Mug Shots

A shot at the dark.

2012-01-24T14:46:00.002-06:00

MUG: Double-walled blown glass 2 ounce shot glass from Bodum (made in China).

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo light/medium roast espresso. Contrary to popular opinion, coffee doesn't need to be 'dark roast' to make a kick butt espresso. It does need to be strong. It is. 12 grams of ground coffee to make 1.5 ounces of liquid.

NOTES: I'll sleep when I'm dead (temporarily).

I Like Ike.

2011-12-28T18:29:00.000-06:00

MUG: Solo paper cup with lid. Made in America. Well vented, cap fit, drank well for what it is. Poor olfactory function, but that's the design purpose (no-spill).

COFFEE: IKEA's snack-bar coffee. Free before 11:00 a.m. Surprisingly good drip coffee. Actually, a very good cup of coffee. Good roast, and just strong enough.

NOTES: Stood in line at IKEA to get some utilitarian shelving that was on sale. Drove 40 miles (80, round trip) to save $40. The waitress/snack-bar manager was Swedish, or Danish, or Norwegian... I can never tell.

Santa Anna Clause

2011-12-25T08:43:00.000-06:00

MUG: Christmas novelty mug purchased at H-E-B Plus in Kyle (dinnerware is across from the tortillaria, next to the sushi bar), imported from China. 12 oz. capacity, bistro shape. The exterior glaze is gritty, but the inside and lip area is smooth. The handle is large enough for manly hands.

COFFEE: Micro-roasted Colombian Supremo from my usual source, delivered to my door by agents of the Federal government.

NOTES: I have a small shrine to the Shrine of Texas Liberty on top of a bookcase. This will find a seasonal residence there.

Can't kut it.

2011-11-16T10:54:00.001-06:00

MUG: Stoneware 'gimmie' mug of unknown origin (always safe to guess China). Trumpet shaped, with a handle that appears to have been inspired by the bridge over the Colorado River on the Capitol of Texas Parking Lot. The trumpet shaped bowl always feels unbalanced to me. The glaze has a grittiness that is a bit unpleasant to the lips. This will clearly be going to the Kyle Public Library Thrift Store at some point.

COFFEE: Continuing with the Barrett's Guatemalan Estate... and with 2.5 lbs. left, will continue so for the next couple of weeks.

NOTES: Today's mug was a premium I received for supporting KUT 90.5 FM, The University of Texas Not-The-Student Radio Station. I never listen to the broadcast station (indie rock, Austin banality, NPR news and chat... and Prairie Dog Companion, of course). I support KUT solely because they run the JazzWorks programming out of Pittsburgh (sort of pretending it's their own) on their HD3 channel. You have to have a special HD Radio tuner to receive it. I think there's about six of us who do.

Don't cry for me, Blanco Texas.

2011-11-11T08:25:00.001-06:00

MUG: Chinese-made generic souvenir mug. Like all the others.

COFFEE: Guatemalan estate-grown coffee from Barrett's. I'm now buying the 5 lb. bags of their beans. A nice city roast.

NOTES: The weeping icon was a fixture at the Old Russian Orthodox Monastery outside of Blanco, Texas. I visited it a couple times in the early 1990s when I was interested in Orthodox spirituality (where I purchased this coffee mug). They had a crudely painted icon of the Theotokos (Mother of God) that 'miraculously' wept oil of myrrh (which they sold on cotton balls for home healing) from cracks near her eyes. It was displayed on a stand that had a closed base. That's where the pump was that fed the oil to icon's 'tear ducts'. The fraud isn't the only reason Mary would weep.

The self-appointed abbot of the monastery ('Father Benedict') was a former Southern Baptist land developer from San Antonio who had gotten into trouble abusing young boys. He reinvented himself as an Old Russian Orthodox priest, founded the monastery, and began luring local boys to come there and live as novates. You can imagine what happened next.

The monastery is closed, and Father Benedict is dead, dying just before being sentenced to a long imprisonment.

Come and get it.

2011-10-10T07:47:00.002-05:00

MUG: Double-walled ceramic mug, ten ounce capacity (two coffee "cups"). Unknown origin. The lip has a wide trumpet flare, but it fits my lip better than I thought it might, providing positive contact with the mouth for a drip-free drinking experience. The mug's conical shape and flat bottom provides a good grip and a secure set-down. The mug is a handle-less "travel" mug, and features a silicon rubber cap that appears to be drip-proof for sipping. The cap functions far better than the one on the Japanese-made titanium camper's cup I have.

COFFEE: City-roast Colombian San Agustin Supremo from Barrett's Micro-Roaster. Bought a five pound bag this month. A good brew.

NOTES: The mug was purchased at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. The imprint is the flag that flew at a skirmish known as "The Lexington-Concord of Texas", the Battle of Gonzales. 100 Mexican dragoons came to Gonzales on October 2nd, 1835 to confiscate a small cannon the colonists had for protection from Indian raiders. The Texians refused to surrender the weapon, and fired on the dragoons with small arms and cannon, who then withdrew back to San Antonio.

Remarkably not awful.

2011-09-24T15:32:00.003-05:00

MUG: A dinner service stoneware mug made by Onieda. Reminded me of the cups they used to use at church when I was growing up. Rugged and unremarkable.

COFFEE: Rain Forest Alliance certified Colombian Supremo, roasted, ground, and packaged in some unknown time and place.

NOTES: This was made using the CV1 in-room coffee maker at the Crowne Plaza Suites hotel in North Dallas. While it left me wanting for some good coffee, it was the best of the coffee packet coffees I've had the misfortune to try. The coffee was perhaps both fresher and of higher quality than what I have been experiencing. It was also of sufficient quantity in the packet to achieve some quality in the cup. Interestingly, the tray that holds the coffee packet is disposable, and comes in the sealed single-serving package. Fox Sports announcer Joe Buck is happy to tell you all about it.

