Asian Dining Tips,Chinese Folklore & Popcorn

There is an old Chinese proverb that says if you hold your chopsticks close in, you will marry someone living nearby and if you hold your chopsticks far up, you will marry someone living in a far land.

So, how do you hold your chopsticks? Can you hold your chopsticks? Do you need a bit of practice or shall we start from the beginning?

In order to eat proficiently at a Sushi Bar with friends, or in a Chinese restaurant with business associates, you need to understand the following principals:

1. Cradle the middle of one chopstick in the hollow of your right or left thumb and palm with the narrow end resting on the third finger. Firm up your grip of the chopstick by using your upper thumb to press the chopstick securely against the tip of the fourth finger.
2. Add the second chopstick and hold it like you hold a pencil when writing. Line the chopsticks up evenly.
3. Hold the first chopstick in the original position and move the second chopstick up and down. The lower chopstick should never move while in operation. It should remain stationary at all times, serving as a base on which to clamp the food placed on it by the top chopstick.

Practice, Practice, Practice :

1. First, practice on popcorn! Yeah! Fun!
2. Second, practice lifting a wine glass straight up by the stem with your chopsticks. If you can do this without dropping the wine glass, you are ready to eat in public.

Tips:

1. Never point your chopsticks at anyone. It is considered to be bad luck and it is dangerous.
2. Never stand chopsticks up in a bowl of rice. This is also considered to be bad luck.
3. Do remember to use the larger ends of your chopsticks to serve yourself from a platter
4. Never eat food directly from a platter. Always place the food on your plate first.
5. Do not cross the chopsticks. When not using the chosticks, place them on the chopstick rest provided.
6. Do remember that a banquet can last two or three hours, and may include twelve or more small courses.

Practice and enjoy!