Tablespoon device. The history of cutlery Spoon what is it made of who makes it

Lost in centuries. However, it is clear that this cutlery has been known since ancient times, and is much older than the fork, which appeared in Russia only in the 17th century. The solid age of spoons confirms many folk wisdom and sayings, where they appear, for example, "the road is a spoon for dinner", "seven with a bipod, one with a spoon" and so on. Interestingly, despite the fact that the spoon has not undergone significant changes in the course of its evolution, a lot of varieties of this cutlery have appeared, each of which has its own purpose.

Types of spoons and their purpose

Serving specialists divide spoons into two large groups: main and auxiliary. The main ones include:

• Dining room - it is used for eating mainly first courses, as well as cereals from deep plates. According to the universally recognized all-Union standard, which has been preserved in the CIS countries to this day, its volume is 18 milliliters.
• Dessert - used for eating cakes, ice cream and other desserts from deep dessert plates and bowls. In addition, it can also be used when serving soups, if they are poured into broth cups. Its volume is 10 milliliters.
• Tea room - designed for mixing sugar in tea, but can be combined with the function of dessert. By volume, it is equal to 5 milliliters.
• Coffee spoon - this spoon is used to enjoy the foam on latte and other coffee drinks. Its volume is half that of a tea - 2.45 milliliters.

Auxiliary spoons are represented by the following types:

• Bar - has a long flat or spiral handle with a ball or button-shaped tip. It is needed for making layered cocktails, mixing ingredients, as well as taking fruits or berries out of jars, for example, with compote. The ball at the end is convenient to use it for kneading spices or the same berries.
• Bouillon - serves for the use of liquid dishes. It is quite deep and often has a complex shape or decorative elements. In Pan-Asian restaurants, such spoons are often made of ceramics.
• Absinthe spoon - has a complex figured shape and patterned perforation. Sugar is placed on it, after which absinthe is poured.
• Grapefruit spoon - resembles a regular spoon, but its edges have serrations, with which it is convenient to pick out the pulp from citrus fruits and kiwi.
• Olive spoon - makes it easy to remove olives from a jar. It is distinguished by a long handle and a hole for draining liquid in the center.
• An ice cream scoop is a small spatula.
• Sauce - usually comes with a gravy boat. It has a slightly elongated shape and nose.

There are at least several dozen more types of spoons for different purposes: for sweets, for spices, for potatoes, for powdered sugar, and so on.

What are spoons made of?

Most often there are cutlery made of different types of metals and alloys, each of which, of course, has its own characteristics.

Stainless steel- This is a great option for everyday use. Such spoons do not rust, are easy to clean, do not fade. Good, practical, not too expensive.

Chrome nickel steel- also a great option that does not darken and does not lose its attractiveness. They differ from stainless steel spoons in their characteristic shimmering sheen. Also suitable for everyday use.

Aluminum- now it is quite rare, because it is not particularly attractive in appearance, and devices from it easily bend. But it is inexpensive, which led to its popularity in the Soviet years.

Wood- now wooden spoons are more likely to be found as a decorative element in the kitchen, although quite a few housewives still use them, for example, to stir dishes when cooking in a non-stick pan.

Ceramics- also rather a decorative and souvenir option, although such spoons are also used, for example, in the Pan-Asian restaurants mentioned above.

Plastic- disposable cutlery is made from it, as well as hiking and children's options.

Silver- a beautiful material, but expensive and requiring special care, as well as having a tendency to fade, darken and scratch when stored improperly. Previously, sets of silver cutlery were a sign of aristocratic origin and prosperity, now silver can be found in any home, often souvenir and so-called “baptismal” spoons are made from it.

Melchior- looks attractive and can compete with silver, but it also darkens, and it is very difficult to return it to its original appearance.

The choice of spoons is usually driven by the design of the dish they will be served with, as well as convenience and personal preference.

In order for the spoons to serve for a long time, they must be thoroughly washed and wiped immediately after eating, and the storage and use measures corresponding to a particular material must be observed.

In our time, the fashion for everything natural and natural is returning. Spoons and other utensils made of this material can be not only souvenirs, but also daily appliances for cooking and eating.

Now this cutlery is made of ceramics, metal, plastic and other modern materials. Our ancestors, who lived in harmony with nature, carved them for themselves from environmentally friendly material - wood. The birth of a wooden spoon in Russia is rooted centuries ago. The first mention of it can be found in the ancient Russian chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years", dated 1110 AD. By the way, the very meaning of the Russian word comes from the root "log" - deepening.

The history of the wooden spoon goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists claim to have found this item even in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs.

How did the wooden spoon come about?

Before the baptism of the Russian people by Vladimir, people did not use cutlery. The food was eaten directly with the hands. In order to raise the cultural level of the Orthodox people, the Grand Duke issued an order in which he commanded from now on to bring food only with their help.

From these times began the history of the creation of a wooden spoon. Craftsmen appeared, who were called "spoons", skillfully carving them of different lengths, shapes and volumes. A rough blank was made from a block, which was subsequently polished with special plants and stones. Usually they were made from linden and fruit trees, such as cherry, plum, apple, mountain ash.

Over time, in addition to the usual products with a thick handle, more elegant creations began to appear, with carved patterns and paintings. Not everyone could create a beautiful, light and. Mastery was honed over the years and passed on as a valuable legacy to apprentices or sons.

They began to paint them “under Khokhloma” only centuries later, at the beginning of the 19th century. On a golden or black background, skilled craftsmen painted twigs of mountain ash, fabulous birds and animals. Now this product rather serves as a gift souvenir, especially loved by visiting foreigners. The sizes of such devices are amazing - from small tea ladles to liter giant ladles. Recently, the customs of our ancestors began to return, more and more often you can see weddings, festivals and holidays held in folk costumes, with traditional Russian festivities. There is even a whole day that is named after this cutlery.

Like a musical instrument

For the first time, buffoons began to use them in this capacity, which accompanied cheerful songs and ditties with rhythmic tapping against each other. This custom has survived to this day. Any ensemble of folk songs must have spoons for playing in their arsenal. Warm, melodic sounds have become the "soul" of any Russian festivities.

It is very useful to teach young children how to play this instrument. This develops not only a sense of rhythm and fine motor skills, but also allows you to remove the excessive activity of little fidgets and instill in them the traditions of our ancestors. It has been noticed that children who learned to play such an instrument had the most even and beautiful handwriting at school.

Signs and divination

In Russia, each family member had her own, so they often carried it with them either in a special bag or in the top of their boots. From here came the expression: "To someone else's table, but with your own spoon."

Everyone knows the sign that has come down to us - a spoon fell from the table - wait for a woman to visit, a knife fell - a man.

In the old days, whole families guessed at them. The most famous was divination on a barrel of water. At night, each member of the family put his spoon into the barrel filled with water. The container was shaken well, and in the morning they looked at how they settled there. If everyone huddled together, it means that love and mutual understanding will reign in the family for a whole year. If one or two separated, then their owners are waiting for their departure from their home, or a quarrel with the rest.

In European culture, no one can do without a spoon. It is made from different materials. The size and shape of the cutlery depends on its purpose: coffee, tea, dessert. We immediately understand what we will eat this or that dish, and we don’t even think about who invented this item and when it acquired its usual appearance.

History and evolution of the spoon

The spoon is such an ancient invention that it is impossible to establish the time period of its existence. Researchers give different dates for her birth, the estimated age ranges from three to seven thousand years. Even the origin of the name of this word is not known. Linguists see the common Slavic root in the words "lick" or "crawl", as well as "log", which means "deepening". Perhaps the origin of the Greek - "swallow".

One thing is known for sure, that the spoon appeared much earlier than the fork. She can eat both solid and liquid food, and with a fork - only solid.

Ancient world

The similarity of spoons was used by primitive people, they were sea shells, halves of a nut shell or bent dense leaves of plants. Until now, some tribes in Africa and South America use convenient clam shells instead. The first spoons made by people looked like small earthenware ladles with short handles. Later, wood, animal bones and horns were used to create this item, and even later, metal.

Excavations have confirmed that cutlery was used in ancient Egypt as early as the fifth century BC - similar stone products were found. The ancient Greeks made spoons from mother-of-pearl shells. Archaeologists have found similarities of cutlery from animal horns and fish bones dating back to the third millennium BC. During the heyday of the Roman-Greek civilization, bronze and silver appliances used for eating food appeared.