The cups do have a nice feature to allow them to be stacked six high.

The Coffee Ritual

2011-09-18T08:33:00.000-05:00

MUG: Neiman-Marcus 90th Anniversary commemorative mug. Made in Thailand. Designed by High-Wave Good-Bi. Thick, 12 oz. mug with a contrasting inner color (tan exterior, pale avocado green interior). Good handle, good lip, good heat-retention properties, and a good vibe (I grew up in the Neiman-Marcus culture).

COFFEE: Guatemalan Estate from Barrett's Micro-roastery.

NOTES: We have two of these mugs. The second mug has a different color scheme (pale rose exterior, paler green interior). My wife takes great comfort in having her coffee served to her in bed every Sunday morning (along with the Sunday paper before getting up for church) in the rose-colored cup, while I sit in the living room, using the tan. It's the only time we use these mugs, and we use them that way every Sunday... for the last fourteen years.

A Hellish brew.

2011-09-03T06:30:00.001-05:00

MUG: Identical in construction to the DeLuxe fruitcake mug shown in the previous post.

COFFEE: I ran out of good coffee (Barrett's Colombian and the Peruvian Especial from Anderson's), and I refuse to burn three gallons of high-test gasoline to go into Sodom-On-The-Colorado for good coffee, so I resorted yet again to H.E.B.'s Café Olé Colombian Medium Roast beans. Burned as if in the fires of Hell. Proverbs, 26:11.

NOTES: To commemorate Central Texas' Hottest Summer In Recorded History, I had this mug made (err, decorated).

The image is from a 15th Century illuminated manuscript devotional, "The Hours of Catherine of Cleves", and shows a page from the Matins Office dedicated to praying for the souls of the dead in torment in Purgatory (who are having their sins cleansed by fire while awaiting release... Indulgences anyone?).

I can relate.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

2011-08-31T20:17:00.000-05:00

MUG: Standard specialty-advertising mug, modeled after the Waechstersbach-style mug. Chinese origin. Thin walls, thin handle, not bad feel to the lip or handle, an acceptable if not remarkable mug. Of course, the decoration is not only remarkable... it's DeLuxe! It really is.

COFFEE: Ran out of my preferred coffee. But hallelujah! Coffee salvation! I was recently gifted with a half pound of Peru Especial coffee beans from Anderson's Coffee in Austin (as discussed previously). The Peruvian is a light roast, with a flavor that reminds me of a good Guatemalan coffee.

NOTES: Not having a locally available source for good coffee can be a problem. The local coffee shop I used as a fall back (only six miles away) went to that great barista in the sky recently. That leaves me with a Starbucks and the H.E.B. Plus... both with a full selection of over-roasted coffees.

Conrad's shame

2011-08-12T18:14:00.002-05:00

MUG: Chinese made porcelain bistro mug. See how stylish it is? Branded as a Lavazza™ ("Italy's Favorite Coffee"... the Pirelli of coffee?) mug, it was part of the in-room coffee maker at the Southern Hills Hilton in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's actually part of a Cuisinart individual-serving coffee maker. This style of mug is almost pleasant due to the thinness of the rim. Great tactile experience, although the funnel shape always makes me nervous.

COFFEE: Lavazza coffee pods, from Italy in theory. Thin, flavorless broth. Awful stuff, not even hot enough coming out of the maker to do a good job of killing cockroaches (not an issue at the Hilton).

NOTES: The Hilton's room had this fancy coffee maker, but no microwave to boil my water for my French-press Travel Mug, the water coming out of the maker was insufficiently hot to use in my French press, there was no fridge to keep a six-pack in, and they wanted $10 a day for internet access. Nice room, poor experience with penny-pinching. No free breakfast, either. See the following descriptive photos on the coffee maker.

The Lavazza coffee system with the Lavazza Coffee-condom.

The Lavazza coffee-condom unsheathed.

See the water running into the cup? See how clear it is? This is at about the 75% full stage.

Looks like a strong mug of English Breakfast Tea. I promise you, it looks darker in the photo, too, than it was in real life. Conrad's ghost must be rattling his chains.

Walk the plank? Walk the pink?

2011-07-28T10:54:00.002-05:00

MUG: A pink Waechtersbach mug. Made in Germany, with the peculiar "glaze resist" decoration... not to mention the peculiar decoration motif.

COFFEE: The last of some Whole Foods™ Arriba-brand Colombian, now described as "light roast" (formerly described as Medium/Full City, but Medium is the new Dark, and Dark is the new Burnt Espresso).

NOTES: Surprisingly good for Whole Foods coffee. Bought a half pound in an emergency because the USPS was holding my Barrett's coffee beans in quarantine for four days (for some unknown reason, but the Mail Carrier did comment on how good the coffee smelled in her van).

Road Rage

2011-07-26T07:10:00.002-05:00

Coffee: Starbucks™ espresso, served as a Café Americano on ice.

Mug: Starbucks™ Venti iced drink cup. It's a plastic cup made by Berry Plastics. Not sure what else I can say about it.

Notes: It's all the rage among some groups (college-aged kids) to hang out and onto Starbucks™. It's all the rage among many coffee "connoisseurs" to rag on Starbucks™ as Charbucks, because they over-roast much of their coffee. But on a hot day, 375 miles into a 500 mile one-day road trip, I look forward to a quick rest stop at the Bellevue/Waco Starbucks™ for a venti café Americano (no cream). Makes the remaining two hours on the road easier.

The Art of Coffee Staining

2011-07-07T14:33:00.003-05:00

It's not burnt.

