Thursday, January 20, 2011

Stirred, not shaken (but pressed).

MUG: SYM-12 design, unknown origin restaurant service mug.

COFFEE: House Blend pressed coffee, fresh ground, fair-trade.

NOTES: As served at Stir Coffee, which is part of Good 2 Go Taco (recently reopened in the 'hood). Nice sediment at the bottom of the cup. A little on the light side, flavor and viscosity wise.

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Vintage coffee drinker.


MUG: Blue-Striped stoneware mug I found at Goodwill. Good drinker, although the handle is cramped, and the rim is just a bit of a "dribble rim". The design imitates a butter-churn.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo from Central Market/What's Roasting. The CC was a bit stale (despite the vacuum coolness), so I went back to my base. My base has gotten $2 a pound more expensive.

NOTES: Hand-thrown, and signed "Lawrence Houston", with the stamp "Sr. Potter" on the bottom. I have no idea where it came from. It's a commercial product, in a rustic style that I can't explain. Here locally we had Love Field Pottery that made stuff like this in the 1930s-40s, and Marshall Pottery in East Texas still does. Lot's of hazing in the glaze (almost raku-like).


Friday, January 07, 2011

Too hot to handle?


COFFEE: Community Coffee™ Private Reserve Colombia Altura. CC's Private Reserve bulk line is dispensed whole bean out of vacuum containers. When you open the chute, an airlock hisses. When you close the chute, a vacuum pump removes air. Not bad stuff.

MUG: Single-wall ceramic handle-less mug (11 ounces), with a silicon travel top. Made in China for Borders™ Books and Lifestyle Accessories.

NOTES: The mug body gets pretty warm due to the single-wall construction, but not too warm (although I imagine pouring boiling water into the mug might change that). Good sipper, with and without the silicon cover. Handsome design with the white interior and the dark brown (java?) exterior. Worth the $4.99 after Christmas sale price. 

P.S. I also got a 2' tall black artificial  “Christmas” tree to make my American Mid-Winter Pagan Civic Holiday decoration out of for next year (celebrating a combination of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Santa Claus, and the New Year).

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Foaming at the mouth.

MUG: Unknown manufacturer (China) and designer (USA). Basic bistro-mug design. Roomy handle, slightly wobbly base.

COFFEE: Community Coffee Reserve Espresso made as a cappuccino. Cocoa-chili powder dusting.

NOTES: One side of the mug has eleven names laser-etched into the stoneware. The other side simply has the name above all names etched into it.

New Year's Day

COFFEE: Community Coffee Reserve Espresso Roast. Burr-ground to a powder, stamped, expressed. Good.

MUG: A Bodum double-walled espresso shot glass.

NOTES: To Jim. Vaya con Dios, amigo.