Middle Ages

In Russia, spoons began to be used several centuries earlier than in other European countries. The annals mention the order of Prince Vladimir (X century) to craftsmen to make silver spoons for his entire squad. By this time in Russia, wooden spoons were already used everywhere. In some families, craftsmen made their own devices for eating food. But in most cases, they used the products of craftsmen-spooners. The following materials were used: aspen, maple, birch, linden, plum, apple tree. They were simple and practical products. They became carved and painted much later.

In addition to Italy and Greece, familiar with cutlery from ancient times, in the XIII century silver spoons appeared among the peoples of Europe. The disciples of Jesus Christ were depicted on the handles, so the cutlery began to be called “apostolic spoons”.

Renaissance

In the 15th century, in addition to bronze and silver, they began to make cutlery from copper and brass. Metal was still considered the privilege of rich people, the poor used wooden products.

Age of Enlightenment

Peter the Great went to visit with his cutlery. Following his example, a custom was established in Russia: when going to visit, take a spoon with you. In the 18th century, when aluminum was discovered, the first cutlery made of this metal was served only to respected guests, the rest were eaten with the help of silver utensils. In the same century, round spoons acquired the familiar and convenient oval shape. In addition, the established fashion for drinking tea has led to the production of cutlery in different sizes. By this time, the appearance of teaspoons, and a little more - and coffee ones.

The fashion for long sleeves also played a role in the transformation of the cutlery - the need for a longer handle arose, which made this item look like a modern one.

19th century

The German E. Geithner was the first in Europe (1825) to produce cutlery from an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, he called it Argentan. The alloy was cheaper than silver, so many European manufacturers began to use it for their products. Today, such spoons are called cupronickel, and they still have not lost their popularity.

XX, XXI century

The discovery of stainless steel at the beginning of the last century was a turning point in the history of cutlery. Now this metal has formed the basis of 80% of all spoons on the planet. Chromium, which is part of the product, protects it from corrosion.

Today, spoons are made from various metals and alloys, but silverware is still held in high esteem.

Spoons seem to be ordinary, familiar kitchen utensils. But, having passed a long historical path, they became participants in many interesting stories. For example, not everyone knows where the expression “beat the thumbs” came from, although everyone knows that they say this about lazy people. In the case of spoons, there is a simple task - to break the log into pieces (baklush), which become blanks for future products. In the production of spoons, breaking the buckets was considered an easy task and was entrusted to the most inept apprentices.

In the old days, everyone had their own spoon. When the first teeth appeared at the newborn and he began to receive food other than mother's milk, he was given a small spoon. It was believed: if it is made of silver or gold, the baby in the future will not need anything. Modern people often turn to the custom, giving the baby a silver spoon “by the tooth”.

People also believed in other signs associated with cutlery:

• accidentally putting two spoons in one cup, you can expect a wedding;
• a spoon fell from the table - wait for a woman to visit, a knife was dropped - a man will come;
• extra cutlery was on the table during a family dinner - there will be a guest;
• you can’t knock on the table with a spoon - trouble will come;
• those who lick the spoon after eating will have a happy marriage.

The cutlery played its role in the student life of the past. In the 19th century, young people studying at Kazan University put teaspoons under the cupboard before each exam in order to successfully pass the tests. It is difficult to say what meaning was put into this sign, but the students believed that it worked. At the University of Cambridge, the spoon was used for a different occasion: a grandiose cutlery almost the size of a human being was cut out of wood and given as a token of consolation to the most backward student.

The famous master of surrealism Salvador Dali used a spoon as an alarm clock. He attached great importance to daytime sleep, but did not want to spend too much time on it. Falling asleep in his favorite armchair, the artist held a table item in his hands. When he fell, Dali woke up from the sound. This time was enough for him to restore his strength to continue his work.

Such a small object as a spoon has a long history and is an indispensable attribute of our life.

In the next video you will find the history of the spoon in pictures.

The history of the appearance of the spoon goes back to the Neolithic era. Then materials such as shells, bones, horns were used, and spoons made of wood were also encountered. A little later, spoons were made from baked clay, and when they learned to melt metals, spoons made of bronze, silver and other alloys began to gain popularity. Historical facts confirm that in Russia the peasants used a wooden spoon for the kitchen, and the first silver spoon was cast especially for Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko already in 998 AD.

Initially, they used, in our opinion, "ladles" and medium-sized spoons for eating. But with the advent of the fashion for tea and coffee, small teaspoons also became widespread.

