In article >,
yourfriend > wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:18:24 -0800, Dan Abel > wrote:
>
> {snip}
> >I was hoping for some feedback here. {snip}
>
> I'll try.

> Just for reference Mom is from southern Honshu and grew up during WW2 and the
> MacArthur Shoganate.
>
> your friend

Thanks, friend!

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:01:09 GMT, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

(snip}
>I'm right-handed myself but didn't I read that it is good manners to
>always use the right hand for chopsticks in China, whatever your
>handedness?

Certainly is/was in Japan. My mom used to get her hand smacked hard by her mom.

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:18:22 -0800, "Dimitri" > wrote:

{snip}
>I hope I can describe the simple technique.
>
>Take the wrapper and about 1" in fold at an angle so the long flap comes
>down at a 90 degree angle, where the almost like the first fold of a paper
>airplane. Take the tail and do it again and you'll have a pyramid at the top
>of the paper. A third fold and then a fourth fold in the same manner will
>leave a perfect square, tuck the long end under the first fold and you're
>done.
>
>Adding machine tape (paper) makes perfect practice paper.
>
>Dimitri

ooooh, that's too much work! Fold into 3rds with ends tucked under, then crease
stiffly lengthwise to form an inverted V shape. Oh Ko! a hashi rest. I wondered
if someone was going to mention the folded paper thing. Thanks.

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:33:37 -0800, yourfriend
> shouted from the highest rooftop:

>On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:18:22 -0800, "Dimitri" > wrote:
>
>{snip}
>>I hope I can describe the simple technique.
>>
>>Take the wrapper and about 1" in fold at an angle so the long flap comes
>>down at a 90 degree angle, where the almost like the first fold of a paper
>>airplane. Take the tail and do it again and you'll have a pyramid at the top
>>of the paper. A third fold and then a fourth fold in the same manner will
>>leave a perfect square, tuck the long end under the first fold and you're
>>done.
>>
>>Adding machine tape (paper) makes perfect practice paper.
>>
>>Dimitri
>
>ooooh, that's too much work! Fold into 3rds with ends tucked under, then crease
>stiffly lengthwise to form an inverted V shape. Oh Ko! a hashi rest. I wondered
>if someone was going to mention the folded paper thing. Thanks.

As I'm planning to have sushi tomorrow, I'll try it out. Thanks to all
of you (although James won't see my thanks as he's in a bit of a
snit).


--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

Omelet wrote on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:59:44 -0600:

> > >> LOL that's very good. Do sometimes try the chopsticks
> > >> with the other hand, with limited success. It is supposed
> > >> to be good for the brain to do such things with the
> > >> nondominant hand...
> >>
> >> Last time (back in college) I tried to force myself to
> >> write with my left hand, I was suddenly unable to talk for
> >> a good 5 minutes.
> >>
> >> It was weird, and a bit frightening!
> >>
> >> And I'm not making that up.
> >> --
> >> Peace! Om
> >>
>> No...it's very likely. The brain handles things with certain
>> priorities; an 'overload', no matter how minor, can result in
>> that sort of thing. Has happened while travelling abroad: couldn't
>> remember what language to use and ended up being completely
>> speechless until the proper circuits rebooted LOL.
>>
>> It is good practice at any rate.

> It's interesting stuff. The reason I had tried it was because
> I was in my human Anatomy and Physiology class and the prof'
> had just finished a lecture on brain wiring.

I'm not quite ambidextrous and don't write well with my left hand.
Fortunately, I do very little handwriting and mostly type. I have been
able to write left-handed, after a little practice, when I hurt my right
hand. A major problem was my signature on checks but that's nearly
illegible and the bank didn't seem to care.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

LOU wrote on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:39:03 -0500:

> I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use
> them...great for stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese ,
> Japanese, Thai, etc. without using chopsticks???

> http://community.webtv.net/LOUHALL/SERENDIPITYCATERING

It's not quite on topic but the group ba.food mentions that the San
Francisco Chronicle has a review of Bay Area dim sum that has the
following sentence "Try not to cross your chopsticks when picking up
food (think of a clamp instead of scissors)". I don't feel strongly
since I'm not sure which is which but it's contrary to some advice that
has been posted here. By the way, the review is

