their maw and then attempting to chew is great!

Thanks for the workday laugh. Now, its back to the grindstone.

You are supposed to eat the whole piece at once, but USian nigiri is made way too big. It'll gag a horse. So we have to improvise.

It is probably only fair. The Japanese, after all, put stuff on pizza that totally doesn't belong there.

If you are going to eat sushi with anything other than your fingers, you should eat the entire piece in one bite.

I was at Sushi Hanna the other night, and I'm watching this woman trying to hold the sushi in her chopsticks as she takes a half bite.

People! What are you going to do with them?

The Japanese put things on pizza that don't belong there? Where do you live?
http://www.cpk.com/menu/

Seriously, what kind of weird stuff do the Japanese put on pizza that worse than pears and lettiuce.

Have you noticed most sushi places adding "special" rolls, many of which include a mayonaise-based sauce..

I don't get it and dont care for these sauces..I think they are for people who don't really like sushi..

Just another peeve

Link spam at 8:18AM!

Link spam at 5:25 PM!