1 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm welcome to Favor production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: I'm Anny Reese and I'm Lauren vocal Baum, and today 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: we have an episode for you about chopsticks. Yes, it's 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: been a minute since we've done a utensil. It has been, 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: it has been. Yes, I will say this one was 6 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: inspired by um me finding an article on how stuff 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: works dot com about chopsticks and turning it into a 8 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 1: episode of brain stuff mm hmm. And then I was like, oh, 9 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: we haven't done chopsticks yet. Yeah. Yeah, Always curious where 10 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: your your inspiration comes from. You never can tell. You know, 11 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,319 Speaker 1: something just catches your attention and you're like, oh, yes, 12 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: you must talk about definitely both of us, of course, 13 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: of course. Yes. Um, I will say I have a 14 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: lot of chopstick memories. Um, I love using them now, 15 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: I love it, um, but I was so bad with 16 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: them when I first went to China, and just in general, 17 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: like you know this, Lauren, I think I I have 18 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: like a shaky countenance. I'm just a shaky person and 19 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: it actually runs in my family. So it's just hard 20 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: with chopsticks where I would just shake. It's that precision 21 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: that you need to share. Yeah, Yes, precision. And so 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: when I went to China, which I was there for 23 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: about eight months, and I was in college, right, yes, 24 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: and losing in college, and I was not good at 25 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: them at this point. And I had learned some Mandarin 26 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: and I've been studying it. But I was foolishly I 27 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: had been told, but also foolishly anticipated their opinion everywhere 28 00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: where not oh, not anywhere. And also just the way 29 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: the language works, is it even if to my untrained 30 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: ear it sounds like I am saying the same thing 31 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: with the tones, yeah, the inflictions right right right. So 32 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: I I go to China and I'm starting with chopsticks. 33 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: And I remember on one more than one occasion, I 34 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: was given like gloves um to reach into shared plots 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: for food by like the restauranteers. UM. I was given 36 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: rubber banded chopsticks, and once a very kind, worried group 37 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: of ladies that I was in some way affiliated with. 38 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: I just didn't know them very well, but they weren't 39 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: total strangers. They were yes. Um. After witnessing my terrible 40 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: chopstick skills, they took me to an American style bakery 41 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: and got me a lot of cake that I could 42 00:02:54,919 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: eat with my hands, which was very sweet, very sweet, yes, yeah, goodness. 43 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: And then one time I was at one of those 44 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: tables where you know, rotates, Um, so I had that 45 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: added challenge and then the chopsticks, and so I resorted 46 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: to stabbing something with my chopsticks, like like you would 47 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: have fish with the spears. Oh that's one of the 48 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: that's one of the things you're not supposed to do. 49 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: I know. But the man next to me, he laughed 50 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: because I was very sorry about the whole thing. But 51 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: I was just so desperate and said something like, however, 52 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: you can get the food into your mouth is the 53 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: right way? Yeah, um, And I will never forget, like 54 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: the first week I was living by myself and yeah, 55 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: there's everything was written in in Mandarin and there was 56 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: no opinion. And I was trying to eat a cup 57 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: of noodles with a toothbrush and a comb as my 58 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: chopsticks because I did not know how to ask for 59 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: chopsticks in a way where I was understood. Uh. But 60 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: that being said, nothing like this experienced to learn quickly, 61 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: and I did. Yeah, yeah, sure, like pretty good with them? 62 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, I I usually I usually feel pretty confident 63 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: with a pair of chopsticks. Um, I h there are 64 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: certain foods that I'm just like, this is so much 65 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: easier with chopsticks than it is with any other Like 66 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: like like, why do we eat any kind of pasta 67 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: with not chopsticks? It? It really only makes sense to me. 68 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: I'm just like, well, but then you just grab the 69 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: noodles and then they're easy to I don't know, right, 70 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: but yeah, I don't think gosh. I feel like I 71 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: feel like I didn't learn to use them until high 72 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 1: school mm hmm. And I feel like I lied to 73 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: my dining partner the first time that it was like 74 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 1: the only option. I was like at a sushi place 75 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: for the first time, and I was like, oh, yeah, 76 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: I know about sushi and I don't know how to 77 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: use chopsticks. And I felt like really like cool and 78 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: grown up and I was not, and um it was 79 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: probably very funny, so right, yeah, yeah, but but that's 80 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: but that's fine. The learning curves. Learning curves for everybody. 