Chopsticks Calling It Quits?

I pride myself on being able to use chopsticks when eating Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese food. I started eating with them several years ago and over time my technique has been perfected. I don't think I eat anywhere near as fast as some folks do, but then again I don't eat with them every day. Many people ask why I don't just use a fork; well, the simple reason is because I believe that 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do.'

Most places around the area that I have been to usually provide you with your dishes for the various sauces, and of course, a knife, fork and spoon. Now if this place is going for a more authentic crowd, they will first only serve you chopsticks. If it's classy they'll give you expensive reusable chopsticks. If it's somewhat classy, they'll give you reusable plastic chopsticks. If it's middle of the road, they will give you disposable pre-separated wood chopsticks. If it's one of those normal everyday places, they will give you the 'stuck-together' wood chopsticks that must be torn apart prior to use. But now, that practice may soon come to an end.

An article I read the other day stated that China, the largest exporter of wooden chopsticks -- no surprise there! -- is going to start raising the prices of their chopstick exports. The reason for this is that the Chinese government has imposed higher taxes on chopstick manufacturers due to the fact that the sheer growth in chopstick usage worldwide has led to a growing deforestation of China. Now if that isn't an example of cause and effect I don't know what is. Just as oil costs have increased due to rising consumption in China and India, chopstick costs have increased due to increased chopstick usage in the United States. The reason? Sushi!

Sushi is big in the United States as well as in Japan. I order it this way because we Americans are a little late to this particular party and so to make up for lost time, you will now find a sushii restaurant on almost every other corner. It's getting so that you can go from Sushi to Starbucks without every having to step on the road anymore. Throw in an occasional McDonald's and you've got a slice of Americana! So now, due to rising chopstick costs, many restauranteurs are choosing to either raise prices (to account for higher chopstick costs) or switching to reusable plastic chopsticks.

That's not the most cost effective means for many companies but it may be the only way to keep food costs down and affordable for the general public. So what to do? Well, the places that continue to use the wood chopsticks will undoubtedly begin screening customers prior to providing them chopsticks. Determining whether or not they are 'chopstick-worthy' so to speak. It will be a major cultural and lifestyle shift for many people. Who knows how it will affect the sushi business here in the States. All I can say is... there's something inherently wrong with wanting to eat sushi with a fork.