Did you enjoy eating Hoola Hoops from your fingers? I think you did. Are you aware of the great benefits of eating with your hands? I think not.
Eating with your hands encourages thoughtful eating, forcing you to pay attention to what you consume. By taking your time, you will feel satisfied even after consuming less food. This stops binge eating, which contributes to weight gain. Apart from this, it also improves digestion which is great! The brain and the stomach communicate with each other when we touch our meal, which facilitates the stomach’s preparation for the arrival of food, this is often why your Mum might often turn off the TV when eating dinner.
For someone who has not eaten typical foods with their hands, the experience can be a little awkward in the beginning, especially when tackling messier menu items like spaghetti bolognese. Sometimes it feels strange to eat with our hands in a public setting – even if we do prefer to eat with our hands in the privacy of our home.
The ‘digit-dining’ trend has actually been backed by leading professors at Oxford University. Professor Charles Spence is an Experimental Psychologist and has devoted his entire career to studying multisensory foods and the benefits of eating with hands. Speaking to him he said “Eating with your hands is scientifically proven to improve texture and the flavour of food, as well as a whole host of health benefits. It’s something more people should know about and get to grips with!” He went on, “Many of the world’s most popular foods are eaten with the hands – think burgers, tacos, tortillas, wraps, and wings, so why can’t other foods be as well?”
According to studies, experts believe when assessing food directly with the hand before eating it we pick up useful information about the freshness, ripeness, and tenderness of it, which stimulates our senses and can make the dish taste better, which is why I wanted to put it to the test.
My very first Hands-Glee experience was brought to life by online restaurant booking and discovery platform, TheFork. Their new experience was introduced after new research revealed a staggering quarter of Brits secretly eat with their hands at home behind-closed-doors and if given the permission a further 1 in 4 would jump at the chance to unleash this ritual when dining out in restaurants.
I was hosted at Don Ciccio Osteria Italian restaurant, in Highgate Village for my first time eating ‘Hands Glee’. The restaurant was very warm and cosy, well-decorated which was quite romantic. They aimed to give the customers a memorable dining experience that combines the originality of traditional Italian recipes and warmth with a relaxed atmosphere.
We started off with Deep-Fried Calamari for our starter. That was probably the easiest dish to eat with my hands and you can’t go wrong ordering Fried Calamari. They have a wide variety of pasta options, and I had Don Ciccio’s Homemade Tagliatelle with Mushrooms and Truffle and the Seafood Homemade Ravioli with Pistachio sauce. Both were excellent choices and were delicious yet very entertaining to eat as I had to pour the strands of spaghetti down into my mouth. The main course was a lot easier, I had the Veal Milanese (breaded veal cutlet), Bolognese Spaghetti, and Parma Ham Chicken Breast. The chicken was served with roast potatoes and vegetables, which were a great match. I also had the Tuna Steak with Asparagus and Tomato. They were a lot simpler to eat with my hands, although I felt like my mother was going to tell me off for eating with my hands at the restaurant. Finally for dessert, a Chocolate tart with pear and pepper sauce and a scoop of their homemade gelato. Probably one of my favourite desserts, yet the hardest to eat! Nonetheless, it was mouth-wateringly delicious!
Images from Louis Mennear
Eating with hands has become an increasingly popular trend in London. Some foods can be eaten easily, while others tend to give you a hard time. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the spaghetti was quite easy to eat; however, the ice cream was the hardest. It was cold and difficult to grip. The pasta and main course dishes produced a warm fuzzy sensation in the hands when eating, this was especially prominent with the pasta! For those readers who thought I ate the whole meal with my hands… Well, I did cheat for dessert, as I tried to eat the ice cream but by the time it was nearing my mouth, it would just melt, giving me a very dissatisfying look as I very much enjoy my desserts and hate it going to waste!!
So, why not head to Don Ciccio Osteria for an exquisite “Hands-Glee” dining experience. Would I go again? I would definitely try the experience again and would also return to Don Ciccio Osteria.
Discover, book, and eat world cuisines Hands-Glee by visiting TheFork and get 50% off food at selected Hands-Glee restaurants across London, as well as 100+ others taking part in TheFork Festival running until 27th November 2022.
Featured Photo by Jam Press/TheFork
