General Etiquette > Life...in general

Soup bowl etiquette

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Shoo:
My dh and I went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner tonight, and, as usual, we ordered their most excellent tortilla soup.  It comes in a bowl with a handle, like a very large round coffee mug.

When I got down near the bottom of my bowl, I automatically picked up the bowl by the handle and angled it so I could get the last of the soup with my spoon.  Upon doing this, I wondered if this was proper.

Is it all right to pick up a soup bowl by the handle to get the last of the soup?  I didn't bring it to my mouth and drink it (like I really wanted to!).  I used my spoon.  Anyone know what the etiquette on this is?

Lisbeth:
This thread seems to have been posted in the wrong folder.

Shoo:

--- Quote from: KeenReader on December 27, 2006, 11:22:14 PM ---This thread seems to have been posted in the wrong folder.

--- End quote ---

Oops!  I'll move it!!  Sorry!

Kaylee:

--- Quote from: Shoo on December 27, 2006, 11:14:55 PM ---My dh and I went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner tonight, and, as usual, we ordered their most excellent tortilla soup.  It comes in a bowl with a handle, like a very large round coffee mug.

When I got down near the bottom of my bowl, I automatically picked up the bowl by the handle and angled it so I could get the last of the soup with my spoon.  Upon doing this, I wondered if this was proper.

Is it all right to pick up a soup bowl by the handle to get the last of the soup?  I didn't bring it to my mouth and drink it (like I really wanted to!).  I used my spoon.  Anyone know what the etiquette on this is?

--- End quote ---

Not only did you not do wrong, if you are ever at a fancy dinner where they serve consomme in those gorgeous double-handled bowls, you may perfectly correctly pick it up, eschewing the spoon completely, and drink directly from the cup.

No.  Seriously.  Miss Manners recommends it as a way of completely correctly shocking all those around  you.  I think you'd be covered at the Mexican place as well, honestly.   ;)

Fluffy_Brit_Bunny:

--- Quote ---Not only did you not do wrong, if you are ever at a fancy dinner where they serve consomme in those gorgeous double-handled bowls, you may perfectly correctly pick it up, eschewing the spoon completely, and drink directly from the cup.
--- End quote ---

Wow! I was taught that was wrong because it looks greedy - like scraping your plate or licking it. But I suppose the handles are there and must have been meant to be used!


--- Quote ---s it all right to pick up a soup bowl by the handle to get the last of the soup?
--- End quote ---

Not sure, but it's very proper to tip a soup bowl without handles. However, you should tilt it away from you (no-one wants a lapful of hot soup). Then fill your spoon by moving the spoon away from you just under the surface of the soup. That's how I was taught to eat it.

However the slurping that accompanies drinking soup from the spoon is frightful and I've never understood it - is it really bad manners to put the whole spoon in your mouth and eat like that, thus avoiding horrible noises?

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