2011-06-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

MUG: Waeschtersbach, Germany. A new acquisition of off eBay. This one has an incredible "fire orange" glaze. Deep, burning, speckled orange with a shiny clear glaze over the surface.

COFFEE: Barrett's Colombian Supremo.

NOTES: Neither the coffee, nor the orange mug, are "burnt" in character... in spite of my locale.

A manly mug for a day for men.

2011-06-19T07:38:00.004-05:00

MUG: 16 ounce, straightforward, stoneware mug. It's a souvenir from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, the source of my favorite bourbons. A gift from a friend I have never met. The extra big handle is suitable for drinking with gloves on... even lined gloves. The capacity allows for less time in transit to and from the coffee pot, and more time on the job. Good drinker, if a bit imposing due to its massive size, towering above rivals. Kind of like my dad.

COFFEE: Barrett's Colombian Supremo: roasted on Thursday, shipped on Friday, delivered on Saturday, ground and brewed on Sunday. It doesn't get a whole lot fresher than that.

NOTES: I began drinking coffee when I was about eight years old. I'd get up early and go into the kitchen with my dad, Harry C. Summer, Jr. He'd be sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette (the former a habit I'd quickly adopt, the latter a habit I never took up, but one that took my dad's life prematurely).

My dad was many things, some good and others not so. He was a farm-boy, a varsity football star, a WWII veteran (USAAF), an entrepreneur (grocer, real estate broker, nurseryman), a cowboy, and a man of real faith in Jesus Christ.

Happy Fathers Day, Dad. I love you. I miss you. And I thank you for being just who you are, and for imparting to me the thing of first importance. It's a man's job.

Harry Clifton Summer, Jr. 1918-1995

Reflections on leftover coffee.

2011-06-10T11:55:00.001-05:00

COFFEE: The Colombian from Barrett's Coffee Roasters, leftover from this morning.

MUG: 21 ounce double-walled stainless steel mug in the shape of a beer keg. Made in China, remaindered by Campmor. This gigantic mug, when filled with ice, holds about 12 ounces of liquid. Perfect. The big handle makes for a nice grip, and the metal rim is far more pleasant cold than hot.

NOTE: I like iced coffee. This works. The leftover morning coffee is in a thermal carafe, so it remains flavorful.

Reflections on good coffee

2011-05-14T07:53:00.003-05:00

MUG: Double-walled stainless steel mug from OXO. Soft-touch rubber handle. When freshly filled, the rim is a bit too hot to the lips. When cooled slightly in the morning air, the rim is a bit metallic tasting. 7.5/10.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo from Barrett's.

NOTES: Good coffee in the early morning is part of an explosion of sensational experiences. It's part of "waking up" that has little to do with ceasing sleep. It's part of my sensory awareness training. I make my coffee in the dark, and enjoy it as the light grows. Sounds, sights, smells come into focus, and in the quietness of the morning I gain a heightened awareness of the world.

I also say my morning prayers (based upon the medieval service of lauds) and read the Bible. I begin in the dark, and end as the light grows. All around me, the world changes. Sounds, sights, smells come into focus, and in the quietness of my soul I gain a heightened awareness of the world.

Pot Luck

2011-05-09T07:27:00.001-05:00

MUG: USA-made souvenir mug in the form of a 19th century butter churn pot. Not a bad drinker at all. Nice handle, good volume, and good lip. A winning design.

COFFEE: The assembled scraps of coffee beans that have been left over from recent coffee bean changes (there's always a couple of scoops of beans of the departing coffee left as I move on to a new bean). This grab-bag mix is about 1/3 Colombian Supremo, 1/3 Guatemalan Estate and 1/3 Colombian Supremo Bucaramanga (the last third a bitter, dark roast).

NOTES: Waste not, want not.

Bwana Java

2011-05-06T09:56:00.000-05:00

MUG: Oh look! It's a Waechtersbach mug! What a surprise! School bus yellow, with a matte black Dymo Label that says "Bwana". All the usual superior qualities of the mug, enhanced by an easy to locate color.

COFFEE: The Guatemalan continues for a couple more days.

NOTE: This mug dates back to when I was Principal/Creative Director of The Summer Group (late 1980s). We gave these to clients and vendors, with a 1/3 pound of Summer Blend beans (Colombian, Guatemalan, and Kona coffee in a 2:1&1 ratio), with their name affixed in the manner of small office break rooms. This one was the prototype, and was mine. The name/title Bwana refers to both my position at the time, and to the art magazine I published (but refused to edit), Bwana Art. The Dymo Label has survived twenty some-dd years of dishwashing machines.

Mi madre' China del café.

2011-05-04T21:23:00.000-05:00

MUG: Cup, actually. Wedgewood Briar Rose pattern. Tiny cup handle, suitable for extended pinky sipping. Lightweight, pleasant, respectable china serving.

COFFEE: Finishing up the Guatemalan.

NOTES: This was my mother's china. It's probably from Neiman-Marcus, as were most of her better things.

Savory or Safe?

2011-05-02T15:45:00.002-05:00

MUG: The CenTury double-walled ceramic travel mug our real estate agent gave us as a house warming gift (one of the pair, as previously featured).

COFFEE: Guatemalan Estate (ongoing).

NOTE: As seen below, I used my new ceramic cone basket to make a tumbler of coffee. I'm not going anywhere, I just wanted come coffee on a cool afternoon. I also have used this for an illustration that coffee tastes much better without a lid. Full sensory impact.

Thus Dribbled Zarathustra

2011-04-29T07:34:00.001-05:00

MUG: Double-walled titanium camp mug from REI. The plastic (not silicone) lid expands more than the mug when there is hot coffee in it. A sip becomes a dribble. Fail.

COFFEE: Guatemalan Estate from Barrett's. Happy camper, except for the dribble.