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...FDGJ15D5ID.DTL
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Kate Connally wrote:
> George wrote:
>> Kate Connally wrote:
>>> James wrote:
>>>> On Jan 25, 10:55 am, blake murphy > wrote:
>>>>> On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:12:29 GMT, notbob wrote:
>>>>>> I'm sitting here watching an old episode of Law & Order. Both
>>>>>> Waterston and
>>>>>> Hennessy are eating Chinese out of take-out boxes with disposable
>>>>>> chopsticks. Regulars know what I think about all the networks
>>>>>> standard
>>>>>> representation of NY'ers always eating Chinese in this manner. If
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> don't, I say it's all total crap.
>>>>> they eat chinese take-out with chopsticks because they are liberal
>>>>> pussies. don't you know anything?
>>>>>
>>>>> blake
>>>>
>>>> Probably easier to use the chopsticks than to use the cheap plastic
>>>> forks. Many cheap forks I've seen are TOO SHORT and bends like wet
>>>> noodle.
>>>>
>>>> The whole idea of eating out of the box is you don't have to wash
>>>> dishes.
>>>
>>> Yeah, but, I like to have my Orange Beef (or whatever) on
>>> top of the rice and eat them together. (I know that's not
>>> the correct way to do it if you want to be authentically
>>> Chinese about it.) So I would never eat it out of the box
>>> because then you have to eat the meat/veggie stuff in one
>>> bite and then take a bite of rice. And also, all the sauce
>>> sinks to the bottom of the carton and I like the sauce to
>>> soak into my rice and flavor it. So if I don't want to wash
>>> dishes I just use a paper plate and put the rice on it and
>>> then top with the meat/veggies stuff. Of course, doing this
>>> makes it harder to eat with chopsticks because the sauce
>>> makes the rice difficult to pick up since it no longer sticks
>>> together. It's worth it though. I just don't understand what
>>> the Chinese do with all the extra sauce that's left on the
>>> plate. Do they scoop it up with a spoon when they're done
>>> eating the solid bits? Or do they just discard it? I don't
>>> like to waste any of it because it's so flavorful. Even if
>>> there's nothing but sauce left I will save it and put it on
>>> some rice for a nice meal.
>>>
>>> Kate
>>>
>>>
>> There typically isn't such a surplus of sauce in typical Chinese
>> cooking. Many Americans seem to like to have things swimming in sauce
>> so they prepare it that way for them. Some will even add half a bottle
>> of soy sauce when they get the dish to make sure.
>
> Well, I don't know if adding extra soy sauce is meant to make
> sure there is plenty of sauce. In any case, I never saw the
> need to add soy sauce to any Chinese dish I've ever had. The
> seasoning added when it is cooked is always fine as is. It
> drives me nuts when I order Chinese take out and get about 5-6
> little packets of soy sauce, which I don't want. And no one I
> know actually adds additional soy sauce to their food. It is
> such a waste. I'm tempted to save all the packets and empty them
> into an empty bottle. Then I would never have to my soy sauce
> again. But I end up throwing them away and it bugs me to do that.
> I don't really want them as I hardly ever used soy sauce and when
> I do it's the low sodium version.
>
> Kate
>
Likely they do that because people always ask. Actually it is an insult
to the cook because you are indicating they did not prepare the dish
properly when you dump soy sauce on a dish that is likely right on
target. The mom & pop place in my town doesn't include them with take
out unless you specifically ask.

James Silverton wrote:
> George wrote on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:56:43 -0500:
>
>> James Silverton wrote:
>>> Chemiker wrote on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:19:37 -0600:
>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:12:29 GMT, notbob > wrote:
>>>
>>>>> We use chopsticks a lot here at home and they also get
>>>>> included with carry-out Chinese or Japanese from many
>>>>> places in the area . I live 25 miles from NYC. Sometimes
>>>>> the Chinese places do not include chopsticks, but the
>>>>> Japanese always do. In fact, if one gets sushi at a market or
>>>>> grocery store, chopsticks are put into the bag.
>>>
>>>> I think you went straight for the jugular, Man. How do you
>>>> eat sushi/sashimi with a fork/spoon? Stix work wonderfully. After
>>>> all, Form follows Function.
>>>
>>> I'm a chop stick enthusiast but I have to admit that you
>>> could eat sushi or sashimi with a fork and spoon perfectly
>>> well but chopsticks add to the ambience.
>>>
>> In Japan there is nothing wrong or unusual with using your
>> fingers to eat sushi and it is a common way people do it.
>
> But finger bowls may be provided for cleaning fingers. The original
> method for sushi stalls in the market place was to rinse your fingers in
> the last of your tea and wipe them on the stall curtain. Hence the stall
> with the best sushi had the dirtiest curtains!
>

Usually they bring a hot towel to clean your hands. From observation the
only time people use hashi to eat sushi is say for the bento box they
picked up at the train station etc.

