Chopsticks

Chopsticks: the other fork

 

Essential cutlery for seizing food in Asia, chopsticks come in different formats depending on their origin. The Chinese chopsticks, often made of bamboo, are long because they allow food to be placed in shared dishes in the center of the table. The Japanese chopsticks are made of lacquered wood, short and with a pointed end, because the food is not shared: each member at the table has his own plate.

Both are shaped like the beak of a bird so that they can effectively grasp the grain of rice and fish, without getting their hands dirty or wet. They are also used to stir, separate and cut.