NOTE: I was trying to observe the alignment of the heavens this morning, as the moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury are in conjunction just before dawn. Low clouds on the horizon defeated my attempt, with only the Moon and Venus visible. Hot coffee dribbling down my chin in the cool morning air seemed about right.

Cowboy up!

2011-04-26T12:45:00.002-05:00

MUG: Stoneware bistro mug from American Atelier's "Cowboy" series of dinnerware. 11 ounces, with an over-sized handle crafted from a ceramic tube (with a vent hole). Fun drinker.

COFFEE: First try of another roast from Barrett's. Guatemalan Estate instead of the usual Colombian Supremo.

NOTES: Guatemalan coffee is my standard "change-up" bean. It has similar characteristics to the Colombian, and makes a nice change of pace to keep the palate alert. Barrett's has again provided an excellent medium (Full City) roast. This is a good supplier of fresh-roasted coffee, and the convenience of mail order shopping can't be beat.

The mug came with a dessert plate. My wife bought two sets for the grandsons to snack on, and forgot that the mugs were giant-sized (by kid standards). I can't quite figure out the hieroglyphics on the mug. Probably some Chinese artist's idea of Western cattle brands... or the Western alphabet. The giant cowboy is nice, too. Or is that a Shetland pony?

Mountaintop experience.

2011-04-15T07:44:00.001-05:00

MUG: Waechtersbach of choice. No need to repeat my praises.

COFFEE: A small-batch roasted Colombian Supremo full city roast from Barrett's in Austin (delivered fresh by mail).

NOTES: I got a German-made Cilio ceramic coffee filter holder (No. 4 Melitta), and made a pot of coffee the old-fashioned way: just off boiling water poured over to wet, set, and then to fill. The best cup of coffee I have had in a long time. I'm using the glass-thermos carafe, as glass doesn't retain old (bad) flavor like stainless steel thermal carafes do.

Slash and burn.

2011-04-07T08:49:00.000-05:00

MUG: Specialty advertising Chinese mug. Standard issue.

COFFEE: The Colombian Supremo Bucaramanga from H.E.B.'s Cafe Olé selection of bulk coffees. Burnt and stale tasting, with none of the qualities that I appreciate from a well roasted Colombian. Second and last try of this convenient to purchase, but unpleasant to drink, coffee. It has been slashed from my list permanently. In it's favor, it does come from H.E.B.'s coffee section for "Straights".

NOTE: The mug (did I mention this before?) was a gift from the staff at Chubby's Restaurant on Northwest Highway in Dallas. Thank you, Alicia... the World's Best Waitress (and Mary, too).

Don't worry, be happy.

2011-04-06T08:07:00.002-05:00

MUG: Waechtersbach (Germany). The decoration sort of tells it all (caffeine is your friend).

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo San Augustin from Barrett's Coffee roasters in Austin, purchased in whole bean form from Texpresso in Buda.

NOTES: The Great Colombian Expedition continues. This medium roast coffee is heavy on the dark side of the Colombian palate, missing the winey brightness that I anticipate with my first sip of a fresh Colombian. The aftertaste is oily on the tongue and roof of the mouth. Good complexity, excellent aroma, a taste of chocolate, muted with dense character. As of now, the jury is out.

Dark forebodings of disaster.

2011-04-03T07:10:00.003-05:00

MUG: The standard by which all others are measured: West German made Waechstersbach, natural colored mug.

COFFEE: Nicaraguan organically-grown beans from the Matagalpa region, via Fara Coffee. Austin-based Fara Coffee roasts mostly beans from the owners' family estates (fincas) in their native Nicaragua. Most of their coffees are dark roast. Interestingly, these "Organic" beans don't seem to be listed on their website.

NOTES: First, the Good News (always). The coffee is a surprise. I thought I'd give it a try after seeing it in the bulk coffee bins of my local HEB-Plus grocery store. In the past, I have been favorably impressed with coffees from Nicaragua, but the various coffees I have tried from this store have been a resounding disappointment. Overly roasted (see the oily beans in the picture above), the taste remains mostly smooth despite the cruelty of too much heat for too long. I long for a Full City roasting of these beans.

Now the bad news. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of an old friend. An inspection on the photo above will reveal the horror that my fingers first revealed... a crack in the recently unpacked mug's handle. This mug is one of the original set of four mugs I bought in Dallas upon moving from Austin in 1976. The crack appears to be in the structural ceramic, not just the glaze.

These mugs, in the natural slip color I like so much, have been out of the manufacturer's offerings for so long that a factory representative told me they'd never made mugs this color, physical evidence to the contrary (stupid young person). Another one bites the dust (leaving me with two, plus an inferior Spanish-made alternate).

A repair will be attempted, but...

Roast in Perkatory

2011-03-27T12:04:00.002-05:00

MUG: Puffy styro Dixie cup. Nice soft-touch surface texture, smooth rolled lip. The puffed material is better insulating, and biodegradable (IIRC).

COFFEE: Percolated church-coffee, as served in AA meetings nationwide (but no ashtrays). Folgers, Maxwell House, HEB, Kroger, Chock-Ful-O-Nuts, or some other canned ground coffee.

NOTES: Sunday morning at The Well in Buda. As for the coffee... judge not, lest ye be judged.

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What has Brown done for you?

2011-03-26T08:15:00.003-05:00

MUG: Chinese-made specialty advertising mug, from Ben E. Keith food distributors.

COFFEE: Polka Java, a mocha java blend from a local roaster, Buna Bean. Cafe strength brew (thin). Decent flavor coffee that might even be good if brewed properly.

NOTES: Breakfast at the Brown Street Cafe in Ennis, Texas, across from the police station/city hall/municipal court. I didn't ride my bike.

-

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The Restoration.