Types of the most common spoons

If you are not a fan of secular receptions, where 5-6 outlandish cutlery lies on both sides of your plate, then most likely you are used to using three types of spoons:

1. Dining room. This is a fairly large spoon for soups and broths, as well as cereals and mashed potatoes. According to the standard, the volume of such a spoon is 18 ml. In the modern version, such a spoon scooped oval, with varying degrees of depth. Our ancestors in Russia used deep wooden spoons with a round scoop.
2. Tea room. The name of the spoon speaks for itself. Small spoons are designed for mixing sugar in a mug and portioned drinking. now the phenomenon is not rare, they are especially well suited for young children, but still more often in kitchens there are metal spoons. The volume of a teaspoon is 5 ml.
3. Dessert. This spoon is larger than a teaspoon and smaller than a tablespoon. Its volume is 10 ml. Use such a spoon for eating sweet desserts (cakes, puddings). According to etiquette, dessert spoons with an elongated handle are intended for ice cream.

What other spoons are

Of course, these three types do not close the list of the whole variety of spoons and spoons intended for a meal. Let's briefly get acquainted with other types:

• Coffee. The size of this spoon is half the size of a teaspoon, only 2.5 ml. Also for those who brew coffee in a Turk, these are made with a long handle so that it is convenient to stir coffee in a Turk;
• Grapefruit, melon or kiwi spoon. The highlight of such a spoon is in sharp cloves along the edges. The volume of such a device is similar to a dessert spoon;
• Olive spoon. This is a small spoon with a hole in the middle so that the marinade drains, and the olive itself remains in the spoon. Differs in the extended handle;
• Bar spoons. Includes a variety of devices for making absinthe, for mixing cocktails, etc.

In elite restaurants, you can find special spoons for oysters, eggs, cheese and other delicacies.

Wooden honey spoon

People call it "spindle". What is such an object? The spoon is made of natural hardwood, looks like a small mace with an oblong tip, on which slots are applied. The handle of such a spoon is very long, so that it is convenient to get a sweet treat even from deep cans.

Honey is wound on a mace, flows through the slots, and thus it can be easily transferred to another container, for example, a bowl or a jar, without spilling a single drop along the way.

The history of cutlery begins with the oldest cutlery, the knife. There is an opinion that it was a bone or stone knife, and not a stick, that became the first tool of a skilled person. For many millennia, the knife was used as a weapon, for hunting and all kinds of work, but already about 5000 years ago, special table knives appeared. Until the Middle Ages, people carried personal utility knives with them, which they used not only at the table, but also at work. In the 15th and 16th centuries, expensive gold knives with expensive wood handles appeared on the tables of noble people. Over time, only the materials changed in the knives, new forms of the blade and handle appeared. Simple bronze knives with a wooden handle and exquisite silver and gold knives with luxurious inlaid handles have given way to universal steel knives with plastic handles. As for the shape of the knife, the first table knives made of copper and bronze differ only slightly in shape from modern ones. Until the 17th century, only knives with sharpened blades existed. The rounded bases of the blades, according to legend, appeared on the orders of Louis XIV to prevent the habit of courtiers picking their teeth and eating from a knife. Despite the fact that the folding knife seems to be a recent invention, it was invented by the Romans in the 1st century for use during military campaigns and travel. The custom that soon appeared of carrying a knife in a sheath prevented the further development of pocket knives. At the end of the 16th century, the folding knife again became necessary for travelers and soldiers as a weapon, a tool for defense and cutlery.

The second cutlery after the knife was the spoon. It is not known exactly when the first spoons appeared, because they were made from clay, wood chips, nut shells or shells. Until now, in remote parts of the world, people use shells to scoop up liquid food, and in Latin and ancient Greek the word "spoon" is derived from "snail shell". Already starting from the III millennium BC. spoons made of horn, wood and fish bones appeared. Ancient Roman nobility already used golden spoons. In Egypt, spoons for the nobility were made of precious metals, ivory and stone, commoners used wooden spoons, and more often they ate with their hands. In Southeast Asia, beautiful spoons were made from crystals and later from porcelain. In Europe, mainly wooden spoons were made. The Anglo-Saxon word for "spoon" (spoon) has the same root as "splinter". The history of cutlery in Russia suggests that the spoon came into use by ordinary people much earlier than in Europe. It was customary to carry your own wooden spoon with you until the 19th century. There were many variants of wooden spoons from coarse burlatsky ones to thin and carved pointed ones. The first mention of silver spoons in Russia dates back to 988, when the warriors of Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko demanded large silver spoons as compensation for the adoption of a new faith.