On Jan 27, 12:39*pm, (LOU NEWNAN CHAPMAN) wrote:
> I love chopsticks...what an invention. *I always use them...great for
> stir-fry. *How can you eat Chinese , Japanese, Thai, etc. without using
> chopsticks???

With a fork, of course. Employ your imagination for a moment.

Thais don't use chopsticks, IIRC.

I use whatever tool is provided. Most often it's a fork in Chinese
restaurants
and hashi in Japanese restaurants, here in the whitebread Midwest.

Cindy Hamilton

On Jan 27, 5:18*pm, "Dimitri" > wrote:
> "bob" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:06:41 GMT, "James Silverton"
> > > shouted from the highest rooftop:
>
> >> bob *wrote *on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:44:19 +1300:
>
> >>>> I have more "formal" rests I use at the table at home ... a
> >>>>> few antique porcelain rests I found in a antique shop and
> >>>>> some wood rests that came with some Japanese chopstick sets
> >>>>> I bought last time we visited my Hawaiian ohana.
>
> >>>> Those are pretty cute. They look like little dumbbells. I'm
> >>>> sure they'd be too classy for the folks out here, at least,
> >>>> I've never seen one of those actually being used.
>
> >>> Our coastal lifestyle is fairly casual, but my wife - who's
> >>> English - likes me to use a rest when we have guests. Because
> >>> ... unless it's terribly formal affair, I still like to use
> >>> chopsticks for eating salad and the rests make the chopsticks
> >>> look less obvious. Otherwise, I rarely use them, and when I do
> >>> I favour the curved antique porcelain rests or the elegant
> >>> little hardwood rests shaped in a curve supported by two short
> >>> legs like an old Japanese stool.
>
> >>It does not apply to chopsticks at home unless you have picked them up
> >>for take out but the paper wrapping can easily be folded to make a
> >>chopstick rest in a *very* simple piece of origami.
>
> > Hummm ... never thought of that one. Thanks. It will come in handy
> > next time I eat sushi at a place that has little tables and a counter.
> > I've often wanted to put my chopsticks down but not on the table
> > surface.
>
> > --
>
> > una cerveza mas por favor ...
>
> I hope I can describe the simple technique.
>
> Take the wrapper and about 1" in fold at an angle so the long flap comes
> down at a 90 degree angle, where the almost like the first fold of a paper
> airplane. Take the tail and do it again and you'll have a pyramid at the top
> of the paper. A third fold and then a fourth fold in the same manner will
> leave a perfect square, tuck the long end under the first fold and you're
> done.
>
> Adding machine tape (paper) makes perfect practice paper.

It's not as elegant, but I do this:

Fold in thirds the easy way.

Fold in half the hard way.

Set it down on the table with the latter fold uppermost.

The result is an elongated inverted-V-shaped rest for
your chopsticks.

Cindy Hamilton

sf wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:39:18 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> sf wrote:
>>> On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:34:39 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>>>
>>>> That's interesting, because I have long wondered about the ink.
>>> Old fashioned newspaper ink made the news papers good for mulch
>>> because of the zink in the ink. Humans need zink too.
>>>
>>>
>> Uh, I'll pass on that source, if it is one.
>
> Suit/Suite yourself - or Google "do humans need zinc" or a variation
> of that phrase.
>
>
Well, I am currently using Zicam. I think printer's ink comes
with other things in it besides zinc, and I doubt that at least
some of those things are good for human (and animal) consumption.

--
Jean B.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:42:24 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>Well, I am currently using Zicam. I think printer's ink comes
>with other things in it besides zinc, and I doubt that at least
>some of those things are good for human (and animal) consumption.

Most newspapers use "smudgeless" ink these days.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

Omelet wrote:
>
> In article >,
> "Jean B." > wrote:
>
> > Omelet wrote:
> > > Last time (back in college) I tried to force myself to write with my
> > > left hand, I was suddenly unable to talk for a good 5 minutes.
> > >
> > > It was weird, and a bit frightening!
> > >
> > > And I'm not making that up.
> >
> > That's very interesting! It must say something about humans'
> > neurological makeup!
>
> It does indeed. :-) Ari has experienced it too.
> --
> Peace! Om

Using the nondominant hand can lead to all sorts of interesting
temporary brain 'short circuits'. Found that out also when learning to
play the violin and Japanese drumming. It gets sorted out with practise.