2011-03-25T05:54:00.000-05:00

MUG: One of my German-made Waechtersbach coffee mugs, the standard by which all mugs are judged.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo, roasted by What's Brewing in San Antonio, sold by Central Market in Dallas. The water is spring sourced.

NOTES: This is my personal ideal combo of mug and coffee, the pairing that gives me the most satisfaction. I can improve on it slightly by using my French Press instead of the Melitta filter system, but only slightly, and at far greater inconvenience.

This is the first day since I was relocated to Kyle in the general exodus that I have been able to enjoy this combination of goodness. Heretofore, either the coffee was missing, or the mug. The opening of a recent box revealed the mugs, while a trip to Dallas last week to fetch lawn equipment resulted in the beans.

Any port in a storm? Nah, safe harbor.

2011-03-23T08:54:00.000-05:00

MUG: Paper cup with sleeve and lid.

COFFEE: Costa Rican Cinchona coffee from Collin Street Bakery's Bellemead location. Not bad. Not bad at all. Very slight "burlap" taste, which is new to me, but brewed strong.

NOTES: After taking six hours to travel 120 miles (due to the end of Spring Break and Austin's SXSW drunk-fest), I needed a rest (and an escape). Rather than fight the stop-and-go traffic on I-35 the rest of the way to Dallas, I took my escape cut-off route of State Highway 31 to Corsicana and I-45. Collin Street Bakery has one of their Deluxe Highway Shops at that intersection (I-35 and SH-31), so I stopped for coffee and a date bar. I also bought three of their fruit cakes (regular DeLuxe, Texas Blonde Pecan, and Apricot Pecan). These are so wonderful! Fooey on all you fruitcake haters, you are simply giving in to peer pressure and easy prejudice (another sign of The Fall).

The never-ending Coffee Wars

2011-03-15T07:36:00.004-05:00

MUG: Novelty ceramic mug from China. Bistro/latte style. 16 ounce capacity. Handsome to behold, awkward to hold. Beautiful blue "satin" glaze, with a white glaze liner and white text.

COFFEE: Brazilin sweet yellow Bourbon beans from Daterra Farms (Rainforest Alliance Certified). Roasted and sold by White Rock Coffee. A tad under roasted for my tastes, but flavorful at my preferred strength. Picked up a pound of this the last time I was in Dallas. Ever searching.

NOTES: "Victory or death" - William Barrett Travis. That's what it says on the reverse side of the mug. Incongruous sentiment for a latte.

An aside: "Victory in death" is what it says on my heart.

The gilded art of bunting.

2011-03-06T09:06:00.001-06:00

MUG: A gold foil dinnerware mug from the refectory at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Nashotah, Wisconsin. A very pleasant instrument of caffeine administration, it was made by the W.C. Bunting Company in Liverpool, Ohio. Well balanced, with a nice handle and lip, this mug is a superior, though unassuming, object. One of my favorites, it is a "hand wash" only utensil.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo from What's Brewing Now in Ole San Antone, via Dallas' Central Market.

NOTES: I liberated this old mug while attending Nashotah House during summer session one year. I replaced it with a modern version from the school's bookstore. The late comedian George Carlin's comments on bunting in baseball vs. blitzing in football are forever with me.

Friends: old, new and new again.

2011-03-01T08:32:00.000-06:00

MUG: Waechtersbach, made in Spain instead of Germany. Regular readers (both of you) know that I hold my 35 year old German-made examples of this mug (in this color) to be the epitome of the mysterious coffee mug arts. This Spanish version seems a bit lighter in weight, and the tint is to the brown as opposed to the lederhosen grey of my older Deutschemugs. Nonetheless, it is a fine drinking instrument, and is my old friend of consistent solace.

COFFEE: Mexican Organic Flores beans from Anderson's in Austin. Nutty flavor (not flavored) that is quite enjoyable. The best of the locally-sourced beans I have found. Small-batch roasted.

NOTES: The beans were a gift from a new friend I had never met, but did finally meet over a pint (or three). A charming fellow, whose tastes had always impressed me. My impressions have been confirmed. Truly, a scholar and a gentleman (really).

The beans were sourced from the first independent coffee shop I ever frequented, back when I lived in Austin in the early to late 1970s. Bought my first Braun coffee grinder there, as well as many a Melitta coffee pot (they had a tendency to break in my households at the time... knives and other domestic utensils were known to fly across rooms as well). Surprised and pleased to know the company is still in business, and still in the same location.

An old friend made new again. Thanks, Carter.

Lutheran World Relief comes to Kyle

2011-02-24T13:06:00.004-06:00

MUG: Well, not a mug, but a paper sack inside of a zip-lok bag, inside of a cardboard box. Delivered by Federal Agents as a Priority assignment.

COFFEE: Columbian Supremo beans, roasted by What's Brewing in San Antonio, and sold by Central Market in Dallas.

NOTES: Alerted to a fellow (sorta) Lutheran's plight in Hays County, the Steve S. arm of LWR, Art & Architecture Division, sprang into action, contracting with Federal agents to transport a pound of superior coffee beans to Kyle in an act of Christian mercy and relief.

Thanks, Steve!

The Great White North

2011-02-15T08:11:00.006-06:00

MUG: Chinese made “navy” or “diner” style mug, 10 8 ounce capacity, sourced from Cafe Du Monde on Bourbon Street in New Orleans (I'm showing the non-imprint side). A great mug, if maybe an ounce or three too small. Serious heft, good lip, thick one-finger handle.

COFFEE: Small-batch roasted Colombian Narino Reserva del Patron from White Rock Coffee in Dallas, as delivered to my door yesterday afternoon by a government employee. It’s a “full city” roast. It’s very good.

