The Etiquette of Straw Spoons

Is there etiquette for straws and straw spoons? Yes! — 

1. Never bring your mouth down to your straw, always bring your straw up to your mouth.

 

2. 

When drinking from a straw, pick up the glass you are drinking from and hold the straw 

with your thumb and first 2 fingers 

while you drink. 

3. Never lift your straw out of your drink to get anything from the bottom of the straw, unless you are drinking from a strainer-type straw, like a bombilla.

🥤🍹🧃🧉🧋

“What have we here? — Six iced tea or lemonade straw spoons. - Straw spoons (or stroons) have been around for several hundred years. They are excellent for use, and reuse, in the modern world. They allow iced tea drinkers to stir their tea and leave the straws in the tall glasses, without having to remove them, avoiding soiling tablecloths or the spoons themselves on bare tabletops.” — From “What Have We Here?” by Etiquipedia site editor, Maura J. Graber

An interesting type of spoon variation is the “straw spoon.” The spoon handle is a straw while the spoon bowl can be used to stir the drink. 

Spoon straws come in several different styles, and occasionally we will find a souvenir straw variation, but the styling does not really lend itself to this purpose. Most, however, are designed to be used rather than displayed. Sterling straws are a lot classier than the plastic ones which we currently use.

The Gorham Silver Company writes:

“In the late 18th century, metal straws were used in Holland with brandy and punch bowls for all festive occasions. Gorham's new Sterling-Heart Straws add their own festive note to the serving of iced tea, iced coffee and lemonade or your favorite tall drink.” — From Spoon Planet.com

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia