How to Eat Rice With Your Hands

Even before I learned to eat with a spoon, I learned how to eat with my hands—as most of us do.

But the way that I learned to eat with my hands was through a technique meant to be used the rest of my life. Not to expire after childhood. There is an entire etiquette and ideal form to it.

As a child I learned to squish my food properly, firm but not too tight, sweeping my fingers against the plate to gather just the right amount for one bite.

Exhibit A - detail of painting
”Food tastes better this way.”
40 x 30 in
Acrylic on panel
2023

The secret is to your thumb. The trick is to place your thumb behind the ball of food, pushing your thumb and retracting your fingers to gently insert the portion into your mouth. See exhibit A.

Also, never eat with your left hand.

This way of eating was a secret. Only meant to be seen by others who knew how to eat rice with their hands. I would absolutely never eat like this at school.

I never had a friend, or boyfriend who would see my eat this way… until I met my current partner.

I taught him how to properly eat with his hands, to use his thumb as a power tool. It’s now a party trick. He’s a White Montana Boy in the secret club, who knows how to eat rice with his hands. All of the aunties love him.

Work in progress
”I’ll save the forks for you.”
40 x 30 in
Acrylic on panel