itch22

Bizare question, are the papillae dark pink or light pink? Because I have lots of clusters light pink circles and a moderate amount of clusters of dark pink circles. I looked around through Google but could not find any concise information.

I understand that one should be allowed to do whatever they want. People do have the right to put whatever they want on their food. Despite this logic, after I cook what I think to be a perfectly executed meal, to see it buried under ketchup or soy sauce or even Maggi's seasoning, I get angry. I don't let it show, and let people do what they want, but deep down I want to hit them with the ketchup bottle. I guess it is something we cooks must take with a grain of salt.

Though the topic was originally intended to discuss the use of chopsticks specifically, it has turned into a discussion on pretty much all Asian etiquette. So in that case, I have a question... From a traditional stand point, and if you want to maximize the flavour of your cooking meat should be cooked on the bone. Chicken breast, still on the bone, is cut up into small pieces and then cooked and served on the bone. In your mouth you are to removed the meat from the bones. When this is done, do you spit out the bones, use your chopssticks, or fingers? Do you return it to your plate, or a special side plate intended for the purpose?

Should be an event on Survivor. Well after all that has been said, I think I am going to just start carrying a pair with me.

I thought about carrying chopsticks with me, but I thought that here in the west that might seem pretencious. I know in Japan it is acctually quite common and the manufacturing of hashi carrying cases has been elevated to quite an artform.

Well I haven't had this dish, but I am up for a challenge. I only have a dozen, but I am willing to experiment. Tonight I'll try some salt-steaming, and some salt baking, at various times and temperatures and see what happens. I might take some pictures to upload afterward.

I prefer "Chinese chopsticks", wooden, long, unlacquered, and with non-tapered ends. However, I do have several sets of hashi; short, lacquered, and with tapered ends. What I do dislike, however, are those giant square plastic ones they have out in a lot of take-out places. EDIT: I see lots of references here to Korean metal chopsticks. I am not very familiar with Korean culture, compared to my knowledge of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese culture. In China and Japan, I thought metal chopsticks were never to be used for eating as they are used to pass bones at funerals. Are metal chopsticks becoming more acceptable? Only in Korea?

Many bowls, at least here in the west, have been designed to accomidate this with holes or grooves to hold your chopsticks. Does anyone use hashi rests on a regular basis? I have several porcelain sets in the shapes of fish and birds that I usually reserve for formal dinners. I don't use them outside of formal dinners because, honestly, I can't be bothered.

Is that a joke? Your comment seems to be insulting more so than funny.

That's exactly how I do it, defaulting to chopsticks for nearly everything when no one is looking.

I find this a very useful technique, especially when making tempura.

I do not know what is the significance of this in Korean culture but in the Japanese one, sticking chopsticks into rice is associated with death because it is reminiscent of a ritual performed at funerals. I have seen many people at restaurants rest their chopsticks in rice in this manner and it is a great sign of disrespect. ← Really? I thought it meant the same think in Korea, China, and Vietnam as well as Japan - basically anywhere you'd find both Buddhism and chopsticks.

I'd assume so.

I think you are right, that's why I didn't mention the local Thai restraunts in my initial post. I have never seen chopsticks in Thai restraunts. You might be able to get them at some, but because Thai food is trendy some of these Thai restaurants are acctually run by Vietnamese or even Chinese owners, so the staff acctually use chopsticks.

Any idea on the specifics? Time, temperature, etc?

I took a friend out for sushi once and he did that. Both the waitress and I were stunned. I have never returned because of that.

Yes, a spoon for the pho broth but you can't use a spoon for all the noodles and meat. My Vietnamese friends, like me, litterally use a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other, diving in two handed.

You mean spruce tips are a suitable substitute for juniper, or they grow in the same area?

I wasn't too sure where the best place to post this topic would be, so I'll try here. I have noticed, and maybe I am alone here but I doubt it, the lack of respect for chopsticks here in the west. In my town there are 7 Chinese restraunts, one of which prides themselves on traditional Szechuan fare, 1 Himalayan restraunt, a Japanese sushi bar, a pho shop, and a Vietnamese restaurant that serves many regional northern dishes but not pho. That's a total of 11 places, and only one (the sushi bar) puts chop sticks out instead of forks, and only two others (the Vietnamese joints) have chopsticks in the back you can ask for. This phenominon is not limited to my home town. Nearby towns, which are far larger with more diversity, often default to a knife and fork, some providing chopsticks upon request. I like chopsticks. In fact, I prefer chopsticks to knives and forks. Obviously, there are many foods that require a knife and fork. To be honest, I use whatever I am given. I don't ask for chopsticks, except at the pho shop. It'd feel wrong to eat pho with a fork. Another example is my fiancee's school, where she works as an elementary teacher, plays host to a relatively large group of Korean exchange students. Her co-worker, who is an open lover of Korean food, was presented by one of the children a gift of an elegent pair of chopsticks. He later mentioned in the staff room that he'd never use them. My fiancee thought it a little strange, but even though she uses chopsticks when eating Asian food she struggles with them to such a degree that it looks almost painful and I beg her to use a fork. She gets an "A" for effort, but the dry cleaning bills are putting us in the poor house. As I said above, I prefer chopsticks to forks. At home, menu permitting, I'll use chopsticks. When our in-laws are over for dnner, most give me such strange looks (even when eating, lets say sushi which they too enjoy despite there chopstick phobia) that I feel so uncomfortable I revert to a knife and fork for their dinning pleasure. Yes, their dinning pleasure. Same thing with restaurants, I use what they provide me because I am tired of the odd looks I get from staff and fellow dinners when asking for chopsticks. My questions: A decision to use chopsticks should be based on A) the menu, B) where you are (in the world), C) whatever you like, or D) all the above? Does anyone else find that chopsticks are not getting their just respect, even at Asian restaurants? To Asian eGulleteers, do you ever have to ask for chopsticks at Asian restaurants? Anyone in Asia have to ask for a knife and fork to eat Western food?

Ahem... You mean miniture chopsticks, right?

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for, your needs, and your location. Where I live, I first half to stop into a local Vietnamese shop to pick up most Asian supplies. Then I have to hit up a local Loblaws chain outlet for most produce if it is winter, the farmer's market if it is summer. Then I have to stop into a butcher's for meat. The Galleria has all of it in one stop, including non-Asian items too.

Does juniper naturally grow here in Ontario? I have googled extensively and all Canadian specific documents about juniper refer to the rocky mountain juniper in British Columbia and Alberta. There it grows extensively. I did find one article about the Quarry Bay Nature Reserve here in Ontario that features juniper. I live in Prince Edward county, in a paticularily rocky area with shallow, sandy soil. My property (several acres of forest) consists of oak, maple, ironwood, a variety of evergreen tree, and a WHOLE LOT OF BUCKTHORN!!! There is so much buckthorn you need armour to take a walk! There are a lot of evergreen shrubs but I never noticed if any resembled juniper. Also, juniper and juniper sledge (carex juniperorum), are two different things right?

I need them because when cooking for my Czech in-laws I find anything that is "a la Alsacienne" goes over very well. For most of these dishes I need good juniper berries.

I know they had glazed ones... (Edited for a typo.)

Thanks! Mini eggs benedict sound tedious but fun. Any traditional Chinese methods and/or recipes though?