I’m a big fan of finger food. I like getting right in there, using my hands to eat. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the use of utensils, and contrary to a recent episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, my child (2 years old) does and will learn to use forks, knives and spoons (and probably chopsticks too!). But there’s nothing like digging into your meal with your hands and really feeling the food. Textures and temperatures, they’re all right there for you to truly embrace that food, get you closer to it and love it even more.

In many countries, use of utensils is rare and often only for special occasions. The use of breads, banana leaves, and other forms of vessel is common practice. What fun to eat your dinner off a freshly washed banana leaf!

For me the serving of finger foods is not as common as it could be in our household. Often there are chopped salads, or whole chunks of meat or saucy things dripping in goodness (also I’m partial to really hot food). I’m sure we could eat them with our hands, but this would be somewhat against the natural order of Western culture, right?

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