All About Chopsticks

Confucius is said to have deemed the use of knives at the table an insensitive reminder of the animals that had been slaughtered; accordingly, he dictated that food be cut up in slaughterhouses and kitchens--not at the table. The proper table utensils were pairs of sticks, similar to those used for centuries to stir and lift the ingredients cooking in pots over open fires. The name "chopstick" is our attempt to say the Chinese word "kuai-za," meaning "quick ones." If you are new to chopsticks, try folding a business card accordion style. Take a rubber band shaped into a figure eight, and connect two chopsticks near the top. Put the paper between the sticks, then wrap the rubber band again in a figure eight around the chopsticks and over the paper. This lever makes them easier to maneuver. Trainer sticks also are available at Asian grocery stores.