81 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: Um yeah. Yeah. One of my best friends in high 82 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: school was from Taiwan and her family owned a Chinese 83 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 1: restaurant and I would go there pretty frequently and I 84 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: was determined to learn how to use the chopsticks, and 85 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,559 Speaker 1: there was nothing like the burning embarrassment of you know, meal, 86 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: you're trying, you're hoping, no one's noticing that you're struggling 87 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: so much. And then eventually these chopsticks with the rubber 88 00:05:54,000 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: band and appeared and instructions and you're like, tell it again. Ah, 89 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: that that is the thing though, Like I mean, like 90 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:08,359 Speaker 1: people just want you to eat. They want you to 91 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: enjoy the food. They know. No one wants you to 92 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: be struggling that right, well most people. Yeah. Um. I've 93 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 1: also heard a lot of superstitions around chopsticks, and I 94 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: read about some for this, but would love to hear 95 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: from anyone, um, from these places that you stop sticks 96 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: more regularly or might have these superstitions. I know we've 97 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,679 Speaker 1: touched on some of them in past episodes before. Um, 98 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: but always love to hear from people that are on 99 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: the ground. Oh yeah, absolutely. Um. When I when I 100 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: think of chopsticks, the thing that I think of now is, um, 101 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: a superproducer Dylan eating cheetos, because this is the thing 102 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: I discovered when you know, back when we were in 103 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: the office. Um and uh Dylan, Dylan's desk got moved 104 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: to the staring mine right in the face, as is 105 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: so good with open office concepts where you're just you know, 106 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 1: like three ft away from someone and just looking at 107 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: them all day. Dylan is a delightful human to look at. Um. 108 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: That's you know, it's I felt bad because I feel 109 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: like a weird goblin all the time, and I was like, oh, 110 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: do not witness me. Um. But but I discovered through 111 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: this process of you know, staring him in the face 112 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: all day, that he loves cheetos. He loves hot cheetos, 113 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: and he only eats them with chopsticks so that he 114 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: keeps himself neat and clean. Yes, and this is so 115 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: genius that we even have a shirt we do. Yes. Gosh. 116 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: I gave him some engrave chopsticks for his birthday a 117 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: couple of years back, which was just recently. If you 118 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: want to wish him birthday. Oh right, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, 119 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: I've never seen it. I've never seen that before either, 120 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: and I was immediately like, of course, right, just makes sense. 121 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: You can also see our episodes on sports and forks 122 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: Um and I guess Rice Ramen and fuh we kind 123 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: of talk about chopsticks a little bit in those episodes. Um, 124 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: so you're always welcome to check those out if you 125 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: have not heard them already. But in the meantime, I 126 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 1: guess that brings us to our question. Chopsticks. What are they? Well, 127 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: chopsticks are a type of eating and cooking utensil. Uh. 128 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: They're a pair of usually identical or semi identical slender 129 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: sticks UM. Each one like a half ish or maybe 130 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: less than half of the width of a human finger, 131 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: anywhere from about six to twelve inches long that's about 132 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: fifth teen to thirty centimes, typically held in one hand, 133 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 1: um between the thumb and the first couple of fingers, 134 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: and used to manipulate food. They can be made of metal, plastic, wood, ceramic, stone, 135 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: I mean anything stiff enough to to to grip. Really. 136 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: Different materials lend themselves to different uses. UM. If you're 137 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: going to be interacting with food that is in the 138 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: process of cooking, say um on a tabletop grill UM 139 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: stainless steel chopsticks you know, like, won't melt or catch 140 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: on fire, convenient and will also stay cool enough in 141 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: your hands that you won't burn yourself further convenience. UM 142 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: Coated wood and plastic are popular for personal reusable table chopsticks. 143 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: Disposable chopsticks are strange category um and kind of separate. 144 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: But yeah. These are given out at restaurants or with 145 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: takeaway and are are meant to be used once and 146 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: then thrown away, and are typically made of lightweight wood um, bamboo, birch, 147 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: cotton wood, increasingly aspen. And on the other end of 148 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: the spectrum, chopsticks can get heck and fancy um and 149 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: especially historically they have um with all kinds of of 150 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: methods of carving and lacquering materials like ivory, silver, gold, gold, 151 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: gold is so soft, why would you use anyway? I 152 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: don't know, jade, coral, tortoiseshell, all kinds of inlays like 153 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:28,559 Speaker 1: enamel or mother of pearl or shark skin. I almost 154 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: brought these lightsabers that looked like lightsabers, and lightsabers that 155 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: look lightsabers like that look light lightsabers, and I lit 156 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: up and everything, and I was like, do I need this? 157 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: Probably not? Do I want it? Yes. Back when the 158 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: prequels came out, um my, a friend of mine sent 159 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: me a spoon that a little plastic spoon that had 160 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: the spoon part was clear and had a little led 161 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: in the base in the handle that made it light 162 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: up like a little lightsaber. I think was from like 163 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: a Cereal box or something like that. Yep, yeah, but 164 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: not surprisingly it was pretty cool though. Yeah, I think 165 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: I broke it. I think I broke it immediate life. 166 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 1: But yeah, that sounds