Arri wrote on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:30:33 -0700:


> Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>
>> On Jan 27, 12:39 pm, (LOU NEWNAN CHAPMAN) wrote:
> >> I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use
> >> them...great for stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese ,
> >> Japanese, Thai, etc. without using chopsticks???
>>
>> With a fork, of course. Employ your imagination for a
>> moment.
>>
>> Thais don't use chopsticks, IIRC.

> Generally just for noodle dishes served in bowls. Not with
> rice; fork and spoon.

>> I use whatever tool is provided. Most often it's a fork in
>> Chinese restaurants and hashi in Japanese restaurants, here
>> in the whitebread Midwest.
>>
>> Cindy Hamilton

This is actually a response to Cindy but the difference between the
larger Chinese chopsticks (whose name I don't know) and Japanese ones
(hashi) might be useful if restaurants of either sort around here did
not provide the same small paper-wrapped ones. Of course, I don't know
what Vietnamese, Koreans and Thais actually call chopsticks either.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> On Jan 27, 12:39 pm, (LOU NEWNAN CHAPMAN) wrote:
> > I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use them...great for
> > stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese , Japanese, Thai, etc. without using
> > chopsticks???
>
> With a fork, of course. Employ your imagination for a moment.
>
> Thais don't use chopsticks, IIRC.

Generally just for noodle dishes served in bowls. Not with rice; fork
and spoon.


>
> I use whatever tool is provided. Most often it's a fork in Chinese
> restaurants
> and hashi in Japanese restaurants, here in the whitebread Midwest.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

sf wrote:
>
> On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:42:24 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
> >Well, I am currently using Zicam. I think printer's ink comes
> >with other things in it besides zinc, and I doubt that at least
> >some of those things are good for human (and animal) consumption.
>
> Most newspapers use "smudgeless" ink these days.
>
> --
>


And it is often soy-based ink as well.

In article > ,
dsi1 > wrote:

> Omelet wrote:
>
> >>>
> >> No...it's very likely. The brain handles things with certain priorities;
> >> an 'overload', no matter how minor, can result in that sort of thing.
> >> Has happened while travelling abroad: couldn't remember what language to
> >> use and ended up being completely speechless until the proper circuits
> >> rebooted LOL.
> >>
> >> It is good practise at any rate.
> >
> > It's interesting stuff. The reason I had tried it was because I was in
> > my human Anatomy and Physiology class and the prof' had just finished a
> > lecture on brain wiring.
>
> My understanding is that males of our species frequently zone out every
> few minutes. My guess is has to do with the brain doing some cerebral
> housekeeping. :-)

<lol> They are most likely zoning out 'cause the brain went "elsewhere"?

>
> Females don't seem to do this at all. Being speechless seems to be a
> "reboot" of a different sort. It is interesting stuff.
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> I'm not quite ambidextrous and don't write well with my left hand.
> Fortunately, I do very little handwriting and mostly type. I have been
> able to write left-handed, after a little practice, when I hurt my right
> hand. A major problem was my signature on checks but that's nearly
> illegible and the bank didn't seem to care.
> --
>
> James Silverton

I've noted banks rarely do.
That bothers me actually. <g>
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous

notbob wrote:
> I'm sitting here watching an old episode of Law & Order. Both Waterston and
> Hennessy are eating Chinese out of take-out boxes with disposable
> chopsticks. Regulars know what I think about all the networks standard
> representation of NY'ers always eating Chinese in this manner. If you
> don't, I say it's all total crap.
>
> We've flogged this subject ad nauseum, but have we been honest about it.
> Yeah, we all use chopsticks in a restaurant cuz we wanna SHOW RESPECT for
> the CULTURE (eye-roll). BUT!!... what about take-out? I've been eating
> Chinese take-out all my life and have NEVER found those disposable
> chopsticks in the bag. Does that mean I should have them at home all the
> time?
>
> I may occasionally use chopsticks at home, but I'm weird. I know of NO 0NE
> else who does so. Maybe me and mine are declasse, but I doubt it. Do YOU
> really have your own chopsticks at home for yourself and guests and family
> when Asian food is on the menu? C'mon, be honest. (CC! ... a poll!)
>
> nb
>
>
Yes, we have chopsticks at home, both disposables that we buy by the bag
of several dozen pairs per bag, as well as reusables. As for whether
anyone else in our circle uses them, I honestly don't know since it
never occurred to me to ask.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:08:20 GMT, James Silverton wrote:

> LOU wrote on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:39:03 -0500:
>
>> I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use
>> them...great for stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese ,
>> Japanese, Thai, etc. without using chopsticks???
>
>> http://community.webtv.net/LOUHALL/SERENDIPITYCATERING
>
> It's not quite on topic but the group ba.food mentions that the San
> Francisco Chronicle has a review of Bay Area dim sum that has the
> following sentence "Try not to cross your chopsticks when picking up
> food (think of a clamp instead of scissors)". I don't feel strongly
> since I'm not sure which is which but it's contrary to some advice that
> has been posted here. By the way, the review is
>
> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...FDGJ15D5ID.DTL

i'm still having difficulty imagining how a scissoring technique would be
useful picking up anything.

your pal,
blake

Cindy wrote on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:08:00 -0800 (PST):

> On Jan 27, 12:39 pm, (LOU NEWNAN CHAPMAN) wrote:
>> I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use
>> them...great for stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese ,
>> Japanese, Thai, etc. without using chopsticks???

> With a fork, of course. Employ your imagination for a moment.

> Thais don't use chopsticks, IIRC.

> I use whatever tool is provided. Most often it's a fork in
> Chinese restaurants
> and hashi in Japanese restaurants, here in the whitebread
> Midwest.

This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to read
up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi".
It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages on "ohashi"
which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I have been told
otherwise but anyway!

According to Lowry, cheap disposable chopsticks are in accord with the
original outdoor nature of sushi but Japanese actually use the lacquered
ones at home (apart from teenagers, who are pretty inexpert according to
older Japanese.)

In Japanese custom, you are supposed to keep both hands visible when
eating so that you cannot be suspected of bringing out a dagger with the
left hand (in accord with Japan's rather violent samurai history.) There
are also pages on chopstick customs and the various shapes and names
that may be encountered.

Note that cheap bamboo chopsticks are sometimes washed and reused by
impecunious students but this is unhygienic, according to Lowry Another
thing you should not do is to leave your chopsticks sticking upright in
your rice bowl since that is something that used to be done at Japanese
funerals..

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

flitterbit wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>> I'm sitting here watching an old episode of Law & Order. Both
>> Waterston and
>> Hennessy are eating Chinese out of take-out boxes with disposable
>> chopsticks. Regulars know what I think about all the networks standard
>> representation of NY'ers always eating Chinese in this manner. If you
>> don't, I say it's all total crap.
>>
>> We've flogged this subject ad nauseum, but have we been honest about it.
>> Yeah, we all use chopsticks in a restaurant cuz we wanna SHOW RESPECT for
>> the CULTURE (eye-roll). BUT!!... what about take-out? I've been eating
>> Chinese take-out all my life and have NEVER found those disposable
>> chopsticks in the bag. Does that mean I should have them at home all the
>> time?
>> I may occasionally use chopsticks at home, but I'm weird. I know of
>> NO 0NE
>> else who does so. Maybe me and mine are declasse, but I doubt it. Do
>> YOU
>> really have your own chopsticks at home for yourself and guests and
>> family
>> when Asian food is on the menu? C'mon, be honest. (CC! ... a poll!)
>>
>> nb
> >
> >
> Yes, we have chopsticks at home, both disposables that we buy by the bag
> of several dozen pairs per bag, as well as reusables. As for whether
> anyone else in our circle uses them, I honestly don't know since it
> never occurred to me to ask.
I've been sitting here for nearly an hour, reading these inane posts,
and have learned not a stinking thing about cooking food! Please! Look
at the name of the ng!

--
unclemilty
aka Dad; aka Papaw; aka Whiskers; akaSquint; aka Leprechaun

Never is freedom of speech more precious
than when a man hits his thumb with a hammer.

Check out my website at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~unclemilty

Milton wrote on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:25:21 -0600:

> flitterbit wrote:
>> notbob wrote:
>>> I'm sitting here watching an old episode of Law & Order. Both
>>> Waterston and Hennessy are eating Chinese out of
>>> take-out boxes with disposable chopsticks. Regulars know
>>> what I think about all the networks standard representation of
>>> NY'ers always eating Chinese in this manner. If
>>> you don't, I say it's all total crap.
>>>
>>> We've flogged this subject ad nauseum, but have we been
>>> honest about it. Yeah, we all use chopsticks in a restaurant
>>> cuz we wanna SHOW RESPECT for the CULTURE (eye-roll). BUT!!... what
>>> about take-out? I've been eating Chinese
>>> take-out all my life and have NEVER found those
>>> disposable chopsticks in the bag. Does that mean I should
>>> have them at home all the time? I may occasionally use
>>> chopsticks at home, but I'm weird. I know of NO 0NE else
>>> who does so. Maybe me and mine are declasse, but I doubt
>>> it. Do YOU really have your own chopsticks at home for
>>> yourself and guests and family when Asian food is on the
>>> menu? C'mon, be honest. (CC! ... a poll!)
>>>
>>> nb
> >>
>> Yes, we have chopsticks at home, both disposables that we buy
>> by the bag of several dozen pairs per bag, as well as
>> reusables. As for whether anyone else in our circle uses
>> them, I honestly don't know since it never occurred to me to ask.
> I've been sitting here for nearly an hour, reading these inane
> posts, and have learned not a stinking thing about cooking
> food! Please! Look at the name of the ng!

Is this your first visit? Chopsticks are much more on topic than many of
the threads over the last few years!


--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Milton Lewis wrote:
> I've been sitting here for nearly an hour, reading these inane posts,
> and have learned not a stinking thing about cooking food! Please! Look
> at the name of the ng!
>
Feel free to post something that is food-related.

--
Jean B.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:08:41 GMT, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

>This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to read
>up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi".
>It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages on "ohashi"
>which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I have been told
>otherwise but anyway!
>
James, in my limited knowledge of Nihongo prefixing the (particle?)'o' to a word
makes it "more polite". I believe the stricter Romanji rendering would be
'o-hashi'. An example: 'chin chin' means penis but it is politely spoken as 'o
chin chin'. could be wrong.

George wrote:

> Actually it is an insult to the cook because you are indicating they
> did not prepare the dish properly when you dump soy sauce on a dish
> that is likely right on target. The mom & pop place in my town
> doesn't include them with take out unless you specifically ask.

George, I know how these cooks feel. Imagine cooking a nice, tender
pork loin, sliced thin and glazed with a delicious sauce of cranberries
& apples, then your husband pours ketchup on his plate and dunks the
pork in it.

Everything is fine though, I have remained silent. If you ever hear
that I have climbed a clock tower and I am shooting people, you will
know what drove me over the edge.

Becca

"yourfriend" wrote
> "James Silverton" wrote:

>>It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages on "ohashi"
>>which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I have been told
>>otherwise but anyway!
>>
> James, in my limited knowledge of Nihongo prefixing the (particle?)'o' to
> a word
> makes it "more polite". I believe the stricter Romanji rendering would be
> 'o-hashi'. An example: 'chin chin' means penis but it is politely spoken
> as 'o
> chin chin'. could be wrong.

You are correct in how the 'o' is applied. Not sure if it would be applied
to a body part but I never learned all that much japanese when there (out at
sea too much and when I'd come back, the gains would be gone due to lack of
use).

James, Ohashi (or o-hashi) is a type of honorific that doesnt exist in
english. It seemed to be applied to inanimate things only as far as I knew.
You wouldnt say 'o-hashi' for disposable paper wrapped chopsticks you pull
apart then toss when done, but you might over a set inlaid with stone or
abalone shell.

I think the closest you can get in feeling for how it's used is 'the great'
(but again, on inanimate objects).

Some constipated newbie wrote:

> I've been sitting here for nearly an hour, reading these inane posts, and
> have learned not a stinking thing about cooking food! Please! Look at
> the name of the ng!

I already know a great deal about cooking. I can read this newsgroup for
MONTHS and not learn anything about cooking food. I'd venture to say that
I'm not the only one with that measure of expertise.

So what are you going to do with your NEXT hour?

Bob

"yourfriend" > wrote in message

> On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:08:41 GMT, "James Silverton"
> > wrote:
>
>> This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to
>> read up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to
>> Sushi". It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages
>> on "ohashi" which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I
>> have been told otherwise but anyway!
>>
> James, in my limited knowledge of Nihongo prefixing the
> (particle?)'o' to a word makes it "more polite". I believe the
> stricter Romanji rendering would be 'o-hashi'. An example: 'chin
> chin' means penis but it is politely spoken as 'o chin chin'. could
> be wrong.

That's my impression too tho' an honest assessment would be that I speak
*no* Japanese. I thought "o" as a prefix indicated affection or respect.
That means, AFAIK, both hashi and o-hashi should exist, slightly
contradicting Lowry.

--
James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

James Silverton wrote:

> According to Lowry, cheap disposable chopsticks are in accord with the
> original outdoor nature of sushi but Japanese actually use the lacquered
> ones at home (apart from teenagers, who are pretty inexpert according to
> older Japanese.)