NOTES: Even with my tasting sense impaired by the allergies I am enduring moving to Central Texas, this coffee tastes good. Paying $30 for delivery of two pounds of freshly roasted coffee to my door may well be the shape of things to come. Placed my order on Thursday, it was shipped on Friday, and it arrived Monday. By placing my order on Sunday, I might be able to get in by Tuesday, as they ship via USPS Priority Mail. Not bad. The extra expense (higher bean price plus shipping) is balanced by the cost of gasoline to drive sixty mile round trip to Austin.

My bitter valentine.

2011-02-14T08:09:00.002-06:00

MUG: Waechtersbach. Red. It’s St. Valentine’s day, and no, I don't have one of Waechtersbach’s popular “Heart” mugs.

COFFEE: Bulk Cafe Olé Colombian Supremo darker roast beans from the Buda H.E.B.

NOTES: Another failed attempt at brewing superior tasting coffee in Kyle. Bitter, over-roasted flavor.

I have some small-batch roasted imported beans coming my way, so hope springs eternal, even in Hays County. Speaking of Hays County, Texas, I do find it interesting that Jack C. Hays, the legendary Texas Ranger (and founder of the city of Oakland, California) for whom this county is named, had the middle name of Coffee. No one seems to have capitalized on this historical fact, including the gourmet coffee shop situated on Jack Hays Trail. I suppose Frontier Indian Fighters don’t fit the barista lifestyle.

Here I am.

2011-02-10T08:11:00.002-06:00

MUG: Another repeat appearance. This is a Chinese-made specialty advertising mug that was handed out by the South Florida folks who did the “God Quotes” billboards. This one was given to Dallas City Council Member Mary Poss, who gave it to me.

COFFEE: Rio Grande Blend from Texenza Coffee (“South and Central American beans boast a smokey dark chocolate flavor with a rich, smooth finish. Perfect for iced coffee”). I'm not a fan of blends, as I suspect they are too often used to disguise poor beans by adding a few good ones. This locally roasted (Austin) coffee doesn't change my thinking.

NOTES: This is a good cup for Morning Prayer (the coffee is usually brewing as I observe the daily office). Still searching for superior coffee, I ordered some Colombian beans from way up north yesterday (Dallas). Stay tuned.

Sore loser

2011-02-09T10:13:00.001-06:00

MUG: Chinese manufactured stoneware mug from M Design (Museum?), very thick and heavy. Design is meant to imitate an enameled steel camp mug, but this ceramic monster is far easier on the lips, with no burn from the heat transmission common to enameled cups.

COFFEE: Hot Ibarra Mexican cocoa. Just a touch of cinnamon makes this an exceptional treat.

NOTES: This mug came from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, and has been featured here before. The post title refers to both the quotation from Davy Crockett, and to the tendinitis in my arm and elbow.

The plate in the background was purchased by my parents in a Taos, New Mexico art gallery because the image reminded them of my sister, June Ann Summer.

From the country of 1100 springs

2011-02-07T07:01:00.003-06:00

MUG: Bell-shaped stoneware mug made in China, purchased from The Dollar Store. Perfectly acceptable 11 ounce design with good functionality. If it had a green mermaid on it, it would have cost $9.50 instead of the $1 my wife paid for it. See note below.

COFFEE: A darker-roast Guatemalan marketed as “organic”, as purchased from HEB.

NOTE: The coffee is much better tasting today (but still not to my standards of taste), due to using Ozarka spring water instead of the chemical and mineral heavy tap water from the City of Kyle. People in Dallas don't realize how great the tap water is there (at least the water sourced from Dallas Water Utilities).

My wife bought me this mug at The Dollar Store in Kyle because we appear to have left the box containing all our coffee mugs back in Dallas. We will be making a 36 hour trip to Dallas today to fetch said box (and a few others). The Exodus continues, though I am certain it won't take 40 years (but 40 days is a possibility).

Getting a grip on change

2011-02-06T07:51:00.003-06:00

MUG: CenTury™branded double-wall ceramic travel mug, hecho en China. The travel cup has a nice trumpet-flare opening (dribble resistant), 16 12 ounce capacity, and comes with a silicone non-slip burn-resistant gripper and drink-through cap.

COFFEE: 3:5 blend of What's Brewing Colombian and Organics* Guatemalan. Improved from the straight Guatemalan I had yesterday, but this is the last of my Colombian. I must admit all complaints about coffee flavor are unfair until I get some better water. The Kyle muniwasser is heavily laden with chemicals (added) and minerals (naturally sourced).

NOTES: This is, in some ways, the most expensive coffee mug I have. It (and a companion travel mug trimmed in pink silicone) was a housewarming gift to my wife and I from our Realtor as a thank-you gift for finally buying a house she showed us. She also gave us a nice bottle of brut sparkling wine from New Mexico, and a suspect bag of gourmet coffee beans roasted in Austin, “specially blended for iced coffee, with rich chocolate flavors”. Hazmat coffee, or will I be pleasantly surprised? Stay tuned.

*Organics is just a guess. I don't recall the actual name, but it's of that vein.

Frontier Outpost: Jack Coffee Hays edition

2011-02-05T08:32:00.003-06:00

MUG: German stoneware beer stein, .25 liter capacity.

COFFEE: Organically-grown Guatemalan coffee, dark roast. Bitter, not better.

NOTES: Nice, heavy little mug, with a colorful shovel head on the front. A bit of a dribbler, due to the narrowing opening. Lip positioning is important with this design.

The coffee is a newly-sourced variety that I won't be revisiting after the .75 pound I purchased is exhausted. A search for a new supplier of good coffee begins now, as my old stand-by (Colombian Supremo from Central Market/What's Brewing) is no longer available to me locally.

