Hello to all, Sharing a nice article on the topic. This is becoming an acute debate not only in visually-impaired community, but among sighted fokes also. Read on.
January 17, 2012 Mind Your Manners: Eat With Your HandsBy SARAH DiGREGORIO JULIE SAHNI vividly remembers the first time she had to eat with utensils. Ms. Sahni, a New York-based cookbook author and cooking teacher, grew up in India eating the traditional way, with her right hand. Then, in college, she won a dance competition that would take her to Europe. How, she wondered, would she eat? The answer was a three-day immersion course in Western dining etiquette, which progressed from soup (don’t let the spoon clatter on the bowl) to green beans (spear them without sending them into your neighbor’s lap) and finally a slippery hard-boiled egg. Ms. Sahni, 66, mastered the knife and fork, but she has never really liked them. “Eating with the hands evokes great emotion,” she said. “It kindles something very warm and gentle and caressing. Using a fork is unthinkable in traditional Indian eating. It is almost like a weapon.” Eating with the hands is common in many areas of the world, including parts of Asia and much of Africa and the Middle East. But until recently, you would have been hard-pressed to find many restaurants in the United States — especially those with $20 or $30 entrees — where digging in manually was encouraged. Now, several high-profile chefs are asking diners to get their hands dirty, in the belief that it heightens the sensual connection to food and softens the formality of fine dining. When the chef Roy Choi surveys the busy dining room of A-Frame, his restaurant in Culver City, Calif., only one thing can dampen his mood: cutlery. “I see people cutting kalbi ribs like a steak, and it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard,” he said. A-Frame, whose eclectic menu Mr. Choi says was inspired by Hawaiian cuisine, is utensils optional. Though a basket of silverware is provided at each table, when the grilled pork chop or market salad arrives, servers advise customers that they’ll be missing out if they pick up a fork. “Then there are a lot of questions like ‘Am I really supposed to?’ and ‘Is there something else I need?’ ” Mr. Choi said. “But the moment we answer ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ people usually just go for it.” He had thought he might have to provide finger bowls, as many restaurants do in other countries, but hands-on eating proved to be much neater than expected. “You eat with conviction and passion when using your hands,” Mr. Choi said. “I hope that people let their guard down and throw out some of the rules we have regarding etiquette and connect like animals.” Etiquette, as a matter of fact, is central to most traditions of hand-to-mouth eating; the artfulness and ritual of the practice is part of what people love about it. Hand-washing often comes first. In Muslim communities, a prayer of thanks comes next. Only then can one reach in — usually with just the right hand — to eat. And dining with the hands is not necessarily easy: in some regions, including parts of India, it is most polite to use your thumb, pointer and middle finger, and to let only the first two joints of those fingers touch the food. Details differ from place to place, but often rice or flatbread is used to ferry food to the mouth — think of Indian roti and naan, Ethiopian injera or Middle Eastern pita. Central and Southern Africans pound root vegetables or corn into starchy mashes like fufu or ugali; you’re meant to pull off a bite-size ball and use it as an edible scoop. Ms. Sahni refuses to eat Indian food with a knife and fork, even in the most formal South Asian restaurants in New York. “I don’t care if I’m all dressed up, if everyone else is eating with a knife and fork, if the wine pairing is $80,” she said. “It’s essential.” When she reaches in with her right hand, others are often happy to follow suit. But it wasn’t always that way. She remembers an Indian restaurant in Manhattan that, in the 1970s, had unofficial sections for Indians and non-Indians. She says the owners explained that Indians didn’t want non-Indians to see them eating with their hands and that Westerners didn’t want to see it, either. Today, the writer Amitav Ghosh says he doesn’t go to Indian restaurants in London and New York because eating with hands is discouraged. “They regard this essential aspect of the cuisine with a kind of embarrassment,” he said. In the United States, most run-of-the-mill restaurants, with the exception of Ethiopian spots, do not forbid the practice, but do not encourage it, either. One Manhattan restaurant that does encourage it is Tulsi, Hemant Mathur’s upscale Indian outpost in Midtown. Upon delivering dishes like goat curry with roti or stewed chickpeas with puffy bread, servers tell patrons they are best eaten with the hands. At the New York restaurants Fatty Crab and Fatty ’Cue, the chef, Zakary Pelaccio, provides silverware but hopes that the nature of his signature dishes, like chili crab and barbecue, will inspire diners to use their hands. Convinced that the sense of touch is integral to good eating, he eats just about everything except soup with his hands. He even named his new cookbook after the practice: “Eat With Your Hands,” to be released in April. “I eat with my hands today, and not just because it would be a serious shame to let utensils slow me down,” Mr. Pelaccio writes. “It has become a sort of philosophy of mine — a metaphor for life.” In Los Angeles, Bistronomics, a long-running pop-up restaurant inside Breadbar, presented a no-utensils menu last spring. The $65 prix fixe, created by the chefs Jet Tila and Alex Ageneau, included dishes like salt cod croquettes with zucchini purée and grilled lamb chops with carrot confit. The chefs plan another dinner like it this spring. “It creates more of a social atmosphere,” said Mr. Tila, who grew up in Hollywood. “It brings us back to our childhood, and