right as well. I was like, oh, 167 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: this can get wet, right No. No, UM, chopsticks, yes, 168 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: the the length and shape of the sticks in question 169 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 1: will vary based on a personal preference in the types 170 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: of cooking and eating that you're doing. A shared dishes 171 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: at a family style table may involve serving chopsticks that 172 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: are longer and uh and don't have much of a 173 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: taper to them for better balance and reach. Chopsticks that 174 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: you would use to eat an individual plate of food, 175 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: especially individual plates of food that are served in UM 176 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: larger than bite sized pieces might be Those chopsticks might 177 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: be shorter and come to like a fairly fine tapered 178 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: point at the tips, not like sharp, but tapered so 179 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: that you can pinch off bite sized pieces of the food, 180 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: or maybe like pick bones out of a piece of 181 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: fish something like that. And there are also more specialized 182 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: chopsticks shapes for different situations. UM. There are chopsticks not 183 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: even with a rubber band, but but that are naturally 184 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: joined at the handle with a spring for people who 185 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: are first learning to use them, or or chopsticks that 186 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 1: are curved to be more easily grippable, if that's a 187 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: thing that would be useful to you. Chopsticks that fold 188 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: for travel us or that have like a tiny fork 189 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 1: or a dull knife or a spoon on the handling 190 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 1: so that they're multi purpose. Uh. I read about chopsticks 191 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: that you can put sauce into. What I still don't 192 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 1: understand how this works, Like you unscrew the chopstick and 193 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: you pour sauce into the into the tapered end, and 194 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: somehow it spills sauce onto your food as you I'm 195 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: not sure, Wow, technologically advanced, I don't know, Uh, etiquette 196 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,239 Speaker 1: as far as I can tell. How you hold chopsticks 197 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: in your hand doesn't really matter the way that it 198 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: would with a with a fork. But yeah, everyone just 199 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: kind of uses a grip that works best for them. 200 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: Let me know if I'm steering folks wrong. If this 201 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: is a thing, uh in your family or in your area, 202 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: or that you've heard of, please let us know. Um. 203 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: But yeah, As with any dining situation, there are different 204 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: rules of etiquette that are going to vary from place 205 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: to place, even table table. Uh. Very basically, I would say, 206 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: I would say that you should avoid stabbing food with 207 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: your chopsticks if you can. Other social faux pie made 208 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: keep racking them up on this show, I would I 209 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: would say that generally the like like using your hands 210 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: is preferable to to to doing a stabby stab, except 211 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: when you're dealing with shared dishes, So I don't know. 212 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, always always go with what people 213 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: are telling you to do around you, Like that's that 214 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: is the best rule of etiquette. Watch and learn, ask 215 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: if you can um. But also yeah, avoid sticking chopsticks 216 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: into things or at odd angles and like leaving them. 217 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: They're like, if you're if you're gonna um, put chopsticks down, 218 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: rest them on top of your dish or on a 219 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: on a dedicated holder parallel to the table. Um is 220 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: the preferred position because when you stick chopsticks or other 221 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: sticks into a bowl, um, it's reminiscent of funerary practices 222 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: in a lot of areas. So that's weird for a 223 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: dining table situation. Mm hmmm. Yes, and yes, chopsticks are 224 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: also used in religious practices um and some cultures are 225 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 1: important gifts around weddings and births stuff like that. Yes, Um, 226 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: well how about the nutrition. You know, I didn't look 227 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: into edible chopsticks. I'm sure these exist. Oh I bet 228 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: they do. Sure they exist. Listeners, you gotta let us know, 229 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: but generally don't eat you're eating utensils. Yeah, yeah, um. 230 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: I will say that there has been some research into into, um, 231 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: how the use of chopsticks encourages UM smaller, more mindful 232 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: bites in many situations, and that that can lead to 233 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: UM to slower chewing and to better digestion. Mm hmm. 234 00:15:53,000 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 1: So that's nutrition related. Yeah yeah, um I I I 235 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: was reading about that, And this is totally anecdotal experience, 236 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: so it is not a even a generalization make but 237 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: it reminded me of when I was in college and 238 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: my roommates, Um one of them, he was from Korea, 239 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: and he challenged my other roommates Trevor it was from Georgia, 240 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: to like, who could eat a bowl of ramen the quickest? 241 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: And Sean was going to do it with the chopsticks, 242 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: and Trevor was going to do it with the fork, 243 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: and Sean blew him out of water shop even close. 