I twirl pretty much the same way you do. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know how to twirl. DH cuts his up. Drives me crazy, especially as he doesn’t care for shapes, which require no cutting.

I can sort of twirl with chopsticks. One technique I’ve seen used in Asia (which I also use) is to partly twirl and layer the noodles into a Chinese style porcelain soup spoon.

Sorry, but I break my spaghetti in half, hopefully to avoid the slurp! My hubby of almost 34 years knows I don't like mouth noises, yet he still slurps his pasta!

I still twirl what noodles we have, but bite off what is hanging out of my mouth and bite the noodles to drop on the plate!

This being a "thing" for me, we don't eat a lot of spaghetti together, or other pasta.

My favorites are lasagna, stuffed shells or manticonti, and small pasta dishes!

Giada can slurp my dishes (elsewhere!)

I'm not a pasta fan, so I eat spaghetti or spaghetti type noodles maybe once a year, when I can not weasel my way out of it. I don't much care for red sauce either, so traditional spaghetti is a punishment for me and I especially dislike pesto, so that's out. I'll eat the peanut butter laced Asian type noodle dishes, I've been known to eat carbonara and prima vera and lo mein. I cut the noodles up, as I think even three or four strands of spaghetti wrapped around a fork is too big a mouthful and difficult to eat. One strand at a time is tedious. Like nancyjane, I break the spaghetti in half when I put it into the pot so I'm already part of the way there.

I've gotten way, way past caring what other people think or whether something is "the Correct Way" or "authentic". I don't slurp or gobble or gulp or smack or make disgusting noises. I don't shovel in my food and I keep my napkin on my lap and chew with my mouth shut. However, if someone else has a problem with me cutting up spaghetti they just have way too much time to spend complaining about something that does not affect their life in any significant manner, so Giada is going to have to get over herself.

Annie

Oh, my! This wasn't supposed to be a judgment thing! If you don't flick bits of sauce on me or make kennel noises, I don't care how you eat! This was just supposed to be fun trivia on how people do it, and maybe sharing tips for success.

It‘s entirely possible to twirl and eat noodles without slurping. I don’t slurp.

My oldest friend, since we were 4, is half Italian. Her father had restaurants and he was horrified that I couldn't twirl. He made me do it, and I was so scared of his disapproval that I learned really fast LOL. I am useless with anything chopstick.

I twirl. I sometimes use a spoon, but I've learned as others here to twirl at the edge. I never ever slurp a string into my mouth. I'll bite it off if necessary.

Chopsticks? Forgetaboutit.

I cut and also break the spaghetti (or other long pasta) in half before boiling.

But when I make Pancit with rice noodles (vermicelli) it seems impossible to break up the mass of noodles before throwing them in the wok. If I try to break it up first, little pieces of rice noodle go flying all over the kitchen and requires vacuuming after dinner. I would swear that rice noodles are just one long noodle per package. Therefore, I twirl my Pancit and then bite off what is dangling.

My RA precludes me from using chopsticks anymore...not enough dexterity left.

I use a soup spoon with my fork when I twirl pasta, but the only long pasta I cook is either fettuccine or linguini - I tend to avoid spaghetti. Kevin cuts his pasta to eat it, and that does not bother me, but I will not break the pasta before boiling it.

I'm fairly good with chopsticks, although it is tricky to eat noodles with them, and so I also use a ceramic Chinese soup spoon and twirl the noodles into the spoon and eat them in the spoon. I do not eat Italian noodles with the spoon, however.

Usually we eat smaller shaped pasta, but I occasionally make pappardelle, and I simply eat that with a fork, one noodle at a time.

I rarely eat pasta in public (except when I was in Italy), and so it really doesn't matter how I eat it. I do eat Chinese noodles in public, and I generally do what others in the restaurant are doing, except that I do not slurp as much as they do.

I've noticed that Vietnamese people tend to hold their rice bowls very close to their face when eating rice and then shovel it in with their chopsticks. This seems a bit uncouth to me, but it is probably correct for them.

Yes, a lot of Asians do the shovel. :) I assume it's acceptable, but also assume that it's not formal company manners. :)

Certainly papardelle don't twirl! I often cut with my fork as I go, or sometimes fold. :)

Coleenoz. Please teach my hubby of not 34,but 44 years how!

@nancyjane_gardener, I would if I could, but in 40 years I haven’t managed to teach my DH to put the damn toilet seat down!

Toilet seats and slurping......don't go together!

True, but it’s an example of how I can’t train bad habits away!

Have y'all seen If a Man Answers?

I too break spaghetti and linguine in half to boil. I break it into little squares with my fork and eat it that way because it is neater. DH twirls. I just ignore that.

Fun topic!

I don't twirl. I can do it, but I don't like to. As Annie said, even a couple of strands, twirled, is too much to put in my mouth a once.

So, I cut. I don't cut it all up with my knife in advance, unless I'm at home eating by myself. I just cut with my fork as a go, like any other food that needs cutting in that fashion.

As far as Giada goes, it's kind of her job to promote "authentic" Italian so it doesn't surprise me that she strongly advocates twirling. It fits with her persona.

But I'm on board with "eat it the way you like it". It's sort of along the same lines as putting ice in your wine. People are "horrified" by that... but really, who cares? If you like it that way, go for it. Doesn't affect me! I drink mine the way I like it - you should drink it however you like it.

And by the same token, I don't begrudge anyone adding _______* to their food, even if it's what I have cooked. Again, eat it the way you like it.

* Fill in the blank. Examples: ketchup, steak sauce, salt, etc.