Using disposable chopsticks at home would be like using plastic forks at
home. I never did like those lacquered ones we had growing up - the
round sticks were harder to control and felt too skinny. I like the
easier to handle square disposable ones and the long plastic Chinese
chopsticks with one end square and the other round. Mostly, at home, I
use a fork - guess I'm a barbarian. :-)

Becca wrote:
> George wrote:
>
>> Actually it is an insult to the cook because you are indicating they
>> did not prepare the dish properly when you dump soy sauce on a dish
>> that is likely right on target. The mom & pop place in my town
>> doesn't include them with take out unless you specifically ask.
>
> George, I know how these cooks feel. Imagine cooking a nice, tender
> pork loin, sliced thin and glazed with a delicious sauce of cranberries
> & apples, then your husband pours ketchup on his plate and dunks the
> pork in it.
>
> Everything is fine though, I have remained silent. If you ever hear
> that I have climbed a clock tower and I am shooting people, you will
> know what drove me over the edge.
>
> Becca

Egad. That's awful, Becca. I gather he uses a lot of ketchup
pretty indiscriminately then?

--
Jean B.

yourfriend wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:08:41 GMT, "James Silverton"
> > wrote:
>
>> This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to read
>> up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi".
>> It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages on "ohashi"
>> which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I have been told
>> otherwise but anyway!
>>
> James, in my limited knowledge of Nihongo prefixing the (particle?)'o' to a word
> makes it "more polite". I believe the stricter Romanji rendering would be
> 'o-hashi'. An example: 'chin chin' means penis but it is politely spoken as 'o
> chin chin'. could be wrong.

Yes, "O" is honorific in that context.

James Silverton wrote:
> "yourfriend" > wrote in message
>
>> On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:08:41 GMT, "James Silverton"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to
>>> read up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to
>>> Sushi". It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages
>>> on "ohashi" which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I
>>> have been told otherwise but anyway!
>>>
>> James, in my limited knowledge of Nihongo prefixing the
>> (particle?)'o' to a word makes it "more polite". I believe the
>> stricter Romanji rendering would be 'o-hashi'. An example: 'chin
>> chin' means penis but it is politely spoken as 'o chin chin'. could
>> be wrong.
>
> That's my impression too tho' an honest assessment would be that I speak
> *no* Japanese. I thought "o" as a prefix indicated affection or respect.
> That means, AFAIK, both hashi and o-hashi should exist, slightly
> contradicting Lowry.
>
Yes, "O" is an honorific and is only used with words of Japanese origin.

James Silverton wrote:
> Cindy wrote on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:08:00 -0800 (PST):
>
>> On Jan 27, 12:39 pm, (LOU NEWNAN CHAPMAN) wrote:
>>> I love chopsticks...what an invention. I always use
>>> them...great for stir-fry. How can you eat Chinese ,
>>> Japanese, Thai, etc. without using chopsticks???
>
>> With a fork, of course. Employ your imagination for a moment.
>
>> Thais don't use chopsticks, IIRC.
>
>> I use whatever tool is provided. Most often it's a fork in
>> Chinese restaurants
>> and hashi in Japanese restaurants, here in the whitebread
>> Midwest.
>
> This is not to argue with others but I became interested enough to read
> up on hashi in David Lowry's book, "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi".
> It's an interesting "quality" paperback and he has 8 pages on "ohashi"
> which, he says is invariant for Japanese chopsticks. I have been told
> otherwise but anyway!
>
> According to Lowry, cheap disposable chopsticks are in accord with the
> original outdoor nature of sushi but Japanese actually use the lacquered
> ones at home (apart from teenagers, who are pretty inexpert according to
> older Japanese.)
>
> In Japanese custom, you are supposed to keep both hands visible when
> eating so that you cannot be suspected of bringing out a dagger with the
> left hand (in accord with Japan's rather violent samurai history.) There
> are also pages on chopstick customs and the various shapes and names
> that may be encountered.
>
> Note that cheap bamboo chopsticks are sometimes washed and reused by
> impecunious students but this is unhygienic, according to Lowry Another
> thing you should not do is to leave your chopsticks sticking upright in
> your rice bowl since that is something that used to be done at Japanese
> funerals..
>
It still is. And along those lines you never transfer anything from one
person to another using hashi because that is also part of the funeral
ritual (after the body is cremated the cremains are returned to the
family which then use hashi to pick out the bones and place them in an
urn.)

