As many of our loyal Pigeonhole customers will know, 2 of our stores are located dangerously close to a Taka’s Japanese Restaurant. I say ‘dangerously’ because of the ease in which we can gorge ourselves on very good, very cheap Japanese eats. (You know how the human body is about 2/3 water? Most Pigeonhole employees are 2/3 sushi.) And I am proud to say that I can now devour my dinner with the help of chopsticks: for most of my life I lacked the coordination and skills to wield a pair of these wooden utensils. Now that I’m able to consume my food ‘properly’, I thought I might share a few easy steps for using chopsticks (just in case any of you are still riding in my old boat, the SS Fork’n'Knifer).
1. If you’re using wooden takeaway chopsticks, you’ve gotta separate them first!
2. Place one chopstick in the groove between index finger and thumb. You can rest it on your ring finger for support. This chopstick needs to be held firm and stationary.
3. The second chopstick is held like a pencil, with the tips of thumb, index and middle fingers.
4. Now the moving part! The key here is to keep the bottom chopstick still while only moving the upper chopstick. The thumb holds the chopsticks firmly while the index and middle fingers pivot to pick up your food.
5. Eat and enjoy!
Oh, and make sure you follow a few important rules of chopstick etiquette:
- As fun as it is to play “Chopsticks” on the piano, it is considered very bad manners to play with your chopsticks, wave them in the air, gesticulate or point with them.
- You should never leave your chopsticks sticking vertically into a bowl of food, as this is a traditional funeral rite.
- Don’t use your chopsticks to move bowls or plates around, and don’t transfer food directly from your chopsticks to someone else’s.
- Never use your chopsticks to spear/pierce your food (except in very rare instances).
Of course, now that we’re all clued up as to how to use chopsticks, the splintery, wooden takeaway sets just aren’t going to cut it anymore. Instead, why not invest in a pair of super-cool Sugarland pencil chopsticks?
Sugarland pencil chopsticks, $12 a pair
These guys are available in a rainbow of bright colours, and they’re made by a Japanese table-wear company, so you know they’re easy to use! Next time you’re heading to Taka’s for a bite, drop by your nearest Pidge store and pick up a pair. You’ll be the envy of all your fellow sushi-eaters.
Anna xx