244 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: But that kind of goes back to like what you 245 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: were saying about certain foods just seem like, oh yeah better, which, um, 246 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: but it was no competition and I blew out. I 247 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: think I think the specific the specific study that I 248 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: was looking at that that had found this was about 249 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: eating rice, and it was about chopsticks versus a spoon 250 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: versus is um using using your hands. Huh and and 251 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: and of those three, the chopsticks were like, slow down 252 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 1: a little bit, right, although yeah, no, I mean I 253 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 1: have certainly inhaled food using chopsticks. That's just nonsen like 254 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: a character in an in an in an anime, just 255 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 1: like just like Naruto, just like drawn. And then you're like, 256 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:33,680 Speaker 1: how did that happen? There's no one left more noodles? Yes, um, 257 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: we do have some numbers for you. Over one point 258 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: five billion people use chopsticks daily. China is the number 259 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: one producer of disposable chopsticks. However, in a small factory 260 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: in Georgia, the country was producing ten million sets a 261 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: week for export, but that business is now closed. Uh yeah, yeah. 262 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: China in the in the early twenty teens, China was producing, 263 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: depending on who you ask, some fifty seven to eighty 264 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks every year. Wow. As 265 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: of the largest Chinese food delivery company UM in that country, 266 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: responsible for like forty six percent of the food delivery 267 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: market share was going through UM some twenty million pairs 268 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: a day. Wow. Yeah, uh yeah, disposable chopsticks are a 269 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: huge business, just massive UM. As of twenty the industry 270 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 1: was estimated to be worth UM twenty three point three 271 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: billion dollars a year and was projected to not quite 272 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: double but hit forty five point three billion, with with 273 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: the largest percentage of growth in China, but the US, 274 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: Canada and Germany not very far behind. Apparently. There's a 275 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: chopstick museum in Japan in Obama UM in the Wakasa 276 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: area where the specific type of layered wooden shell and 277 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: lacquer process was developed circle like the early eighteen hundreds. 278 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: They have some three thousand pairs in their collection and 279 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: run classes that let you create your own pair because 280 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: you uh, you like whittle or sharpen down into the 281 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: layers to to reveal them, to think patterns. It's pretty cool. Yeah, yeah, 282 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:28,679 Speaker 1: I don't think you can do it during COVID but um, 283 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: but yeah, there's another museum in Shanghai that was founded 284 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: in night and includes over one thousand, two hundred pairs 285 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,679 Speaker 1: in their collection, with some eight hundred on display at 286 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: any given time. Oh, I would love visiting both of 287 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: those places. Yes. Top six can be really really beautiful. 288 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I man I love I love functional art. Yeah, yes, 289 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: I do as well. That's definitely been the ration behind 290 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: a lot of our episodes, like the things like the 291 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: Celery dish. Yeah, items that we don't really see anymore 292 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: or not in that like super fancy presentation perhaps, although 293 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: it does still exist, but just fascinating to me. Yes, 294 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: And the history of chopsticks has long been quite fascinating. 295 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: It has been, and we are going to get into that, yes, 296 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: but first we're going to get into a quick break 297 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: for word from our sponsor and we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, 298 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: thank you. Okay. So I feel like we say this 299 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: every time, and it's true every time, but the origin 300 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: of this one can vary vastly, particularly when it comes 301 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: to how people define chopsticks or even just particular regions 302 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: that you're looking into um. According to pop their retellings, 303 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: chopsticks a man come out of the distaste Confucius had 304 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: for the knife, which will get out and more into 305 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: in a second. But maybe they didn't come from that, 306 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: but certainly were popularized. Okay, yeah, yeah, but but but 307 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: that was that was a while in the timeline after 308 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: our theologists have found what they think are chopsticks. Yes, 309 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: confusingly enough, because everyone's like Confucius, I think it's such 310 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: a catchy, like Confucius and Van the chopstick, and then 311 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: you're like, wait, what like five thousand years after yeah, exactly. So. 312 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: The California Academy of Sciences, home of the Rights Collection 313 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: of Food Technology, which also sounds really cool, posits that 314 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 1: people were using chopsticks in the form of twigs to 315 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: stab food out of pots as far back as five 316 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: thousand years ago. Archaeologists have found bones that may have 317 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: served as chopstick prototypes at Neolithic sites in China. The 318 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,479 Speaker 1: researchers speculate that six may have primarily been used as 319 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: cooking utensils. Um kind of particularly when you're talking about 320 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 1: like hot food, stirring that around, stabbing at it, whatever 321 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:14,880 Speaker 1: it is. Yes, yeah, yeah, I think that. Um, I 322 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: think general consensus is that they were cooking utensils before 323 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: they were table utensils. And uh, these particular ones, um, 324 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: the bone ones that you were just talking about, could 325 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 1: be as old as like seven thousand years ago. And 326 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: at first researchers thought they might have been hair accessories, 327 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: but based on their placement, like ritualistic placement near the hands, 328 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: they were thinking instead that they might be uh, hand 329 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:52,479 Speaker 1: related accessories. And weird, we are normal humans and not robot. 