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The Technology of Eating Utensils |
Tidbit Archive
| Some technologies are so common that we almost always take them
for granted, using them without so much as giving them a second thought.
Eating utensils are such technologies. Knives and spoons have their
origins in prehistoric times; forks are of more recent origin. Forks,
in fact, did not come into widespread use in the United States until the
early 19th century although they were in use in Europe 200 years earlier.
Chopsticks are first mentioned in the writing of Liji, compiled about 2,000
years ago, but they undoubtedly date to a much earlier time. Chinese
and Japanese traditions generally confine the use of knives to the kitchen,
using spoons for eating certain foods, but not using forks at all.
Eating utensils embody a number of technologies. Materials are a key element. The invention of stainless steel in the 20th century facilitated the development of relatively inexpensive table knives, for example. Prior to this, it was necessary to use silver for many knife blades because regular (non-stainless) steel reacted with chemicals in fish and salads and left an unpleasant taste. Silver is still widely used, but it is now prized mainly for its esthetic value rather than its functional advantages. Disposable wooden chopsticks (many made of wood imported from the U.S.) are widely used in Japan. Chinese chopsticks may be made of bamboo, wood, plastic, or even ivory, gold, or silver. They tend to be blunt ended, while those favored in Japan generally taper to a point. Design can have a strong influence on the function of eating utensils. Small implements with short, flat handles and without sharp points are safe and easy to use for infants and toddlers. In recent years, innovators have developed implements whose designs serve the special needs of the elderly and disabled. Other relatively recent innovations have addressed less obvious needs--see the spork and the "popcorn fork," among the links below. Bon appetit. |
Links:= highly recommended.
Timeline of the development of western eating utensils on Cuisine.net; also a page on their proper use.
Good Grips and Hole-in-One eating utensils are designed for people with severe arthritis and other conditions that make it difficult to eat with conventional utensils.
The Slightly Less Than Official Spork Homepage. Remember sporks, the combination spoon and fork, usually made of cheap plastic, that school cafeterias and fast food restaurants seem to favor? Also known as "runcible spoons" they have generated a cult following, of which this site is apparently a center. You can even order a spork t-shirt here (although I'd be a little careful, as the site apparently has not been updated since 1996). Also see the spork page on About.com.
Learn to use chopsticks, with step-by-step instructions on this site. Then learn the rules for their use in Japan.
For the environmentally-aware, reSourceWare now makes biodegradable knives, forks, and spoons, according to CNN.
How about a Ned Kelly Mini Fork and Spoon Set? A pretty good deal for only AU$5.50, if you happen to be a fan of the Australian outlaw.
Helmut Schonwalder, author of a CD on hospitality skills, rambles on about how to set a table, fold napkins, use forks, knives, and spoons, etc.
An interesting article on knives, forks, and spoons from Compton's Encyclopedia.
E-mail your tidbit suggestions to ateich@aaas.org.Search for more information about eating utensils on:
