Mugshot

There’s something about a nice mug from which to drink your favorite hot beverage…

Just picked up this nifty new handmade mug while visiting a friend from Colorado Springs yesterday.

handcrafted mug
handcrafted mug

I’ve always felt that coffees and teas taste better when they’re drunk from a mug, as opposed to those ubiquitous cardboard cups. I think it has more to do with the atmosphere that a mug represents than the actual taste of the fluid.

Consider this: When ordering drinks at a coffee shop, the ceramic mug is a “for here” container choice. You must drink the drink at the store.

Whereas, the cardboard cups are designed for the busy on-the-move customer. They accommodate our rushing, schedule-oriented lives. They are also disposable. There’s no craftsmanship in a disposable cup. They are designed economically with as little material as possible, with no insulative properties, lightweight for ease of transport and storage. They are worthless.

However, the ceramic mug requires time. You must sit, deliberately, and enjoy your fine drink.

Now which would you rather drink from?

Posted

in

by

Rob

Modified:

Comments

13 responses to “Mugshot”

  1. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    There’s really only one clear answer here, isn’t there, Rob? The handcrafted mug wins every time!

    Reply
  2. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    A mug is the mark of a truly great coffee shop. They mean that the shop wants you there, wants to create a sense of comfort and community. Congrats on the new mug Rob.

    Reply
  3. Angela Avatar
    Angela

    actually, i prefer the disposable ones.
    – they have lids: which keeps the drink warmer longer, and less spilling
    – not breakable.. i’m a clutz, so yes, this is a good thing.
    – easy cleanup.. plus, i like throwing things away rather than leaving a mess to clean.
    – you can (usually) fit more liquid in a Venti cup, than in just a regular mug.
    and i’m sure i could think of many more reasons, if i actually sat & thought about it. 😉

    Reply
  4. Carl V. Avatar
    Carl V.

    I’m right there in agreement with you. It is really all about atmosphere. We have some nice big mugs that we also use for soups and chili and it just seems to taste that much better when you are using something interesting/comforting rather than a plain old cup or bowl.

    This kind of falls in line with the Panera post earlier. The food is really good but a big reason I don’t complain (too much) about the price is that I love the cozy atmosphere of Panera restaurants. I find that atmosphere is a big thing for me when I eat out. I’d much rather eat somewhere that has a unique and/or comforting atmosphere as opposed to your run of the mill restaurants.

    Reply
  5. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    Mmm, good point, Ang. Those lids do present some value in the paper cups for insulation. That is a downside of the mug — you have to drink it somewhat quickly!

    However, the nice coffee shops store their mugs on top of the warm espresso machine, so that the mug is hot before the drink is poured. Ingenious!

    Reply
  6. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    When I am out and about, I don’t mind the paper ones with lids, especially in the car. Countless cappuccinos have been spilled in the van cuz I was using a mug from home. All that milk really smells sour after a few days!

    I love the mugs I use for cappuccinos. They are pastel, but have a trendy coffee shop feel. They kinda remind me of my blog.

    Reply
  7. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I have discovered the joy of saucers in the recent months, to catch my spills…I like to wander around the house with my coffee on a Saturday morning. While a handmade mug is beautiful, most of them don’t come with matching saucers!

    Reply
  8. Carl V. Avatar
    Carl V.

    The cool thing though, Sarah, is that stores like Linen and Things, Bed Bath & Beyond and some of the more trendy stores sell plates, cups, saucers, etc. individually so you could probably find some complimentary ones to go with your favorite mugs!

    Reply
  9. Ciera Avatar
    Ciera

    at home, or at a friends, it’s always the mug. {I have a shelf full for one person}

    On the go, a travel mug is nice if it is designed so that it fits in your cupholder or dashboard without spilling [my car smelled like coffe for a few days], but generally use the styrofoam ones that the store has [but, I’ve spilled them too]. ok. I might be a little clumsy. 😳 just a little.

    Reply
  10. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Oooh, now that’s a good idea, Carl. Like Ciera, I am very good at spilling liquids. Saucers are good for people like us.

    Reply
  11. Mary A Avatar
    Mary A

    Cool mug!

    Sorry about your view disappearing.

    😕

    Reply
  12. Carl V. Avatar
    Carl V.

    I’m afraid if I got into the habit of walking around with a cup of tea, etc. I’d have to use a full size plate rather than a saucer to account for the spills.

    Reply
  13. mel Avatar
    mel

    ooh, rob, nice choice! I love mugs–especially unique pieces where each is coordinated but not exact replicas.

    mmm…ubiquitous…good word

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.