It’s Okay To Lick The Plates Here

If a guest in your house picked up her plate at the end of a meal and licked it, what would you do?
Would you be surprised? Offended? Scandalized?
Or would you take it as a compliment?

I say it’s the latter.
Manners aside, it’s a huge compliment if someone likes your food so much s/he makes sure to get every drop of it.
Around my house, it’s okay to lick the plates. I did it when I lived alone and decided that I’d continue the practice.
One evening years ago when husband and I were dating I cooked for him. I’ve long forgotten the food, but I remember I really wanted to lick my plate afterward, so I flat out told him my practice. He could accept it or not. Not only was he okay with it, he did it too.

It’s gotten to the point he’ll sometimes lick my plate if he was especially taken with something I’ve prepared. Okay, that may have been more than you ever needed to know, but it’s the truth.
It’s a compliment when someone cleans his own plate that way, but when he likes it so much he cleans off your plate too, well, that counts for more than simple words.