Slurping Over Soups and Drinks

We Sri Lankans love a cup of steaming hot tea and lose no time in slurping away – much to the dismay of people like me. By all means, please do enjoy your beverages, but please don’t create a ruckus. Personally, I prefer tepid to hot and have no interest in tea. Nevertheless, much to my anguish I have watched and listened as people relish their cuppas noisily.

Let’s get to the business of soups first. Throw the croutons in, use a soup spoon and fill the spoon by moving it away from you. Let it drip for a moment before raising it and keep it horizontal as you move your face forward to meet the spoon midway. Then do NOT slurp, instead, quietly sip the soup off from the side of the spoon. Return the spoon to the bowl and continue this until you reach the bottom of the bowl. When you can no longer swing the spoon inside the bowl and let it fill, you may tip the bowl a bit to fill up the spoon. However, the bowl needs to be tipped away from yourself and the same motion of filling the spoon by moving it away from you is to be followed.

Now to the more sensitive topic of cups of tea – gosh, Sri Lankans are tea fanatics and don’t have time to mind their manners when a cup of tea comes their way. The first thing is to avoid filling it to the point where you cannot pick it off the counter (now don’t try telling me that this is not pure greed). Again, sip the tea quietly without slurping. Once you enjoy a long sip, don’t emulate Fido Dido with a refreshing sigh – just keep quiet.

The famous glug glug when drinking water or cold drinks is another common pitfall to steer clear of. There are times that this happens naturally, keep it in check when needed at least.

When drinking with a straw, stop when you hit rock bottom. The loud hisses and gurgles that emanate from the base of the cup are not meant to be heard by the folks in town.

Be full of etiquette while you hydrate yourself ladies and gentlemen! May you have many enjoyable cups of your favourite beverages always!

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-sitting-by-the-table-with-a-bowl-of-soup-and-glass-of-water-6856817/