Chopsticks

Chopsticks are small tapered sticks used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The pair of sticks is maneuvered in one hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to pick up pieces of food.

Chopsticks in Curious Notions
In the Home timeline, use of chopsticks was common, also among Americans of non-Oriental ancestry. Like many of his contemporaries, Paul Gomes was adept in their use from a younger age, often going to eat at Oriental restaurants.

On the other hand, in the alternate German-occupied United States where Gomes and his father operated the Curious Notions shop, it was completely unheard of for any but people of Chinese or Japanese ancestry to use chopsticks. When eating with members of the Triads at a Chinese restaurant, Gomes in a rash act of bravado demonstrated his skill in using chopsticks. This he immediately regretted, as it clearly betrayed his being essentially alien and making his shrewed Chinese opponents all the more curious about and suspicious of his antecednants.