330 00:22:53,119 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: Show I know how to language. So good. Some time 331 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:03,959 Speaker 1: around four hundred BC, cooks in Asia and perhaps specifically 332 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: China in this context, began cutting food up into smaller 333 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,679 Speaker 1: strips so that it would cook more quickly and save energy, 334 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: and also because resources were scarce, and this kind of 335 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: made the knife a little obsolete, which was something Confucious 336 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: really vibed with since he was all about non violence. 337 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: Confucius once said, the honorable and upright man keeps well 338 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen, and he 339 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: allows no knives on his table. Uh yeah, And and 340 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 1: he was working right around five hundred BC, so so right. 341 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: A lot of a lot of sources report that by 342 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: like like four hundred BC or so, chopsticks were really 343 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: starting to catch on, yes. Um. However, on the other hand, 344 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: other sources say the first chopsticks originated in China around 345 00:23:54,760 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: seventy six to two BC, and we're bronze ones. In 346 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: the beginning again, they were less an eating utensil and 347 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 1: more a cooking utensil. Yeah, and some researchers think that 348 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: this is when they became more common UM in general, 349 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: rather than later on Yea. Indeed, Um and folks have 350 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: pointed out the lack of archaeological evidence could be because 351 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 1: of how bamboo and wood decay. Sure, sure, it makes 352 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: perfect sense that bronze chopsticks stuck around a little bit longer. Um. 353 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: There are post hawk accounts of Um, the last king 354 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: of the Shang dynasty in China circle like eleven hundred BC, 355 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: using these extravagant ivory chopsticks, despite the fact that there 356 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,120 Speaker 1: there were no elephants in the area, so it would 357 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: have been like a very extravagant thing to have um. So, 358 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: But mystery's history. Mystery's history. Chopsticks were present in Japan, Korea, 359 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: and Vietnam UM by five hundred CE. In these early 360 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: days in Japan, chopsticks were reserved for strictly ceremonial purposes. Um. 361 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: And usually they were bamboo joined at the top, sort 362 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: of like tweezers. Um. Spoons may have actually been more 363 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 1: commonly used in Japan during these times, these ancient times, 364 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: with chopsticks serving as sort of an assist device for 365 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: vegetables and proteins in soups. Yeah, chopsticks as eating utensils 366 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,679 Speaker 1: may have come to Japan a little bit later, in 367 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: like the six to seven hundreds, um, filtering through the 368 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: aristocracy before they got to the common people. But but 369 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: filtering fairly quickly, like within the course of like a 370 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: hundred years or so. So, but for sure. In Korea, 371 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,240 Speaker 1: burial sites dated to the five hundreds have been found 372 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: to include brass, silver, and gold chopsticks. Yeah yeah um. 373 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: And during China's early dynastic times, silver chopsticks may have 374 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: been used out of this belief that the silver would 375 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: turn to black. They came aim into contact with poison food, 376 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: which we've discussed before, and as we've discussed before in 377 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: previous episodes. While poisons like arsenic and cyanide won't change 378 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: the color of silver, foods like garlic an onion will. 379 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: So this led to a lot of like someone was 380 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: trying to kill me, but really it might have just 381 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: it was just it was just delicious. Yeah, someone was 382 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: trying to make my food delicious. Right. According to Q. 383 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,479 Speaker 1: Edward Wong, author of Chopsticks, A Culture and Culinary History, 384 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 1: the Chinese Creans in the Vietnamese had adopted communal eating 385 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: by the twelfth century, which dictated the longer length of 386 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: their chopsticks for reaching, as opposed to shorter linked chopsticks 387 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,479 Speaker 1: out of Japan, where bento boxes were more popular than 388 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: communal eating. The types of foods commonly eaten in these 389 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: countries as well might have had something to do with it. Um. 390 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: With these differences. That being said, those with wealth and 391 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: all of these countries may have used shorter, flatter chopsticks 392 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: a signifier of that, right, communicating you could afford to 393 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: eat out of your own bowl, you didn't have to 394 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 1: share with anybody. Yeah. Chopsticks both came out of necessity 395 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 1: for the less well off and an indicator of wealth 396 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:19,360 Speaker 1: for the aristocrats, which is really interesting. It's really yeah. Um. 397 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 1: Other sources point out that until the tenth century, the 398 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: spoon was the most used utensil in in these areas 399 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 1: because millet are the like was the most eaten grain 400 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: um and it's a smaller grain, more suited to the spoon. 401 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: That started to change in China and Creas soon after that, 402 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: as wheat based grains like noodles started to replace millet. 403 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 1: Um and we had been present previously, I've been available previously, 404 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: but with advancements in cooking technology, it was edging out 405 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: millet by the tenth century. This meant noodles and dumplings 406 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: among other things. Um, we're growing in popularity, which chopsticks 407 00:27:55,359 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: were better suited for later others and mostly Westerners, or 408 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: at least that's what I found. Would argue that, um, 409 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: chopsticks complimented and influenced the size and type of food, 410 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: so almost a chicken and egg argument that chopsticks stuck 411 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: around because people like chopsticks and made food with chopsticks 412 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: in mind, as opposed to the other way around that 413 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:20,160 Speaker 1: chopsticks we're sort of based around the food and cooking techniques, 414 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 1: which I thought was interesting. Huh yeah. Yeah. The increased 415 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: consumption of rice beginning in the eleventh century and large 416 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 1: swaths of Asia also led to an increase in the 417 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: use of chopsticks. On top of that, a lot of 418 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 1: the popular dishes that were being consumed were boiled and 419 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: we're eaten hot. Chopsticks were better for that for a 420 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: lot of reasons than fingers. Nearby countries may have been 421 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: culturally influenced by China and China's use of chopsticks, particular 422 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: in countries like Vietnam, where China was once an imperial power. 423 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: In our more modern times, wars like the World Wars, 424 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: the Korean War and the Vietnam War had a not 425 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: small influence on chopstick use and the perception of chopsticks. 426 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: Western war propaganda painted then in a really gross light. 427 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: Um Other theories suggests that metal reusable chopsticks became more 428 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: popular in Korea after rationing during the Korean War made 429 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: them more necessary. Um Often they were made with recycled 430 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: tin cans from the army UM. In the late nineties, 431 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: research on the ergonomics of chopstick design saw a boost 432 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 1: of interest, which is which is cool because because yeah, 433 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: these are objects that people are using every day, multiple 434 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: times a day. And later research has indicated that the 435 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 1: habitual use of chopsticks is a risk factor of osteoarthritis 436 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: in the thumb later in life. So yeah, the ergonomics 437 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: research showed that rounded handles and groove tips are the 438 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:58,479 Speaker 1: easiest for people to use. Yeah h yeah, I love 439 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: how people have chopstick preferences. Have a friend in particular 440 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: who's like, not these, she's a slippy Oh oh, I 441 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: hate a sleepy chopstick. Yeah I do. I will say 442 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: that that I love the ones that have the grooves 443 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: around the tip, you know, like like just around like 444 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: the last like inch or so of the chopstick. It's 445 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: just gottul rivets and circles. Yeah, so useful and then not. 446 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: Around the same time, around the turn of the twenty 447 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: one century, um, the problem of disposable chopsticks began getting 448 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: a lot of attention thanks to environmental activists and a 449 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: bunch of artists, like a whole bunch of artists got 450 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: um commissioned by organizations like Greenpeace to do these big 451 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: old installations, like public installations made out of used disposable 452 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 1: chopsticks to kind of show the scale of the issue. 453 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: And it is a big issue, um, And I mean 454 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: deforestation is a problem, waste is a problem. UM. Note 455 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: that this is not restricted to chopsticks. Um. Other disposed 456 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 1: disposable utensils are issues as well. I'm not saying that, like, 457 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: oh man, the plastic forks that I get a week 458 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: with all of my silly delivery are fine, But those chopsticks, 459 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: That's not what I'm saying. And yeah, yeah, there's there's 460 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: a bunch of there are so many interesting things being 461 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: being done, um sir. Circa a Canadian startup called chop 462 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 1: Value began collecting used disposable chopsticks from local restaurants and 463 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: developed a process to sanitize them, form them together with 464 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: a resin into the sturdy composite sheet material UM, and 465 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: then using it to make like art, or shelves or furniture, 466 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: you name it. As of early this month September one, 467 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: they've recycled over thirty seven million chopsticks. Oh wow, that's cool. Yeah. 468 00:31:55,240 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 1: Um up through in terms of disposable chopsticks, or half 469 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: of what was manufactured was made of bamboo. UM. But 470 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: then Aspen began really edging into the market in UM 471 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:16,959 Speaker 1: after a hackathon focused on sustainability issues. A number of 472 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 1: Chinese food delivery apps took on the simple measure of 473 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:24,640 Speaker 1: just requiring customers to opt in to receiving utensils with 474 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: each order instead of their inclusion being the default, which 475 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: I think should be on every delivery order all the 476 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: time always. I have seen that. Um my experience has 477 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: been though, I usually even if I opt out, I 478 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: still habit um yeah, share share. But I'm hoping like, yeah, 479 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: as that becomes more common and as time goes on, 480 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: it will be uh more adhered to, because yeah, I'm 481 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: the same like I have tons of topsticks, I have 482 00:32:56,040 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: tons of utensils. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that 483 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: there's a there's a few, um a few of the 484 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: organizations around town that have been doing um like food 485 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: drives and stuff like that. I've been I've just like 486 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: taken them tubs of these little packages of utensils and 487 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 1: been like can you give these away to humans? And 488 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: they're like sure, and I'm like thank you, yeah, because 489 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: they're not a lot of mine aren't open, Like yeah, 490 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: I put I put them away and get out my 491 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: reusable boys, right exactly. Mm hmmm. Um. Well, I was 492 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: just checking for like any news about chopsticks today as 493 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: we were recording this, and I found uh an article 494 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:47,959 Speaker 1: describing a you know, we love I'll gadget sure. Um so, 495 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: I think Auguste recently, Okay, there's a Japanese company called Beeful. 496 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: They released gaming chopstick holders for quick access to chopsticks. 497 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: Um so, it's sort of like a chopsticks holder you 498 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: would touch to your controller, and they were saying like 499 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 1: it's great for quick you get it quickly and then 500 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: you won't get anything on your fingers so you can 501 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: go right back to right back to gaming. This is 502 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: not the first time we've talked about some kind of 503 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 1: gaming food delivery gadget or holder. Yeah. No, I I 504 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: like this concept. Like you've got your bowl of noodles 505 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: and you're playing your game and just just I don't know, 506 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,440 Speaker 1: like once every few you know, like you you finish 507 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 1: what you're doing real quick, and then you just take 508 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:37,439 Speaker 1: a bite a noodle and then you can go right back, 509 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 1: go right back. Yeah. I mean my fear is I 510 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 1: have a lot of fears for the reason I'm not 511 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:51,400 Speaker 1: a professional gamer. I would spill the noodles on the control, 512 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 1: would sauce everywhere, it would be, it would be a 513 00:34:55,080 --> 00:35:01,799 Speaker 1: whole thing. It would be um yeah, yeah, goodness, and 514 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: and this is like like not our not our shortest episode, 515 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 1: but I there there's so many little little avenues of research, 516 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: and I tried to I tried to sess out the 517 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: beginning of the like industry of disposable shopsticks and um 518 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: a bunch of uncorroborated sources where like it was like 519 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: eighteen seventy seven or something like that, like something right 520 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,839 Speaker 1: around that window, um in Japan. And I was like, what, 521 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: what give me in They were like, no, no, further 522 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 1: information is available. I was like, oh, okay, um. And 523 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: then another thing I was reading was like construction workers 524 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: were using disposable wooden shopsticks and like the eight hundreds. 525 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:48,760 Speaker 1: So so I'm like, well, that's a that's a question 526 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:53,279 Speaker 1: for another day. I suppose, Um, that's true. That's true. 527 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: I mean there were so many and like we said, 528 00:35:55,160 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 1: also just regionally, there was interesting kind of different stories 529 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: and the way people have used them and how they 530 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: developed there and how they look um in these different places. 531 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 1: So yeah, there was a lot of the past we 532 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: could go down that may or may not have had 533 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:16,880 Speaker 1: like resources for it that we could find. So as always, listeners, 534 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:24,400 Speaker 1: if you know of something we missed, please let us know. Yeah, yes, always, always, always, 535 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: um and we do have some listener mail from folks 536 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: who have already written in probably not about chopsticks, not 537 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 1: that I know of, but it's still still exciting that 538 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:40,440 Speaker 1: we get to read it. Nonetheless. Yes, yes, and we 539 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: will get into that after one more quick break for 540 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 541 00:36:54,200 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 1: thank you, and we're back with listeners. M hm. This 542 00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 1: whole time, I've been craving just like a nice bowl 543 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:10,799 Speaker 1: of rice and soy sauce and with sabby and chopsticks. 544 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 1: I had some leftover paw tofu for lunch, as I 545 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: was just telling you during the break that we took 546 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 1: during that commercial break, which we do sometimes um, but listeners, 547 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: I was having some leftover paw tofu um, and it 548 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 1: was very good. But be in my haste to to 549 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:34,200 Speaker 1: get my lunch and bring it back to my desk, 550 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 1: I grabbed a fork and then was sitting here going 551 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: like Lauren missed opportunity, Like, can I eat cole slaw 552 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: with chopsticks? Yes, yes, that would be a terrific It 553 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: depends on the type of coal slaw. It depends on 554 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: the type of coal slaw. But now I just want 555 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:05,879 Speaker 1: more mapu tofu with chopsticks. Yeah, that also sounds delicious, right, 556 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:14,799 Speaker 1: bean sauce, Bean sauce anyway, delicious, Claudia wrote, I just 557 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,000 Speaker 1: listened to the dipping dots episode and it reminded me 558 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: of being a t A. During college. I got a 559 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: degree in material science engineering, which is quite literally the 560 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:24,880 Speaker 1: study of things. During my senior year, I was a 561 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:28,160 Speaker 1: t A for an intro to Solid state chemistry class, 562 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 1: and throughout the year we'd use liquid nitrogen for certain experiments. However, 563 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 1: once the semester ended, the liquid nitrogen was disposed of. 564 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 1: In order to not let it go to waste and 565 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 1: to have some fun, the last day of lab was 566 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:46,239 