In the spirit of getting ready for Chinese New Year, we get to warm up today by celebrating National Chopsticks Day. Today, people worldwide will celebrate these humble and ancient utensils. Chopsticks were developed about 5,000 years ago in China.
Originally, chopsticks were used by cooks while preparing food — those tools were probably long enough to reach into hot cooking pots. Sometime later, fuels for cooking became scarce in China and food was prepared in smaller pieces reducing the time needed to cook it. Because of the reduction in the size of the food being cooked, the need for sharp eating instruments faded and shorter chopsticks entered the scene.
Once these handy eating tools found their way to the dinner table, they spread around the world. Today chopsticks may be made from wood, like bamboo or aspen. Some chopsticks are elaborately carved from jade, ivory, or wood and some are ornately painted with miniature scenes.
My personal chopsticks are made of titanium — so I guess you could say they’re “high tech.”
But never pass up a good reason to celebrate — especially in February. Happy Chopsticks Day.
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