The Coffee Cup

Previously I have ranted about styrofoam cups. I think they make coffee taste horrible. In fact, the only thing I think they are good for is gas station coffee. Might as well put bad coffee into a bad cup....right?

I know it seems a bit odd to think about what you are drinking your coffee out of, but I think the cup is a pretty important choice. For instance, let's look at the coffee cups our parents and grandparents typically had(or at least they did in my family).

The cup on the right is fairly typical of what we used when I was growing up. I call this type of cup the "Dainty Cup." In reality, this is a cup of a coffee. This is the cup the coffee maker people figure you will use, and that determines how many cups of coffee you make.

Now, there is really nothing wrong with the "Dainty Cup," but I don't like drinking from this type of cup, unless this is the serving of coffee I want after dinner. In my opinion, it doesn't hold much coffee. Also because of the shallowness of the cup, and the thinness of the cup, it really doesn't keep your coffee warm. In fact, I think coffee gets colder quicker in a cup like this.

Because we are a mobile. in a rush society, we travel with our coffee. So usually we have coffee in a cup, similar to this one...

Of course there is usually a top with a spout of some formation on the cup. These are designed to sometimes fit in the cup holders the car manufacturers make for us. Of course your cup and cup holder may vary depending on cup, holder, and MPG(just kidding).

Our travel cups are usually well insulated so coffee stays warm longer. If we go through the drive through at a place like Starbucks, or if we journey to a local coffee house, sometimes there are discounts for using our own cup. We save a few pennies and the environment at the same time.

Call me picky, but coffee in a cup like this, just doesn't taste like I want it to. I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe it's the paper in to go cups? Maybe it's the plastic or the metal. I just feel those properties change the flavor of coffee.

My preferred cup is more like a mug...

Now THIS is a cup of coffee. This one in particular happens to be my favorite coffee cup. These days coffee is sipped out of mugs like the one above. To me this is a cup. In reality, it's about two of the "Dainty Cups."

Cups like these have depth and thickness, which keep the coffee warmer longer. I also think the porcelain doesn't alter the flavor of coffee. Plus they make really cool looking mugs. I have a vast collection of mugs, and they range from amusing to just fun. The Caribou Coffee Mug above though is my favorite...just don't tell my other mugs.

Your tastes will vary, but I have yet heard anyone tell me they really love their coffee in a to go cup, nor have I been served coffee at a dinner in a paper cup. And if I am served coffee in a styrofoam cup, well then, I assume you just don't like me. :-)

Charlie