Although the Romans, who spread cutlery throughout the Roman Empire, preferred oval-shaped spoons with a long handle, spoons with a round recess and a short handle convenient for gripping spread in Europe, and only in the 15-17th centuries did elongated oval-shaped spoons begin to appear again. A significant lengthening of the handle occurred at a time when puffy collars and frills were in vogue. With the advent of wigs and crinolines, the handles of spoons took on an elegant shape and length familiar to us. In the middle of the 19th century, flat-handled spoons appeared because they could be held elegantly with three fingers. At the same time, the custom appeared to place figures of 12 apostles on the handles of expensive spoons. (That's why the sets were formed for 12 people.) For christening, a baby was given a silver spoon with the image of the apostle, in whose honor he is named. Until now, this custom has been preserved in many Christian countries. In Russia, however, it was modified into a gift of a silver spoon in honor of the first tooth.

Cutlery has been a work of art for a very long time, as the history of cutlery tells. "Silverware" was a symbol of aristocracy and distinguished commoners from the nobility not only by the presence of luxury items, but also by the ability to use cutlery and observe etiquette. In an old English magazine, you can find advice: make a hole in a silver teaspoon to teach a child to use it only for stirring sugar and catching tea leaves, but not for drinking tea or pouring sugar. At the end of the 18th century, metal spoons ceased to be a sign of the nobility; in any family there were spoons made of bronze or tin. At the beginning of the 19th century, an alloy of copper with nickel and zinc was invented, which was very similar to silver and was called argentan, alfenide or cupronickel. Cupronickel spoons quickly gained popularity in Europe and Russia. In the middle of the 19th century, there was a period of enthusiasm for aluminum appliances, which are now associated with Soviet catering. At the table of Napoleon III, aluminum spoons were served only to the emperor and the most respected guests, everyone else had to eat with gilded utensils.

The fork is the youngest cutlery. The prototype of the modern fork appeared in ancient Greece. It was a fairly large tool with two sharp teeth for pulling meat out of the fryer and serving complex hot dishes. In addition to two-pronged forks, pikes and skewers were used for serving, on which meat was served. They didn't use forks to eat, but ate with their hands. At Roman feasts, it was customary to wear special gloves or pointed fingertips to keep the hands clean. In the 7th century, small forks with two prongs appeared in Turkey, in the 10th century - in Byzantium, from where they spread throughout Europe. Due to their resemblance to devil horns and the inconvenience to use, forks were almost forgotten during the Middle Ages. And in some countries, forks were even banned by decree of the Pope. In the 14th and 16th centuries, forks were considered a whim of the rich. In France, at that time, they just stopped eating from a knife and used a single-pronged fork (awl) to prick pieces of food. Even in the early 17th century, English gentlemen considered the fork to be superfluous and preferred to use their fingers. According to the etiquette of that time, the meat was elegantly taken with three fingers, after which they were rinsed in a special bowl. Only at the end of the 17th century, when conveniently curved forks with three and four prongs appeared, did they become an essential attribute of high society. It is generally accepted that forks appeared in Russia thanks to Peter I, however, at the court of his father, Alexei Mikhailovich, these devices were already served to honored foreign guests. And the first fork was brought to Russia by Marina Mnishek, the wife of False Dmitry, and this did not at all contribute to her popularity among the people. Russian aristocrats were taught to use a fork just during the reign of Peter I, who carried his cutlery with him, not being sure that he would be served the same at a party. In Russian, until the 18th century, there was not even a word for “fork”, and the device was called a horn or a fork. Russian peasants were wary of forks until the beginning of the 20th century, considering an overseas device uncomfortable and superfluous at a simple peasant table.

Medieval noble travelers carried folding forks and spoons, as cutlery was not given to guests in inns. Travel cutlery compactly fit into a beautiful case and fastened to a belt.

In the middle of the 18th - early 19th century, Europe learned a huge number of new products, recipes for gourmet dishes were developed that required due attention. As a result, many types of specialized knives, spoons and forks appeared, and, accordingly, the rules of etiquette became more complicated. In the 20th century, the reverse movement began: towards the simplification and unification of cutlery. The fork-spoon (spork), invented at the beginning of the 19th century, became widespread. This device has a liquid recess and 2 or 3 teeth. Plastic spoons are commonly served in fast food restaurants. They are great for eating ice cream and desserts. Another version of the fork-spoon: there is a fork at one end of the handle, a spoon at the other. There is even a device that combines a spoon, fork and knife (splayd). Like a simple fork-spoon, it combines a liquid cavity with teeth and, in addition, has a sharp right edge, which makes it unsuitable for left-handers.

It seems natural to us that the main cutlery is a knife, spoon and fork. However, less than half of the world's population use them. The rest prefer to eat with chopsticks, a knife and hands or just hands. From this it follows that chopsticks are the most common cutlery on earth.

It is not known when the first chopsticks appeared, perhaps their prototype was twigs, which were used to put hot stones in pieces of raw food wrapped in leaves or turned food over on fire. Initially, chopsticks were made from split bamboo and resembled tongs. The commanders of the Asian nomadic tribes tied a case with such tongs and a knife to their belt. The Mongolian tribes never switched to using separate sticks. The oldest split sticks found in China are made of bronze and date back to the 12th century BC. In ancient times, chopsticks were used in religious ceremonies and symbolized wealth and high birth. Only in the 8th-9th centuries AD. they have become everyday cutlery. The Chinese name for the sticks is kuaizu (kuàizi), which literally means "quick bamboo". Bamboo is the most suitable material for chopsticks, as it has no odor or taste of its own, does not conduct heat, and is relatively cheap. Sticks were also made from sandalwood, cedar, pine, teak, jade, agate, coral, ivory and precious metals. Interestingly, the ancient name of sticks (zhù) sounded the same as “stop”, so on ships, and later everywhere, it was replaced with a word with the opposite meaning “quickly”.

Not surprisingly, it was chopsticks that became popular in Southeast Asia, and not other devices. Indeed, in oriental cuisines, the reception of short-term frying of products in a rounded wok pan prevails, which is explained by the lack of fuel for long processing. To fry meat and vegetables in a few minutes, they should be finely chopped. In addition, Japanese rice, common in this region, is very sticky, it is convenient to eat it with chopsticks.

Over the many centuries of the existence of sticks, several varieties of them have appeared. Long metal or bamboo sticks (up to 40 cm) are used for cooking, short ones (20-25 cm) are used for eating. Sticks ending in a blunt end are intended for rice and vegetables, as they have an additional surface; Pointed chopsticks are convenient for eating meat and removing bones from fish. Raw wood or bamboo sticks have antibacterial properties and hold food pieces better, as they have a rough texture; it is more difficult to eat with metal, porcelain and lacquered sticks made of precious wood or ivory. Such sticks are real works of art that require experience in handling. In China, sticks made of raw wood or bamboo with blunt ends are common; in Japan it is customary to eat with fish-friendly lacquered pointed hashi sticks, with sticks for men, women and children varying in size, and children's sticks are also brightly colored. In Japan, chopsticks are placed on stands with their sharp ends up. Tibetan and Taiwanese sticks are shaped like unsharpened pencils. In Korea, they make flat stainless steel sticks and additionally use a deep spoon for noodles. Traditionally, Korean chopsticks were made of silver and used only by the aristocracy. Asian restaurants usually serve disposable chopsticks held together with a bridge, which should be separated before use.

According to etiquette, chopsticks should not make sounds to attract attention. They can not pierce food, with the exception of whole vegetables, which are difficult to capture. Chopsticks should not be left vertically inserted into a bowl of rice, as this is reminiscent of the incense burned at a funeral. For the same reason, chopsticks should not be placed to the left of the plate, because this is how a memorial dish is served. Even left-handers are supposed to hold chopsticks in their right hand. During dinner, it is impolite to place chopsticks in such a way that they point at a neighbor. In China and Vietnam, it is acceptable to hold a bowl to the mouth and use chopsticks not to grab the rice, but simply to push it into the mouth, but in Korea, this behavior is considered uncivilized. In Japan, it is not allowed to transfer anything from one chopstick to another. To shift food from a common plate, a special pair of chopsticks is used. In extreme cases, you can use the reverse side of individual sticks. After the meal is finished, you should put the chopsticks in front of the plate with the ends to the left. Chinese and Japanese children start eating with chopsticks at around one year of age. It is believed that this develops fine motor skills and affects the ability of the child.