Speaker 1: always dedicated to liquid nitrogen bun Day. We'd ask our 567 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: students to bring in anything they wanted to throw in 568 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,799 Speaker 1: a bowl of liquid nitrogen to see what happened. We 569 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:54,719 Speaker 1: had the usual suspects, throwing in a rubber ball or 570 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: flower and washing it shatter when it was dropped. Although 571 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: those are classics, the best part of the class was 572 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:04,239 Speaker 1: always making our own makeshift dip in dots. We'd let 573 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: some ice cream get melty and then carefully let it 574 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:09,879 Speaker 1: drop into the liquid nitrogen bowl. It didn't come out 575 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,239 Speaker 1: nearly as beautiful and spherical as the real stuff, but 576 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 1: it was tasty. Nonetheless, thanks for bringing back such a 577 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:19,239 Speaker 1: good memory and thanks for making this show what it is. Ah, 578 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:23,840 Speaker 1: that sounds so fun. Yes, And of course I'm immediately like, 579 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: what would I have thrown there? I'm like looking around 580 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:30,799 Speaker 1: like in my life, going like, oh, yeah, I'd put 581 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: that in a bowl like with nitrogen today. Yes, and 582 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: then drop it, watch it shatter. I go through all 583 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:42,399 Speaker 1: of my belongings and then nothing. This is the way 584 00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:44,439 Speaker 1: that you get me and Annie to be minimalists. Were 585 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:49,920 Speaker 1: just like, well, can I make it shatter? Yes? Then 586 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:56,240 Speaker 1: I will get rid of it. Yes. Um. Michelle wrote, 587 00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 1: I've loved your podcast from the very first episode. Thank you. 588 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 1: I adopted a baby recently, so lately you've been keeping 589 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,320 Speaker 1: me awake during those two am feeds. During the Blueberry episode, 590 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:09,680 Speaker 1: one of you, sorry can't remember which one because who 591 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 1: I Am mentioned going to eye Hoop and getting blueberry 592 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:18,240 Speaker 1: pancakes with blueberry syrup. My grandparents ran a hot stamping factory, 593 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:21,360 Speaker 1: a method of decorating plastics by using a hot press 594 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 1: to melt a metal foil onto a plastic surface and 595 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 1: They made the lids of every eye Hoops syrup bottle 596 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 1: for years. I've attached a picture of the blueberry syrup 597 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 1: lit we keep in a shadow box. They also made 598 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,080 Speaker 1: a beer tap, poles, and the buttons for soda machines. 599 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: They passed away about twenty years ago, so you likely 600 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,439 Speaker 1: poured your syrup from someone else's bottle. But it made 601 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:46,960 Speaker 1: me think very fondly of them, and remember the time 602 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: I spent helping in their small factory. I'm sad my 603 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: daughter will never get to meet them, but I'll tell 604 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 1: her all about them. Whenever we eat blueberry syrup. Oh 605 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:04,760 Speaker 1: so sweet goodness, that's wonderful. I definitely ate blueberry syrup 606 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 1: from one of their bottles. Uh, any number of times 607 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:15,000 Speaker 1: that that to thirty years ago? Yeah, it would have 608 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:19,280 Speaker 1: been prime. Lauren eats blueberry syrup on pancakes at Eyehop 609 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: a clock, so yeah, yeah, oh yeah, um. And I 610 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:27,359 Speaker 1: know both Lauren and I love these things. I never 611 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:32,320 Speaker 1: think about like somebody had to make so that I 612 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:37,880 Speaker 1: could get the blueberry. That's that's when I start to do. 613 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:40,040 Speaker 1: The kids call it galaxy brain like, that's when I 614 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: start to feel like galaxy brain, like when I just like, 615 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 1: look at objects around me and what I'm not thinking 616 00:41:45,160 --> 00:41:47,120 Speaker 1: about whether or not I would shatter them. Um, And 617 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:54,319 Speaker 1: I'm just like, somebody made all of this what and 618 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:56,880 Speaker 1: we want to know the stories behind all of it. 619 00:41:57,440 --> 00:41:59,920 Speaker 1: That is high key why I do what I do 620 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:02,759 Speaker 1: because this is all Everything in the world around us 621 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:05,239 Speaker 1: is so endlessly fascinating and there are stories behind all 622 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: of it. And somebody cared about that blueberry syrup lid 623 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:13,439 Speaker 1: and I want to know who they are. Yes, me too, 624 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 1: Well that is within our purview because a lot of 625 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:18,160 Speaker 1: times I'll get in my head about like I suddenly 626 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:21,800 Speaker 1: want to know all about skunks, which is true also 627 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 1: dreams also true. But this is food related, so we 628 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: could learn about syrup pouring. Yeah, yeah for the show 629 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:34,480 Speaker 1: for work, Oh goodness. Um, but congratulations on your kiddo, 630 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:39,840 Speaker 1: and uh and and and on having a rich blueberry 631 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:45,800 Speaker 1: syrup history. Indeed, and thanks to both of those listeners 632 00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 1: for writing. If you would like to write to us, 633 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:51,040 Speaker 1: you can. Our email is hello at savor pod dot com. 634 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,520 Speaker 1: We are also on social media. You can find us 635 00:42:53,560 --> 00:42:56,799 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at saver pod and we 636 00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 1: do hope to hear from you. Saver is production of 637 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:01,880 Speaker 1: by Heart Ray Radio. For more podcasts my Heart Radio, 638 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:04,520 Speaker 1: you can visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 639 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:07,399 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as 640 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,400 Speaker 1: always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. 641 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:12,399 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening, and we hope that lots 642 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:21,360 Speaker 1: more good things are coming your way.