Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think mash is the easiest thing to eat with chopsticks?

65 replies

PennyRa · 28/12/2022 23:17

Talking with a friend about Christmas, somehow the fact we used chopsticks for Christmas dinner came up (Chopsticks are the norm in our household). Friend said something along the lines of chopsticks are great but can't be used for everything. I replied, yeah sometimes you need a spoon. Friend responded "Yeah, imagine trying to eat mash with chopsticks"...

I didn't want friend to feel bad at the time, maybe they don't have much experience with chopsticks I'm not sure, so just glossed over it, but the more I think about it the more I'm confused.

AIBU to think mash is the easiest thing to eat with chopsticks?

OP posts:
RunLolaRun102 · 28/12/2022 23:36

It’s really rude to eat mash with chopsticks in high end places in Japan, China and South Korea (I spent a lot of time there when I was younger). You’re expected to use a fork. But then the same places expect you to curl your noodles into a spoon before eating them.

Tintackedsea · 28/12/2022 23:37

Like a potato lollipop. Or I suppose candy floss.

RambamThankyouMam · 28/12/2022 23:38

Massively frowned upon to eat mash with chopsticks in much of SE and East Asia.

Kanaloa · 28/12/2022 23:38

I mean depends how you make your mash I suppose. I get what she means, it would be hard to eat nicely with chopsticks. The way I see it, chopsticks should be used to pick food up neatly and transfer it to your mouth. Not just swirled round in mash then licked clean.

Kanaloa · 28/12/2022 23:39

Like I think the majority of the time chopsticks should stay relatively clean. They shouldn’t be dirty/covered in mash, and it wouldn’t be possible to pick mash up neatly/cleanly.

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:04

Ok, so maybe people haven't tried it but mash stays in nice neat little blocks if you use chopsticks, not dirty or sloppy in the slightest 😂

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:07

Maybe it’s how you’re making mash 🫤 I’ve never seen mash in ‘nice neat little blocks’ because then it would be blocks and not, you know… mashed.

PervyMuskrat · 29/12/2022 00:09

Not with the amount of gravy I put on it it wouldn’t.

ComtesseDeSpair · 29/12/2022 00:10

Sure, if you use them as a scoop then it’s easy. But why would you use chopsticks rather than spoon or fork to scoop up mashed potatoes in the first place. It isn’t the done thing to use them for food like that in the parts of Asia where chopsticks are commonplace so I’d imagine your friend is just stumped at the idea of trying.

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:10

Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:07

Maybe it’s how you’re making mash 🫤 I’ve never seen mash in ‘nice neat little blocks’ because then it would be blocks and not, you know… mashed.

Talking from experience from many restaurants. If your mash is pourable... That's on you 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:14

ComtesseDeSpair · 29/12/2022 00:10

Sure, if you use them as a scoop then it’s easy. But why would you use chopsticks rather than spoon or fork to scoop up mashed potatoes in the first place. It isn’t the done thing to use them for food like that in the parts of Asia where chopsticks are commonplace so I’d imagine your friend is just stumped at the idea of trying.

It's our culture to use them unless not possible and it is VERY possible, maybe even the easiest thing

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:19

PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:10

Talking from experience from many restaurants. If your mash is pourable... That's on you 😂

Show quote history

It’s obviously not pourable. It’s also not in blocks. It’s mashed. Hence the name. So not little solid blocks which are appropriate to eat with chopsticks.

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:24

Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:19

It’s obviously not pourable. It’s also not in blocks. It’s mashed. Hence the name. So not little solid blocks which are appropriate to eat with chopsticks.

Show quote history

I think you're confused, have you ever tried?

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:27

PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:24

I think you're confused, have you ever tried?

Show quote history

Why would I be confused? I was simply pointing out that if the mash is in ‘neat little blocks’ then it isn’t generally what most people would think of as mashed potatoes, which are usually mashed up, hence the name. Which is why your friend thought ‘these are a food, being mashed up, which are easiest to eat with a spoon.’

Most people don’t eat mash in neat little blocks with chopsticks. They eat it mashed up. Generally with a spoon or fork. So I’m not sure why you’re acting like I’m the one being weird.

User7642679 · 29/12/2022 00:30

PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:14

It's our culture to use them unless not possible and it is VERY possible, maybe even the easiest thing

Show quote history

And which culture is that??

dutysuite · 29/12/2022 00:30

I make creamy mash so it would be quite difficult to eat with chopsticks.

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:31

Kanaloa · 29/12/2022 00:27

Why would I be confused? I was simply pointing out that if the mash is in ‘neat little blocks’ then it isn’t generally what most people would think of as mashed potatoes, which are usually mashed up, hence the name. Which is why your friend thought ‘these are a food, being mashed up, which are easiest to eat with a spoon.’

Most people don’t eat mash in neat little blocks with chopsticks. They eat it mashed up. Generally with a spoon or fork. So I’m not sure why you’re acting like I’m the one being weird.

Show quote history

Ok, you are. You make blocks with your sticks 😅

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/12/2022 00:31

Can I just double check, OP, that you are from a culture that the other posters are 'teaching' you the 'correct' etiquette and manners about? On the basis of their holidays?

ouch321 · 29/12/2022 00:34

This is one of the oddest bragging posts (dressed up as concern for your friend naturally at her lack of proficiency in eating mash with chopsticks) I've seen on here.

User7642679 · 29/12/2022 00:48

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/12/2022 00:31

Can I just double check, OP, that you are from a culture that the other posters are 'teaching' you the 'correct' etiquette and manners about? On the basis of their holidays?

And shock horror, some of us are from some of these countries....

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:48

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/12/2022 00:31

Can I just double check, OP, that you are from a culture that the other posters are 'teaching' you the 'correct' etiquette and manners about? On the basis of their holidays?

I don't know what people assume of me but I am mixed Eurasian/born in Britain. I learnt my culture from my ancestors, passed down to me. I completely understand that chopsticks aren't a part of normal British life.

OP posts:
User7642679 · 29/12/2022 00:49

ouch321 · 29/12/2022 00:34

This is one of the oddest bragging posts (dressed up as concern for your friend naturally at her lack of proficiency in eating mash with chopsticks) I've seen on here.

It really is, and has amusingly highlighted the ops mash is obviously quite stodgy!

User7642679 · 29/12/2022 00:50

PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:48

I don't know what people assume of me but I am mixed Eurasian/born in Britain. I learnt my culture from my ancestors, passed down to me. I completely understand that chopsticks aren't a part of normal British life.

Show quote history

And are you going to name this country or not?

Original poster
PennyRa · 29/12/2022 00:52

User7642679 · 29/12/2022 00:50

And are you going to name this country or not?

Show quote history

Sorry, born English

OP posts:
Talipesmum · 29/12/2022 00:55

I’m with the OP - haven’t tried it, but I think it would be easy to eat mash with chopsticks, if it wasn’t mixed up with lots of gravy. I hate sloppy mash - I would do a big pan of potatoes with a huge dollop of butter and a good glog of milk, but while it’s all totally mashed up, it’s in no way runny - it’s definitely a solid, and in the same way as I could eat it with a fork, I could break it into pieces with chopsticks and eat it that way.