Of course, unlike Kingpin, Mamdami is actually limited in his authority to actually make changes in NYC. He is a mayor of NYC, not King. Albany has a good deal of say. It isn't like he can say... stop the opening of an international bridge because a donor asked him to.
Yep. I'm a pragmatist when it comes to eating, much to the dismay of the pearl clutching Miss Manners types. I eat my cereal with a soup spoon, don't use or own separate salad and dessert forks. I will even sometimes drink red wine from a white wine glass!
I avoid eating Chinese food with chopsticks, despite "enlightened whities" around me using them...somewhat skillfully. I recently was made lunch by a Chinese immigrant client who gave me only chopsticks to eat with and to be polite I used them. I managed to grab most of what she made with the chopsticks, but failed miserably when I tried to eat these round, slick black blobs-of-something she made. When I finally got a grip on one, and almost made it to my mouth, it squirted off the chopsticks and ended up on the floor. At that point she felt sorry for me I guess and gave me a spoon, which made things 10x times easier. Unfortunately. They were awful.
If you actually saw a biryani made Indian-style, you'd see why eating it with a fork or spoon would be more awkard and less flavorful than doing it the traditional way. You know how people often throw salt or pepper or hot sauce on something right before eating, and cooks therefore compensate by putting less in themselves? "Season to taste"? A similar principle applies, in food cultures where manual consumption is assumed. There are often whole, unground spices or other elements that when eaten by hand get ground into the food naturally and are easily discarded. Cassia bark, whole cardamom seeds, bay leaves, anise buds, and so forth. In short, the final stage of prep is happening as you eat the thing. So there's one last big burst of flavor right before you put it in your mouth, but not everything is meant to be eaten whole. If you try to eat it with a fork, you're going to wind up accidentally putting unpalatable or unpleasant stuff in your mouth. The culinary equivalent of, say, eating a garnish. Hence why a biryani chef reacts with genuine horror to the sight of a foreigner shoveling everything into their mouth with a spoon. You might as well be eating the napkins.
I have never heard of anyone being arrested for eating rice wrong. There have been five arrests for touching peeling paint. The "Left" and the "Right" are not the same.
Because, of course, you ate them wrong.
In some cultures, eating with your fingers —or with a bit of bread/naan is the custom.
I’m similarly and embarrassingly terrible with chop sticks. Sigh….Not everyone is good at using chopsticks. My husband and son learned how to use them when they were very young. I tried as a young adult but was unable to use them properly. My hands just couldn't do it, but I still love Asian food and all the local restaurants where I've, give you a fork. If you want chopsticks, you have to ask for them. As Seinfeld said in one episode of the old Seinfeld show: "I've tried the sticks. I'm sticking with the fork".
Eat with whatever utensils suit you best, but never criticize those who eat with different. utensils or with their hands, if that's the best way to eat something. Do many people use a fork to each fries, or a burger for that matter? What was this thread about again? Maybe parts of it should be split to the foodie area.
You mean most white Americans don’t eat …with their fingers. In public. In the US.
I was that way. At first. The first... 20 times I used them? Then, I decided trying to eat rice with them.I’m similarly and embarrassingly terrible with chop sticks. Sigh….Not everyone is good at using chopsticks. My husband and son learned how to use them when they were very young. I tried as a young adult but was unable to use them properly. My hands just couldn't do it, but I still love Asian food and all the local restaurants where I've, give you a fork. If you want chopsticks, you have to ask for them. As Seinfeld said in one episode of the old Seinfeld show: "I've tried the sticks. I'm sticking with the fork".
Eat with whatever utensils suit you best, but never criticize those who eat with different. utensils or with their hands, if that's the best way to eat something. Do many people use a fork to each fries, or a burger for that matter? What was this thread about again? Maybe parts of it should be split to the foodie area.
It does mean that if you believe "Western civilization is superior" and all of that bullshit.
Like tan suits. The horror...
I don't know why Americans are so addicted to meat. We consume a ridiculous amount of it.
"Enamoured"...