SPECIAL NOTE: This is the first post from my new home in Hays County, Texas. Hays County was named after legendary Texas Ranger Captain Jack Coffee Hays, who also has the distinction of being the founder of the city of Oakland California. That might explain a lot about Oakland.

Stirred, not shaken (but pressed).

2011-01-20T17:18:00.003-06:00

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.

Vintage coffee drinker.

2011-01-09T07:55:00.002-06:00

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).

Too hot to handle?

2011-01-07T07:05:00.000-06:00

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).

Foaming at the mouth.

2011-01-01T09:25:00.000-06:00

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

2011-01-01T08:14:00.001-06:00

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.

Christmas

2010-12-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

MUGS: Waechtersbach classic mugs, Made In W. Germany. One winter themed (for my wife), one Christmas themed with cat theme bonus (for my mother-in-law), and one natural/mud colored (for me). Perfection in mugs.

COFFEE: Organically-grown Colombian Supremo, San Antonio-roasted, medium roast beans, purchased yesterday during the Exodus to Central Market. Burr-ground for cone drip.

NOTES: Merry Christmas!

I don't play like Robert Johnson

2010-12-16T12:06:00.010-06:00

MUG: Unknown country of origin (I should have looked, but you know the old joke about turning over a coffee cup), but branded Illy, and designed by Matteo Thun in Milan, founder of the Memphis Design Group. Nice ceramic heft and lip, but a poor handle that appears to be an Illy trademark (circle shape only allows one finger, and is uncomfortable due to the mug's weight). Probably works better for an espresso cup, not a mug. An example of anti-Bauhaus design (form leading function).

COFFEE: Illy dark roast. Brewed correctly and fresh. A superior cup of coffee.

NOTES: Breakfast at Crossroads Diner on Walnut Hill Lane near Presbyterian Hospital and the DART rail station. The grits and pancakes came from Heritage Homestead (a Christian agrarian community near Waco), and the chorizo from a local vendor. Good stuff.

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Blown away.

2010-12-02T17:38:00.002-06:00

MUG: Not. Mexican hand-blown glass.

COFFEE: Not. Buffalo Trace bourbon.

NOTES: This glass was a gift from my parents, deceased now an average of twenty years. It's a wonderful vessel for spirits, as were they for the Spirit.

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How to make a better cup of coffee on the road.

2010-10-03T07:33:00.005-05:00

MUG: Double-walled stainless steel French-press travel mug. It get's too hot to hold, so I added a beer bottle sleeve.

COFFEE: Cafe Olé prepackaged Colombian Bucaramanga Supremo from the H.E.B. in Odessa.

NOTES: I use the hotel's in-room coffee maker to heat the water, pour it over the grounds in my French Travel Press, wait four minutes, and then press and drink. The little coffee packet says it contains enough coffee for a "perfect pot", which in my case means one mug.

Happy un-Camper!

2010-09-28T06:47:00.001-05:00

MUG: German-made Waechtersbach "happy man" mug, possessing all the virtues and qualities of Waechtersbach coffee mugs that I have extolled in the past. Simply the world's best commercially-made mugs (speaking for the ones made in Germany).

COFFEE: Fresh ground at O'dark thirty from Colombian Supremo medium roast beans, sourced from Central Market. Familiarity breeds contentment.

NOTES: After several days of on and off travel (with a couple more yet to come), staying in other people's homes, historic hotels, and run-down motels, and eating in restaurants and with hosts, it's indescribably wonderful to be home, enjoying a pot of my coffee. Strong stuff, and soul satisfying (combined with morning temperatures in the mid-50s). I'm home, and I'm happy to be here. I like it here.

Lodging my observations.

2010-09-22T09:06:00.008-05:00

MUG: A USA made (I forgot the manufacturer) china naval mug. Heavy, thick-rimmed, wonderful mug, worthy of a robust, manly brew. A champion "big finger" mug.

COFFEE: Thin diner-brew coffee, perfectly typical of what's served nationwide, totally devoid of all the characteristics that make coffee more than simply a habitual breakfast beverage. The coffee is supplied by DeCoty Coffee in San Angelo, and is served all over West, Texas. The coffee itself may be fine, but the accepted brew-strength is just pathetic.

NOTES: This example was obtained at the Black Bear Restaurant at Indian Lodge Resort in the Davis Mountains state park, close to the McDonald Observatory. You gotta love a restaurant that serves grilled liver-and-onions, and has both black bear and mountain lion warnings posted on the door.

Whoa Nellie.

2010-09-19T13:13:00.007-05:00

MUG: Commercial diner mug by Buffalo. Sort of a Mid-Century Modern design. Odd "contemporary" handle shape, really nice decorative band.

COFFEE: Big Blend coffee from Big Bend Coffee Roasters as served at Nel's Coffee Shop in Ft. Davis, Texas. Brewed too weak (standard diner strength), so there's no way to tell if the coffee's any good.

NOTES: Nel's is connected to The Bookfeller used book store, both physically and by marriage. Good breakfast, however.

Limping on.

2010-09-19T13:07:00.006-05:00

MUG: Paper cup. What can I say?

COFFEE: Hotel Limpia House Blend, from Big Bend Coffee Roasters. Good body, brewed stronger than one might expect, but a slight undertone of 'sweetness' that I find unnecessary.

NOTES: Waiting in the empty lobby at 5:30 a.m. Drinking it on the Hotel Limpia's front porch. An altogether nice way to start the morning.

Debris field

2010-09-14T07:23:00.003-05:00

MUG: Paper cup, with a plastic lid and a corrugated paper sleeve. I forgot to remove it, and so the aromatic and tactile experience was diminished considerably.

COFFEE: Starbucks™ Anniversary Blend. Touted as "bold and spicy", I found it thin and underwhelming.

