# Geographical Extent of Chopstick-Using Cultures **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317 "2001-10-29T17:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/21 "2001-10-31T00:10:40Z")
I have heard that fork and spoon are gaining popularity in China. Anybody know if this is true? I do know that they were readily available in Hong Kong in the 60’s. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/22 "2001-10-31T01:53:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > **I have heard that fork and spoon are gaining popularity in China. Anybody know if this is true? > I do know that they were readily available in Hong Kong in the 60’s.** Perhaps coming off of a low base. Certainly more people know how to use forks and spoons than before. The vast majority of Chinese, even in the big modern cities, use chopsticks. Most households might have a western style soup spoon, but you’d have to search to find a fork. Most Chinese in Hong Kong eat with chopsticks at home the majority of the time. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/23 "2001-10-31T02:51:19Z")
Yeah, **China Guy** , I figured what I saw was an accommodation for the many Europeans in Hong Kong. No reason to change, really. Unless the ‘masses’ develop a preference for foreign foods. Not likely in the near future. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/24 "2001-10-31T02:58:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\* > And there’s always baloot (sp?) for the _real_ man. 😉 > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* Uughhh… did you really eat that ??? :eek: I’ve eaten my share of weird and exotic foods, but balut is one food I just couldn’t bring myself to try. You are one sick puppy, **Mangeorge !** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/25 "2001-10-31T03:19:53Z")
What’s wrong with balut? Chock-full of protein and electrolytes, good to combat that hangover the next morning. I eat it, my baby sister eats it, my mother eats it, my grandmother eats it. Go on, don’t be such a wuss. Try one! ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/26 "2001-10-31T03:33:56Z")
:eek: Eeeewwww… :eek: I will try most things, but you can’t convince me to eat balut ! ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/27 "2001-10-31T05:31:24Z")
/me raises his hand Okay let the rest of us in on it. What’s balut? ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/28 "2001-10-31T05:42:28Z")
Balut is a snack, found in the Philippines. It can be eaten raw or boiled. It is a partially formed duck embryo. Several times I saw a raw one being slid down a throat, complete with soft feathers and beak… :eek: Eeeww. I’ve eaten Witchetty grubs, whale, fish eyes, roasted cockroaches and lots of other wierd foods and combinations, but that was one I WAS NOT trying !!! ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/29 "2001-10-31T06:21:21Z")
Okay, I’m with you. EEEWWWWWWWWW!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/30 "2001-10-31T06:43:20Z")
I had 'em at a Viet Namese restaurant in Taiwan many years ago. Maybe they were incubated chicken eggs. Anyhoo, like a lot of food, once you get beyond the psychological thing, they are pretty tasty. I used a spoon on the occaisions I ate them. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/31 "2001-10-31T15:00:19Z")
**Goo** , balut should be hard-boiled. Are sure you saw them eating it raw? Because that would be truly disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/32 "2001-10-31T18:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Goo \* > **Balut is a snack, found in the Philippines. It can be eaten raw or boiled. It is a partially formed duck embryo. Several times I saw a raw one being slid down a throat, complete with soft feathers and beak…** Is this kosher? (Zev, are you listening?) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/33 "2001-11-01T00:27:59Z")
This is balut; [http://www.asiacuisine.com/publishing/sepoct13/page78.html](http://www.asiacuisine.com/publishing/sepoct13/page78.html) No, I’ve never eaten balut. I was too young and timid when I had the opportunity. But would I now? Probably. I’ve tried everything else that’s come my way. I’ve only seen it eaten boiled, but I’ve had Philipinos tell me that it’s even better raw, and must be eaten at just the right stage of developement. An ancient form of Viagra, it seems. Of course, Philipino men are great bullshitters. 😉 Right, **Terminus Est**? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/34 "2001-11-01T00:49:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\ ***Goo** , balut should be hard-boiled. Are sure you saw them eating it raw? Because that would be truly disgusting. \*\* Yep, **I** saw it several times. Not my boyfriends best friends cat washer who heard it from her postie, that a lady he delivers letters to had a chat with a guy who… **I** saw it. and it was truly disgusting. I saw and was offered plenty of boiled balut, but couldn’t try it, as the raw image kept creeping into my mind. I encountered boiled balut all over the Philippines, but only came across it raw on Mindanao, which was a bit different from the rest of the Philippines in more ways than one ! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/35 "2001-11-01T01:18:35Z")
Mmmmmmm…balut. The first time I tried it was just to prove to myself that I _could_. Now, I eat it out of choice. It’s great stuff. Needs heaps of salt and ginger though. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/36 "2001-11-01T02:18:16Z")
Ah, Mindanao. They do things differently down south. I wonder how that feels wriggling down your throat. I’ll have to ask my mother - she’s probably tried it. The less adventurous could try _penoy_, described in that excellent page linked to by **mangeorge**. No duck fetus to contend with, so it’s just like a hard-boiled duck egg. Filipinos say that balut is “good for knees”, so newlyweds are often given this for the honeymoon. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/37 "2001-11-01T02:38:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\* > Filipinos say that balut is “good for knees”, so newlyweds are often given this for the honeymoon. \*\* hehehe… Thanks **Terminus Est** for giving me one hell of a laugh ! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/38 "2001-11-01T04:04:20Z")
You think _that_ sounds bad, urban (USN, anyway) legend has it that balut lies buried in sand for a year (or longer) before eaten. This old myth was happily propagated by the stewards aboard my ship. Love them guys. Best place in the Navy to get a good meal, BTW. I have had the penoy. Tastes like salty boiled egg. Only eggier. I dunno, maybe it wasn’t a myth. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/39 "2001-11-01T08:43:03Z")
PJ O’Rourke said that balut reminded him of pro-life publicity material. I don’t like the way you’re supposed to suck the juice out first - the semi-formed feathers etc are OK provided you don’t look too close. Give me sinigang, anyday. Anyway - so far as I know, chopsticks are essentially a Chinese invention, and spread mainly to Japan, Korea and Vietnam with other aspects of that culture (eg Chinese characters). I heard they ensure that everyone at the table gets the chance to eat something, because you can pick up only small quantities of meat, veg, rice with the things. SE Asians today use a fork and spoon for most of their native foods - and Malay and Filipino dishes lend themselves to that method. Many westerners here in Hong Kong can’t bring themselves to use the spoon - do they associate its use for non-sweet solid foods with children? A common sight in HK is Filipino workers sitting in parks on their day off eating their pansit, adobo etc. They bring a pack of those disposable plastic gloves, and eat with their hands. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/40 "2001-11-01T16:21:15Z")
Eating with plastic gloves!? Is nothing sacred? **mangeorge** , balut isn’t buried in the sand. The Chinese, however, have [century eggs](http://allrecipes.com/encyc/terms/H/6958.asp), which are indeed buried in a sort of mud-brine mixture. The eggs come out black - and I mean the contents, not the shell. The result is even more grotesque IMNSHO than balut. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317.md?page=3)