After living in Asia for about 6 months, we gathered quite a vibrant chopstick collection. When we got home to Portland, I wasn't sure what to do with our loot — luckily, I have a creative husband.
The chopstick collection is mounted above our bar counter using small eye hooks. These 1/4" screws can be found at most local hardware stores. My husband simply screwed the hooks into the wall in an organic, flowing line. This natural, wave shape keeps the collection from looking too tidy or precious and is remarkably beautiful. Plus, it's a living reminder of our journey together and all the good eating we did in Asia and continue to do back at home.
While traveling, I recommend starting a collection of some kind. Something small, inexpensive, light and durable makes an ideal souvenir. That being said, I collect pajamas from each country I visit, and those don't necessarily fit into any of those recommendations. However, collecting chopsticks was a natural in SE Asia, and every market or road side noodle shop bore the potential to be the site of the next great find. I even bought a set I love (the bright yellow ones) at a pho stand for about 20 cents. The lady noodle vendor laughed so hard, what was I wanting with a pair of old, stained chopsticks? Treasure can be found in such a variety of locales when abroad.
Each pair of chopsticks has a memory or story attached to it. The little lotus-tipped beauties were presented to me on my birthday, which we celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City over strong coffees and tea cakes. They are unique and elegant. I should be using them more often!
Do you collect any kitchen items while on the road? If so, do you use them when you get back home? How do you display your collections?
Related:
• Do You Have a Set of "Good" Chopsticks?
• small eye hooks
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Great idea! so simple but beautiful
What a beautiful and inspiring idea! We haven't started any kind of collection from our travels but this sure makes me think about the possibilities.
That is so cute!
Best compliment I can give: I want to do this with my chopsticks too!
Sweet! I just have mine in a glass on the counter. I use them, but mostly my favorite pair.
I store my collection in a short round vase filled with rice. I find that it lends a natural feel to the large number of chopsticks w/o feeling cluttered.
what an elegant display! ... like a chopstick buffet, so cool
I saw a collection once that was displayed in a smaller decorative utensil crock. Pretty cool.
On storing chopsticks in rice, I've heard that chopsticks standing straight up in a bowl of rice is taboo in China, because it looks like the incense offering to the dead. Is that true?
This has made me want to collect chopsticks when I tour Asia next and display them in a cool fashion. At least chopsticks are a small collection to backpack with!
Aw, I should find a pretty way to store my chopsticks! At the moment, they are in the front of my silverware drawer since I use them regularly.
Love, love, love. So simple and creative!
@Tamarind: you're close. Stabbing your chopsticks into a bowl of cooked rice (or any other food, really) when you are not using them is considered to be poor table manners, and rather offensive because of the incense association you mentioned. You are supposed to rest the chopsticks on the side of the bowl, or place them neatly on a chopstick holder.
I don't believe this would apply to storing chopsticks upright in a container, though.
Genius!
@Isa, @Tamarind: In Japan, a bowl of rice with chopsticks stuck straight up is placed at the head of the deceased, so it's not just representative, but an actual funeral rite.
It's fine to put chopsticks upright in a cup for dispensing, but this upright display doesn't really sit right with me. The shape of them is reminiscent of chopsticks stuck in rice, not grouped in a container.
When chopsticks are displayed in stores, they are displayed horizontally, perhaps suspended on small floating shelves. There are a number of rules for wielding chopsticks, and the way that you handle them shows respect for the chopsticks, and by extension, the food you receive.
I appreciate the clever and lively display, but the cuteness can't overcome what strikes me as a vaguely distasteful display.
Cool.
This is what I've done with my collection of chopsticks:
http://galstuff.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/chopsticks-wall-art-hanging/
(Well, it actually looks better than the pics and of course I wouldn't do it with such beautiful chopsticks.)
I love this idea! I usually collect spices when I travel. Not nearly as easy to display (and tragic when they run out eventually) but the flavors are such good reminders of adventures much-enjoyed!