Jean B. wrote:
> Becca wrote:

>> George, I know how these cooks feel. Imagine cooking a nice, tender
>> pork loin, sliced thin and glazed with a delicious sauce of
>> cranberries & apples, then your husband pours ketchup on his plate and
>> dunks the pork in it.
>>
>> Everything is fine though, I have remained silent. If you ever hear
>> that I have climbed a clock tower and I am shooting people, you will
>> know what drove me over the edge.
>>
>> Becca
>
> Egad. That's awful, Becca. I gather he uses a lot of ketchup pretty
> indiscriminately then?


Yes, he uses a lot of ketchup. On some foods, ketchup is great, but you
should at least taste it, first.

Becca

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:32:06 +1300, bob >
wrote:

>Hummm ... never thought of that one. Thanks. It will come in handy
>next time I eat sushi at a place that has little tables and a counter.
>I've often wanted to put my chopsticks down but not on the table
>surface.

why don't you put them on the plate?


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:18:22 -0800, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>I hope I can describe the simple technique.
>
>Take the wrapper and about 1" in fold at an angle so the long flap comes
>down at a 90 degree angle, where the almost like the first fold of a paper
>airplane. Take the tail and do it again and you'll have a pyramid at the top
>of the paper. A third fold and then a fourth fold in the same manner will
>leave a perfect square, tuck the long end under the first fold and you're
>done.
>
>Adding machine tape (paper) makes perfect practice paper.
>
>Dimitri

I can't visualize that. I'm too used to making the triangle fold.
Does anything here ring true?
http://www.muttmansion.com/wiki.cgi?...swerChopsticks


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:07:07 -0800, sf > shouted from
the highest rooftop:

>On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:32:06 +1300, bob >
>wrote:
>
>>Hummm ... never thought of that one. Thanks. It will come in handy
>>next time I eat sushi at a place that has little tables and a counter.
>>I've often wanted to put my chopsticks down but not on the table
>>surface.
>
>why don't you put them on the plate?

What plate? They come in a shallow plastic container that the
chopsticks fall off if given half a chance. I usually put them on a
napkin, but once I figure out which of the folding techniques to use
(and get it right) I'll be the envy of place.


--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:08:15 -0800, sf > shouted from
the highest rooftop:

>On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:18:22 -0800, "Dimitri" >
>wrote:
>
>>I hope I can describe the simple technique.
>>
>>Take the wrapper and about 1" in fold at an angle so the long flap comes
>>down at a 90 degree angle, where the almost like the first fold of a paper
>>airplane. Take the tail and do it again and you'll have a pyramid at the top
>>of the paper. A third fold and then a fourth fold in the same manner will
>>leave a perfect square, tuck the long end under the first fold and you're
>>done.
>>
>>Adding machine tape (paper) makes perfect practice paper.
>>
>>Dimitri
>
>I can't visualize that. I'm too used to making the triangle fold.
>Does anything here ring true?
>http://www.muttmansion.com/wiki.cgi?...swerChopsticks

That's the one I'll try first. Can't wait ...



--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

On Jan 25, 9:12 am, notbob > wrote:
> I'm sitting here watching an old episode of Law & Order. Both Waterston and
> Hennessy are eating Chinese out of take-out boxes with disposable
> chopsticks. Regulars know what I think about all the networks standard
> representation of NY'ers always eating Chinese in this manner. If you
> don't, I say it's all total crap.
>
> We've flogged this subject ad nauseum, but have we been honest about it.
> Yeah, we all use chopsticks in a restaurant cuz we wanna SHOW RESPECT for
> the CULTURE (eye-roll). BUT!!... what about take-out? I've been eating
> Chinese take-out all my life and have NEVER found those disposable
> chopsticks in the bag. Does that mean I should have them at home all the
> time?
>
> I may occasionally use chopsticks at home, but I'm weird. I know of NO 0NE
> else who does so. Maybe me and mine are declasse, but I doubt it. Do YOU
> really have your own chopsticks at home for yourself and guests and family
> when Asian food is on the menu? C'mon, be honest. (CC! ... a poll!)
>
> nb

Of course I do. Some things are easier to eat with stick than with a
fork/spoon/knife. I don't like the disposable ones (don't like the
taste/texture of the wood, don't like thowing stuff out), but I've got
a cheap batch of plastic ones that work fine for my frequent meal of
rice w/ kimchee, tuna, veg, leftover whatever. Gotta have the right
bowl. I don't eat out of cardboard.

bulka