On 2009-01-20, James Silverton > wrote:

> I don't think I'd tip a large pho bowl in a restaurant or at home but I
> have drunk Japanese soup in public in traditional style from the small
> bowl .

As a past denezin of many pho holes, I can attest to the fact that the
Vietnamese do not tip their bowls. They use chopsticks and Asian-style
spoons to consume the luscious pho nectar.

One thing I've learned after using and observing Asians use chopsticks:
oldtimers do not use the isoscles triangle technique taught to newbies on so
many websites, but rather a scissors technique. They cross the sticks and
catch the food in the closing squeeze of the crossed tips. It's harder to
learn the manipulation, but once mastered, seems to be the easier and more
relaxed method. A great practice for chopsticks is eating buttered popcorn
or potato chips. Good control exercise and keeps finger from getting all
greasy.

nb