Hello, All!

There has been a thread on eating soup on rec.food.cooking and
it seemed worthwhile posting the question here.

It has been said that the big porcelain or lacquer spoons
provided in the US are not customary in Japan or China. Has
anyone any first hand comments?

I think that it is true that people drink soup from the bowl in
Japan judging by movies like Tampopo and others have mentioned
this too. I have tried it that way and it's not difficult tho' I
find it less messy to use chopsticks for noodles etc. and not to
shovel them from the lifted bowl.

I had never questioned that the spoon might be used in China but
I can't remember any movies.

I wonder what is the custom in Viet Nam for Pho. Around here,
people of all ethnicities eat the noodles and meat with
chopsticks. It might be quite practical to drink the remaining
soup from the bowl but it's a big bowl and I've never seen
anyone
do it.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not