I am Cantonese and can use chopsticks very efficiently.

I often have the bowl in my left hand, but since I don't usually eat in a hurry, I don't lift it up to my mouth and push the rice with the chopsticks, <b>except</b> for the last few pieces. I also do not bend down to the bowl.

The action of pushing rice into the mouth is called &quot;Pa Farn&quot; in Cantonese. (&quot;Farn&quot; = cooked rice). In Hong Kong, I often hear parents tell their young ones, &quot;Fai Dee Pa Farn&quot; (= Hurry up and push your rice).

Pizza is still eaten with a knife and fork in many countries in Europe.

rkkwan, I'm glad you said that. I'd have never thought to ask on a forum, but I'm lousy with chopsticks and with my hands as they are, unlikely to get better at it. We're heading to Hong Kong in the fall, and I'm so glad to know it's ok to &quot;push the rice&quot;. I think I can manage that!

schuler, I still eat pizza that way despite that now I live in the US.

Kis: Old habits die hard. Get any strange looks doing it?

In the early 80's, my new boyfriend took me to Locarno where we had a pizza. I embarrassed the life out of him when I cut pizza slices and ate them by hand. He married me anyway even though I never changed my way of eating pizza.

Not only do I sometimes eat pizza with a knife and fork (depends on how hot and messy it is), I live in the US south and eat spare ribs that way too, locals can't believe it...

yes Schuler, old habits are very hard to break..

thursdaysd, it is the same with me..My DH just shakes his head, but of course, he knows that I will never change, we have been married a long time..and have 3 Lovely grandchildren.

Clifton - Only do it when it's really necessary. Like I said, you can hold the bowl in your left hand, perhaps a few inches off the table. That way, the &quot;distance&quot; your food - not just rice - have to travel is diminished.

You can even do that when getting the food from the communal dishes to your own bowl. Put your bowl (even if it still has rice or other stuff) in your left hand and bring it close to the communal dish. That way, the piece of chicken only has to travel inches in your chopsticks to your bowl - not over the fish, vegetables, pork and your tea.

But the part about pushing rice is only if you're using a bowl. I would <b>never</b> lift a dish of rice to my mouth. No way.

I have clients (very prim and proper) who take me to lunch fairly often. I usually order a salad instead of a sandwich as I like to pick it up a sandwich to eat it.
They both often get club sandwiches and eat them with knife and fork. I don't think they've ever picked up any food with their bare hands.

I thought for laughs I should invite them over some night for spareribs and corn on the cob.

I initiated one of my best friends to chicken wings, spare ribs, fried shrimp and numerous other finger foods which we only eat when we're alone (his wife would freak out), yet he absolutely cannot stand to eat mussels in the shell.

Clifton,
There are little helpers to using chopsticks to make them easier.

Fold a paper napkin until it's like a little square and secure it with a rubber band unto the two sticks in the center. My DH has never gotten the hang of chopsticks either and this makes it much easier, until you get it.

Actually, chopsticks are very easy to use if you use my method. I just recruited my mom to demonstrate.

First and foremost, you need to secure the bottom stick. It is held fairly tight at two points - one is all the way down between your thumb and index finger. Second point is the last bone on your ring finger. Apply some pressure on your thumb AWAY from you, and some pressure on the ring finger TOWARDS you.

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p997958797/?photo=388056475

This bottom stick needs to have minimal movement. <b>That is the key.</b> If you have problem securing this stick, then forget the rest. Use a fork.

Okay, now that the bottom stick is secured, just hold the top one like you'd hold a pen, with your thumb, index and middle fingers. If you can use a pen to write, you can do it:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p997958797/?photo=329853170

So, the top stick can have huge movement. My mom just showed how wide they can get. But check out the bottom stick in the same picture. It has not moved at all. Because it shouldn't.

Now, to pick something up, just move the top stick:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p997958797/?photo=25852785

While her middle finger now touches the bottom stick in this picture, it's irrelevant. There's no holding or controlling of the bottom stick with the middle finger at all.

Again, look at the bottom stick. It's remained firmly in the same position in all three pictures. Secured, doesn't move at all.

Either you get the hang of chopsticks, or you don't.

Note that the higher you hold your chopsticks, the more sophisticated you supposedly are.

But there's THREE chopsticks in the pictures, rkkwan.

How many fingers do you have?

What are you talking about maupassant? If you're trying to be funny, it isn't working because both pictures have FOUR not THREE chopsticks in them. Look again. In addition to the pair the hands are holding there is another PAIR on the table below it.

I have to admit, I love eating &quot;continental style&quot;. As a lefty, I am well practiced with the fork in my left hand - and it's one of those rare times the entire table is eating the way I do!

Oh, and I too almost always eat pizza with fork and knife, at least until there's only about an inch left of pizza attached to the crust and it can be picked up neatly. And I live in what could be called the pizza capital of the world: New York City, where it's basically a travesty not to &quot;fold and eat&quot; your slice! (US born and bred, but there must be some bit of my European ancestry left in my fingertips LOL.)

rkkwan, thank you so much for the chopsticks demonstration! I have sent this thread to my friends: They were all struggling this past Friday at a sushi birthday dinner for another friend, and my demonstration was completely ineffective since I hold the chopsticks in my left hand!

maupassant - I saw 4 chopsticks in each of those pictures. Not 3.

Now, wait till you guys figure out what those chopsticks are made of...

Thanks rkkwan!!! I've been holding the bottom chopstick steady with my middle finger, NOT the ring finger....

rkwan...that is the Best How To Eat with Chopsticks instruction that I have ever read..(<i>actually it might be the only but that is not important</i> ) ..I just wanted to say that I am so impressed with not only your clear easy instructions but the photos with Moms hand to make it that much more clear LOL
It was Just great
<i>Please tell mom she made a very good hand/chopstick model ~</i>