What chopsticks to buy? Asian people help prease.

[coldarchon]



Your major chopstick types are

Metal - Easy to wash, hard to use (heavy and skinny)
Bamboo - Easy to use, Good Grip, Hard to clean - Replace every 6mo -1 year
Lacquer - Nice looking, slippery, low quality ones might contain unsafe material / chip
Ivory - More for collection rather than everyday use

what about jade? My parents brought me a set for 6 but I never dared to use them.
another question, dishwasher or manual?

 

[SField]

I meant bamboo, although at Korin I saw ironwood.

I wouldn't buy lacquered, they're too slippery for noodles anyway.

I think I'll go for bone. They look pretty and it appeals to my capitalistic gwi lo sensibilities.

 

[DJackson]

too much chopstick

 

[impolyt_one]

If you're looking for that real bad boy ****, you should hit up LabelKing, I bet he has you covered.

 

[SField]



If you're looking for that real bad boy ****, you should hit up LabelKing, I bet he has you covered.

jesus he probably has a set made with the bones of a saber tooth tiger inlaid with tortoiseshell.

 

[esswhykay]

It may be apocryphal, but I've heard that the reason Koreans use metal chopsticks began in the Chosun dynasty when kings would use silver (the metal, not the color) utensils in order to detect arsenic poisoning in their food.

 

[lemmywinks]

I've used the same plastic chopsticks for my whole ******* life. My parents probably got them at some general store in a fairly bulk package. I don't like some of the wooden ones because i feel the wood is porous and could absorb dish soup and food... But that's probably all in my head.

I think the key to chopsticks is that you need to buy a set where every single chopstick is exactly the same. There is really all I have to say. I have a pair of metal chopsticks that I like eating with sometimes but I prefer plastic because that's what I use the most at home.

Having a big long pair of wooden chopsticks is helpful for cooking though. Similar to a wooden spoon.

 

[Monaco]

I pretty much grew up with plastic chopsticks, we use long wooden to do certain stirfrys. I now prefer to use wood or bamboo and use metal if others are taken or for raw meat and beating eggs. The sound of metal hitting ceramic is very annoying, don't really understand why Koreans like using metal.

 

[amerikajinda]

I've always used Japanese lacquered chopsticks like these:











http://www.jlifeinternational.com/chop1_e.html

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/suehirogari/item/10000741/

http://www.mrslinskitchen.com/9559.html

 

[Dragon]

I think Japanese chopsticks are the easiest to use. The type of wood you decide is just personal preference (and perhaps formality).

In my opinion, the huge difference is in the tips of the sticks. Chopsticks made by real craftsmen have slightly different tips, and it is extremely easy to pick up food. 99% of chopsticks are probably mass made and do not compare to ones made a good craftsman. It's not really how beautiful they make the decoration, but how good they carve the tips of the chopsticks, making it super easy to pick up food. When I eat out, I notice my hand feels sore from using mediocre chopsticks. My hand muscles have become accustomed to effortlessly picking up food using good, handcrafted chopsticks at home.

 

[acidboy]

when I buy chopsticks, I always get the ones that are squared (not rounded) on the top end until where I grip them. personal preference actually but I find the square shape easier to hold.

 

[MikeDT]

Hermès do the best chopsticks, don't settle for anything less.

 

[impolyt_one]

Hermes actually has a China-specific brand for Asian homewares and things, I can't remember the name. They actually would have legit luxury chopsticks and soup soons, lol. Maybe foo knows the name of this store?

edit: my google skillz iz weak, lol
here is that store:
http://www.shang-xia.com/

 

[Dragon]

^^ In general Chinese chopsticks are more difficult to handle than Japanese, although I am sure Hermes in nice. Also, square tips are not necessarily better for picking up food.

 

[Kid Nickels]



This thread is so FAIL.

Wooden chopsticks? wtf.

They should be made of bamboo, with a square cross-section (not round). Don't get anything fancy. They're not supposed to be expensive. Just go to the local Chinese grocery market and buy a bundle.

Lacquered or metal ones are terrible, as they slip too easily between the fingers.

REALASIANHASSPOKEN

well altho' technically speaking bamboo is a grass, for all intents and purposes it is a type of wood no? I agree, square cross-section...and my faves are just this type made of some kind of Taiwanese hardwood which I cannot remember but is similar to ebony. The less porous the wood the better...wash them lightly after use and occasionally oil them to keep the wood from drying out. Plastic round chopsticks ******* suck beyond all belief!!