# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/41 "2001-11-01T21:14:30Z")
I always ask for chopsticks at Thai restaurants. I was chided once by a waiter who said that Thai people don’t use chopsticks. I just looked him in the eye and said, “I’m not Thai.” I’ve never mustered the courage to eat balut either (It’s called hot vit lon in Viet Nam, assuming it’s made from duck eggs, which it usually is.) The Vietnamese don’t eat it with ginger though, they use rau ram, a kind of leafy spice instead. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/42 "2001-11-02T00:56:47Z")
I talked to my friend, Ariel, at work today. He’s from a town near Baguio, the name of which I can’t remember, but it sounded a little like “onion”. Getting old. 😉 Anyway, he said no chopsticks except when eating in a Chinese restaurant. Much like us westerners. And _definitely_ no raw balut. “Ugh’” say’s Ariel. I’ve eaten “100 year egg”. Not awful, but I didn’t care much for it. Many of us wouldn’t really care for truly authentic Chinese food. I prefer the stuff made for western tastes, in general. But eaten with chopsticks. 🙂 I’ve seen many Chinese people push rice into their mouths from their individual rice bowl. Same with soupy noodles 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 2, 2001, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/43 "2001-11-02T01:28:21Z")
That’s the correct way to do it - raising the rice bowl to your mouth and shovelling. You need to suck it in a bit (noisily, of course). Same with noodles. To avoid embarrassment, be sure to hold the chopsticks near the top, not halfway down. That’s how little children and ignorant barbarians hold them. In theory, when eating from communal dishes, chopsticks should never actually touch people’s mouths - to avoid spreading disease. In practice, this is difficult, and the bulk of people in Hong Kong carry hepatitis A. The 100-year old eggs are a good example of the most awkward category of food to eat with chopsticks - the “slime” category. Mushrooms, sea cucumber, steamed tofu and a gelatinous substance found in cows are other examples. Rather than try to grip it with the chopsticks, you need to balance the food _on_ them. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/44 "2001-11-02T01:35:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*I talked to my friend, Ariel, at work today. He’s from a town near Baguio, > \*\* \ \*\* > > And _definitely_ no raw balut. \*\* Baguio is situated in the middle of the island of Luzon. It is approx. 140km north of Manila. I saw raw balut being eaten on the island of Mindanao, some 600-odd km south of Manila. There are lots of islands in between, and lots of variation between these islands (in terms of customs, etc…) While I am not trying to say that your friend is lying, he may not intimately know the diet of Filipinos across the whole country. I repeat, I **saw** this occurring. I am not in the habit of stating stories that I’ve heard, and passing them off as my own. If \*\*I \*\*did it, I will say **I.** If someone else told me a story, I will state that, unless it is completely obvious. [sub] you can now all return to the actual OP[/sub] hehehe 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/45 "2001-11-02T01:51:27Z")
Oh I believe you, **Goo**. I’ve heard of the practice from too many Philipinos. The Philipines have _many_ very diverse cultures. Hell, people in the southern US will eat a big ole rat (Nutria, I think). And worse. 😛 Brains, even. 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 2, 2001, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/46 "2001-11-02T02:05:12Z")
No worries, **Mangeorge.** If you ever make it out to the land of Oz, I’ll cook you up a nice big steak [sub]and just when you are ready to take a big bite, I’ll remind you of the raw balut[/sub] hehehe 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/47 "2001-11-02T06:49:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Colibri \* > \*\*I’ve been scolded by friends for using chopsticks in a Thai restaurant, so I’m glad to hear **sailor’s** observation that Thais themselves use them for at least some dishes. Chopsticks just seem better suited to Thai food. > > Odd that the food they do eat with chopsticks is noodles! Maybe I should try eating spaghetti that way . . . \*\* Well… yeah! Since “spaghetti” came from China to begin with. Spaghetti - like other noodles - is well-handled with chopsticks. In Thailand, as sailor said, they eat most foods with a spoon - (the kind we Americans use to stir cake batter). ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/48 "2001-11-02T11:00:42Z")
In Malaysia there are three cultures cheek by jowl: Malay, Chinese, Indian. Go into any food court in Kuala Lumpur and see all three at once. Chinese food is chopsticked while Malay and Indian food are eaten with the fingers. I never really explored the joys of “real” Chinese food, but saw lots of, say, dried whole duck hanging in the groceries. Incidentally, I became vegetarian while over there. Give me Buddha Delight any day. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/49 "2001-11-02T11:13:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Colibri \* > **Odd that the food they do eat with chopsticks is noodles! Maybe I should try eating spaghetti that way . . .** Pointless anecdote: Among the group of friends I hung out with in college was a Chinese-American girl named Grace. Once as we were sitting at lunch, talking about something or other that seemed very profound at the time, Grace mentioned that her parents thought the two-handed, knife-and-fork method of eating looked clumsy and inefficient, and so they almost always ate with chopsticks at home. Someone immediately asked about spaghetti. “Sure you can eat spaghetti with chopsticks,” Grace insisted, “no problem.” A bet was quickly made. The next day Grace (who commuted from home) brought spaghetti and a pair of chopsticks to school, sat cross-legged on the floor, and ate without spilling a noodle. From that day on Grace would pull out the chopsticks at the oddest moments… ever see someone using 'sticks to dip their fries in ketchup? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/50 "2001-11-02T11:17:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Greg Charles \* > \*\* > I’ve never mustered the courage to eat balut either (It’s called hot vit lon in Viet Nam, assuming it’s made from duck eggs, which it usually is.) The Vietnamese don’t eat it with ginger though, they use rau ram, a kind of leafy spice instead. \*\* The Vietnamese I know use ginger. Well, my girlfriend does. I’m not sure about the rau ram though, you may be right. I’ve been to Vietnam, but have only ever eaten this stuff in Australia. Another difference I’ve noticed is that the Vietnamese will eat the duck egg with a spoon, but the Philippinos will only use the spoon to crack the egg open, then they tilt their heads back, and “drink” the baby duck out of the egg. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/51 "2001-11-02T12:45:50Z")
I think noodles are more suited to be handled with chopsticks than spaghetti because spaghetti are more rigid and slippery whereas noodles are more limp and handled easier. ---
**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 2, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/52 "2001-11-02T14:59:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\*the Philippinos will only use the spoon to crack the egg open, then they tilt their heads back, and “drink” the baby duck out of the egg. :eek: \*\* Unless they were eating the raw kind, that “balut shot” is just the initial ‘soup’. The idea is to carefully crack the egg open at the big end, tear away the membrane, sprinkle in some salt, and take a shot. Then peel away a section of the shell, sprinkle some more salt, and eat some of the balut; peel away the next section, sprinkle salt, and eat; and so on until the entire tasty delicacy has been consumed. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/53 "2001-11-02T23:24:41Z")
Well I did it now. I mentioned this thread to Ariel, and so he’s going to bring balut to work so I can try it. Me and my big mouth. 😃 No turning back now, I’m afraid. If I survive, I shall share my experience with all. Peace (RIP?) mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/54 "2001-11-02T23:35:24Z")
By the way, **Terminus Est** , I sure hope your username isn’t some kind of an omen. :eek: Anom. ---
**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 3, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317/55 "2001-11-03T00:39:59Z")
😃 Hey, I’m still alive, ain’t I? Trust me, you’ll love it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-extent-of-chopstick-using-cultures/90317.md?page=2)