it seems to lighten the mood in the room.” A glimmer of this idea has even made it to the White House. When the New York chef Marcus Samuelsson prepared the state dinner for India’s prime minister in 2009, he included a bread course (unusual at such events) of naan and corn bread with dips. “What could be better than for people who don’t know each other, from all over the world, to break bread together?” he said. In fact, Mr. Samuelsson expects that as American fine dining evolves, flatware may become more and more optional. “I think there will be a four-star restaurant where knives and forks are used, but not for every course,” he said. “ ‘Great’ does not have to mean one narrative, the European narrative.” On 9/19/13, Nikita Vaid <[email protected]> wrote: > One thing I forgot to mention earlier, incase of the problem of mixing > kari or dal with rice. I usually tell the person who ever is serving me > to put the kari, gravy on the rice instead of putting the same in a > separate bowl that ways it becomes easy to spread the cury with the rice > > Thanks and warm Regards, > Nikita V. Raut, > Senior Manager [HR] > Baroda Corporate Center, Bank of Baroda, > C- 26, G - block, Bandra Kurla Complex, > Bandra [E], Mumbai- 400051. > deskphone: +91-22-66985557. > > -----Original Message----- > From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Ajay Minocha > Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 5:48 PM > To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues > concerningthe disabled. > Subject: Re: [AI] decent lunch etiquettes for person with visual > impairment > > hello, > I too follow what nikita mam said. > @ raajoo!!! bro you can't be terrible than I was at a point of time. > practice makes a man perfect. > now, I go to all the parties here and have not faced any issues so far. > regards > > On 9/19/13, Nikita Vaid <[email protected]> wrote: >> Raju ji, just my opinion, why should there be a special plate for you > at >> home? I agree eating with hands is desireable for the Indian food > that's >> ok but why a special kind of plate?? >> I feel lets move out of our comfort zones and try out variety even in >> our daily living. >> >> >> >> Thanks and warm Regards, >> Nikita V. Raut, >> Senior Manager [HR] >> Baroda Corporate Center, Bank of Baroda, >> C- 26, G - block, Bandra Kurla Complex, >> Bandra [E], Mumbai- 400051. >> deskphone: +91-22-66985557. >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of raju singh >> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 12:29 PM >> To: 'AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and >> issuesconcerningthe disabled.' >> Subject: Re: [AI] decent lunch etiquettes for person with visual >> impairment >> >> Truly agreed. In roti sabji thing, I even doing the same as nikita mam >> has >> stated. But one thing I would like to mention about my problem is > that, >> yes >> in our house, there is a special plate for me which I use every day to >> have >> my food. I also feel very comfortable using my hand to have my regular >> food. >> Even when I go to my relatives, or my friends house, they know my >> problem, >> and serve me whatever I want. In hotel, there will not be any problem >> for >> me since I even use my hand to have. and But you know, whenever we >> attain >> some anivercery, I have to have food with spoon in a very flat > surfaces >> glass plate. That time it will really be very cumbersom for me! >> >> if this threat contain the material which actually violating the >> guideline >> of this mailing list, moderator or any person or persons who is in the >> moderator status have the full right to close or remove this threat >> emmediately without any notice. moreover, instead of doing >> unparliamentry >> things such as band the person from there particular mailing list who >> has >> responded this mail, moderator has the full right to moderate, or even >> band >> raju singh from there mailing list! >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf >> Of Harish Kapoor >> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 12:03 PM >> To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues >> concerningthe disabled. >> Subject: Re: [AI] decent lunch etiquettes for person with visual >> impairment >> >> Good Nikita ji, I too follow same. >> >> On 9/19/13, Nikita Vaid <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Dear All. I have just been following this discussion and it is quite >>> interesting. >>> Just 1 tip I would like to share here: >>> Frankly speaking I am not at all comfortable eating rice etc with my >>> hands I only prefer spoon for that. I understand that some times >>> especially in the plates bowls having broader edges, it becomes a >> little >>> difficult to manage but I take care of this by holding my spoon in 1 >>> hand and try to gather the food around the center of the plate.. also >>> with the tip of the finger of the other hand try to touch the edge of >>> the plate to find if the food is not coming out at the edge etc. >> please >>> do not miss to cary a tissue in your other hand so that as soon as > you >>> dirty the tip of your finger you could immediately wipe it. Some > times >>> it is not even necessary especially in the parties or social > gathering >>> that you have to finish each and every partical of the rice ect you >> may >>> leave some in the plate and if some 1 askes you then you could tell >> them >>> that you are full with the food. There is no reason what so ever to >>> avoid any kind of food or even all together going to the parti > because >>> you are not able to eat comfortably with the spoon or folk. With >> regards >>> to pizza dosa etc there is no harm in eating the same with your hand >> as >>> so many sighted people are also not comfortable eating the same with >>> knife and folks. As long as you keep on wiping your hands it is >>> perfectly ok to eat with your hands also >>> >>> For me if I eat outside even dishes like pao bhaji or roti sabji I >> make >>> it a point to eat the sabji / bhaji with the spoon while rolling the >>> roti or holding a portion of the pao in my other hand and then eating >>> the same with it this ways I don't dirty my fingers also. >>> >>> Just some of my ideas which sute me, hope this may help some of you. >>> Thanks and warm Regards, >>> Nikita V. Raut, >>> Senior Manager [HR] >>> Baroda Corporate Center, Bank of Baroda, >>> C- 26, G - block, Bandra Kurla Complex, >>> Bandra [E], Mumbai- 400051. >>> deskphone: +91-22-66985557. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On >>> Behalf Of muruganandan.k >>> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 5:30 PM >>> To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues >>> concerningthe disabled. >>> Subject: Re: [AI] decent lunch etiquettes for person with visual >>> impairment >>> >>> hello, >>> the Spoon-Menace, as I prefer to term it for a long time, has been > one >>> of the unresolved problems in my daily life... I have even stopped >>> going to certain parties or eating certain dishes due to this... that >>> doesn't matter anyway, but it matters a lot when compelled to eat and >>> there's no other option but to use the pork/spoon! the ice-creems in >>> broad cups always frighten me for the trouble of "successfully >>> finishing the eating-operation"! "Spoon is the enemy of the BLIND", > my >>> visually impaired teacher would often remark! it seems perfectly >>> right, at least in my own experience. but, how to tackle this enemy? >>> because, we can't just get rid of the spoons/porks... >>> when I find the blind man in Carver's short story "Cathedral" so >>> astonishingly using the spoon, I use to envy him! all our people can >>> please read this story (if you haven't) for so many reasons! >>> >>> http://nbu.bg/webs/amb/american/6/carver/cathedral.htm >>> >>> I also request our community to seriously deliberate upon tackling >>> this pork and spoon challenge! >>> >>> thank u....... >>> >>> On 9/16/13, sharad tripathi <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Hello friends, >>>> I would like to attract all of you's attention to very important >> issue >>>> that is our problem in dealing with folk and spoons as well >> struggling >>>> with nonveg. dishes. although any how it does nbot bother us as we >> are >>>> managing it from long. this becomes a issue for other's respect when >>>> lunch is in honour of somebody or official meeting or lunch with MD >> of >>>> the company. In that case expectations increases for lowvision. >>>> fellows along with us expect us to not create any disorder while >> lunch >>>> oncentral table of company.If any mistake while or whole of your >>>> fingers in the food does seems embarrassing. >>>> therefore my major concern is is kindly provide tips so that lunch > in >>>> hard protocol does not go with empty stomach and noises of utensils. >>>> >>>> regards, >>>> sharad tripathi >>>> >>>> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing >>> accessibility of >>>> mobile phones / Tabs on: >>>> >>> >> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_acces >>> sindia.org.in >>>> >>>> >>>> Search for old postings at: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>>> [email protected] >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other > changes, >>> please >>>> visit the list home page at >>>> >>> >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >>> n >>>> >>>> >>>> Disclaimer: >>>> 1. 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AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >>> mails >>>> sent through this mailing list.. >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> "THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE IS NOT HATRED, BUT INDIFFERENCE" >>> MURUGANANDAN.K >>> Ph.D Scholar, >>> Department of English, >>> Pondicherry University, >>> puducherry-14 >>> mobile:+919787871008. >>> >>> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing >> accessibility >>> of mobile phones / Tabs on: >>> >> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_acces >>> sindia.org.in >>> >>> >>> Search for old postings at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> [email protected] >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >>> n >>> >>> >>> Disclaimer: >>> 1. 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If you are not the intended recipient, please > contact >> the sender by email and delete all copies; your cooperation in this > regard >> is appreciated. >> >> > ************************************************************************ > ** >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing > accessibility of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_acces > sindia.org.in >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> [email protected] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please >> visit the list home page at >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n >> >> >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking > of the >> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its > veracity; >> >> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the > mails >> sent through this mailing list.. >> > > > -- > Ajay Minocha > Mob : +91-9584076767 > E mail : [email protected] > [email protected] > Skype: ajayminocha2 > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility > of mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_acces > sindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n > > > Disclaimer: > 1. 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If you are not the intended recipient, please contact > the sender by email and delete all copies; your cooperation in this regard > is appreciated. > > ************************************************************************** > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > -- Akhilesh Dahiya, Advocate. Mobile: +91 9818798780 Email: [email protected] New Delhi Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
