It's one of the very first rules of life we're taught as children: you shouldn't eat with your hands. According to etiquette and good manners, in fact, you must use cutlery to put food in your mouth. But don't rules always have exceptions? Here are 12 foods that must be eaten directly with your hands, partly for convenience, partly for tradition, and partly because they taste even better that way.
1. Burgers
Someone invented the hamburger stand, someone cuts them in half, but the truth is this: there's only one way to eat a hamburger bun, and that's with your hands. And it's not easy, it requires real technique and the right skill —the perfect grip, to keep the condiments from spilling—but the pleasure of biting into this deliciousness without a fork in between is unparalleled. It's such a thrilling pleasure that there are even dozens of tutorials online teaching you how to eat a hamburger bun the right way.
2. Pizza
Whether sliced or round, pizza eaten with your hands is a true pleasure. According to etiquette, pizza by the slice doesn't require a fork or knife, while pizza by the plate should be cut and eaten with cutlery. But let's face it, what's more satisfying than biting into a steaming slice of pizza straight from your hand? In Naples, they've even devised the perfect technique: folding each slice like a booklet, so as to prevent the toppings from falling off and fully enjoy every single ingredient.
3. Ribs, Spareribs and Wings
Whether it's the classic rack of ribs in barbecue sauce, the inviting buffalo wings so beloved by Americans, or even signature breaded lamb chops, this type of meat must necessarily be enjoyed with your hands. In this case, it's also primarily a question of practicality: try slicing a rib with a knife and fork without getting sauce all over your face!
4. Roasted or Fried Chicken
We challenge you to find yourself in front of a succulent, freshly baked chicken leg, or a fragrant fried wing, and eat it with a fork. Your hands are the best way to enjoy this delicacy, perhaps accompanied by a side of French fries. It's now the most popular way to eat chicken in the world, even though etiquette dictates that it should be kept on the plate and cut only partially, without insisting on picking the bones.
5. Indian Curries
In some cases, eating with your hands isn't a matter of taste or convenience, but a genuine cultural element. In India, for example, most dishes, especially curries, are strictly eaten with your hands: you must use your right hand, scoop up the food with the bread using your thumb and first two fingers, and push it directly into your mouth. Only in this way will you fully enjoy the combination of flavors, but remember to never use your left hand, as it's considered disrespectful.
6. Tacos, Wraps, Piadinas and Street Food
Street food is no longer just a simple snack, but a true must-have in any country you visit, a tasty and filling meal to be eaten on the go and, of course, with your hands. The examples are countless: from delicious Mexican tacos and wraps, unthinkable to eat with cutlery, to the classic kebab —although these days you can also eat it "deconstructed" on a plate—to the Greek stuffed pita and piadina, filled with the finest ingredients from every cuisine.
7. French Fries
While baked potatoes are strictly eaten with a fork, their street-style counterpart, French fries, can—and should—be an exception: they're eaten with your hands, dipping them in sauce. Whatever their form—French fries, classic sticks, or chips —eating them with your hands while strolling down the street or sitting at a pub counter is unparalleled.
8. Mollusks
For once, popular tradition and etiquette agree: all shellfish, such as mussels, clams, and oysters, should be eaten without cutlery, and for this very reason, etiquette dictates that they always be accompanied by a small plate on which to place the empty shell. Etiquette isn't entirely in agreement about mopping up the sauce at the end, but we challenge you to resist a sauce that tastes of the sea.
9. African Injera
If you've ever spent an evening at an African restaurant, which is now increasingly popular on our continent, you've undoubtedly tasted injera. It's the staple of Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali cuisine, a round, spongy, sour-tasting bread that accompanies practically every dish, from legumes and vegetables to spiced meats and hot stews. Diners tear off a piece of injera with their hands, scooping up the seasonings, and then eat it all in one bite.
10. Couscous
A staple dish for most Mediterranean coastal populations, couscous has now spread throughout the world in a thousand different variations, from salad to finger food. The original couscous, however, from North Africa, is a different story entirely, and is eaten strictly in company and with the hands. The dish of the ancient nomads, in fact, is a social dish: everyone sits together around the table, using three fingers of the right hand, and scoops up a scoop of couscous directly from the central plate.
11. Asparagus
This may also be surprising, but many ancient etiquette documents recommend eating asparagus with your hands. In those days, however, the table was equipped with finger-washing cups, small bowls of scented water: a custom that is now becoming popular again in certain types of restaurants. So, if you can clean yourself, eating asparagus with your hands is perfectly acceptable.
12. Sushi
The most unexpected surprise on our list is definitely sushi: we're used to picking it up with chopsticks, or often a fork (but never do this in Japan, it's a frowned upon practice), but never with our hands. Yet in its country of origin, sushi can be eaten directly with the fingers, dipped in soy sauce and savored in all its deliciousness. This applies to all types of sushi except sashimi, which is eaten only with chopsticks.
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