NOTES: The debris field represents my using a Starbucks™ as my early morning home away from home in Tulsa. A plastic cup of water (the best thing I had there), the wrapper from my apple-spice muffin, an empty pill bottle that held my vitamins and prescription meds, a used, tightly folded paper napkin (as is my habit), and the coffee.

Am I the only one who is noticing a thinning of the brew-strength at Starbucks™? This has happened a few times, recently (usually when I am traveling). Lowering the bar, perhaps, to gain market? Or is it just me?

End of days coffee

2010-09-13T11:20:00.004-05:00

MUG: Styrofoam cup. As styrofoam cups go, this one is very attractive, and I did appreciate the sanitized wrapper.

COFFEE: Mello-Cup blend from Farmer Brothers. Suitable for pouring on cockroaches, I suppose.

NOTES: This is the coffee that was supplied with the coffee maker in the Tulsa Days Inn motel I stayed at last weekend. I brought my own coffee, but made this as a demonstration. The little packet is designed to make 4 cups (I used it to make two cups, which was still too weak). I compared it to the four cups worth of coffee I brought from home, and mine had a 4:1 volume ratio over the motel coffee. Cockroaches beware!

Mugga Java

2010-09-02T06:43:00.005-05:00

MUG: Well, cup, actually. It's a Japanese decorative porcelain cup. Nice touch, good lip, comfortable handle. The decoration includes gold glazing, and the artwork is from a 18th Century celestial illustration (sun, moon, stars, comets, planets).

COFFEE: Mocha Java beans from Allegro Coffees. Ground this morning as lightening flashed across the sky. Mocha Java used to be my preferred coffee blend thirty-five years ago. In formulating my own private blend with Coffee Company, I finally settled on estate grown Colombian Supremo as my daily grind preference. Sometimes less (fuss) is more (satisfaction).

NOTE: Bought this because we were out of beans, we were at Whole Foods, and I didn't like the look of their Colombian. It's OK, if a little more acidic than I like. I noted that both Mocha (Yemen) and Java (Indonesia) were in the news this week. Yemen because of terrorist activity, Java because of volcanic. Colombia, on the other hand, was peaceful.

In the dark, but not of it.

2010-08-22T09:28:00.011-05:00

MUG: Conical espresso cup. Thick, with a thick one-finger handle. The design, construction, and glaze color are exceptional (in my eyes). A beautiful treatment of a cup that too often lends itself to daintiness. I have included my A.G. Spalding & Bros. mechanical pencil for scale (The pencil is made by the same family that produced Spalding baseball gloves for decades before selling out. They are still in control of the old logo-type.). Oh look! Both the cup and pencil are my favorite color!

COFFEE: This is the dark roast my wife likes (dripped, not espresso) from The Olive Branch, a bakery/breakfast/lunch spot in Waco, Texas. The eatery is located in an old 19th Century warehouse near the Brazos River, one that is now full of restaurants (ground floor) and testosterone-free shops (up stairs). The coffee is called Downtown Dark, and is a custom blend from an unidentified roaster. Deep, rich flavor. No complaints (it ain't Colombian Supremo, but I'm narrow-minded). We bought a bag for home consumption. It's still good, made to the stand-up-and-walk-around strength I prefer.

NOTES: Traveling through Waco? This is a good place to stop for breakfast or lunch. Avoid the shops upstairs. They would drain even Floyd Landis.

Non Cogito.

2010-07-31T06:46:00.009-05:00

MUG: Novelty mug from a company called The Unemployed Philosophers Guild. 11 ounce generic design. Standard and functional, if not outstanding ergonomically. On the bottom of the mug, there is this warning: "FOR BEST RESULTS, USE OTHER SIDE." This is covered in their helpful instructional video.

COFFEE: French Roast beans, ground this morning, procured from Tom Thumb's Grocery a few days ago under the label of Safeway Select Gourmet Coffee. Mrs. Summer has been wanting us to brew French Roast coffee for some time, and after enjoying a cup in a little restaurant near the Brazos River in Waco, she bought home 1/2 a pound. I'm not a big fan of the style.

NOTES: The mug has René Descartes' mug on it. It's one of those disappearing art mugs, where something printed disappears as the hot liquid is poured in... often things like Dr. Who's TARDIS, or the wives of King Henry VIII. In this case, "I Think, Therefore I Am" becomes "I Think Not", as René disappears.

As for the French Roast replacing my beloved Colombian Supremo?

I think not.

In the groove.

2010-06-22T05:40:00.006-05:00

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo from What's Brewing? roaster.

MUG: A "naval-style" mug of undetermined origin. Great heft, lip, bite, and capacity. This example was sent to me by a friend in Seattle who knows I also love vinyl LPs.

NOTES: Sometimes I wonder if I'm in a rut because I always drink coffee made with this bean, but I really like it (made strong). Wine-y, oak-y, cocoa-y, chewy. Great stuff. So it's more a groove than a rut... and lots of caffeine certainly helps me spin.

Litespeed coffee cup

2010-06-09T05:23:00.005-05:00

COFFEE: The Colombian Supremo of comfort, habit and preference (but not an especially good run/roast).

MUG: A double-wall titanium back-packing/camping mug from REI. Made in Japan (and priced accordingly). Titanium is very lightweight compared to steel, and stronger than aluminum (so it can be thinner and save weight... a big deal for back-packers and cyclo-tourists). It also conducts heat better than the other materials mentioned, so this mug has silicon sleeves on the folding handles to protect the fingers, and a silicon lid (not shown in photo) to protect the lips. Titanium is also flavorless.

NOTES: An item of desire met. Notice the coffee drips on the handles, the result of my sloshing the coffee. The hot coffee on the cedar plank "coaster" released a surprising amount of cedar aroma in the pre-dawn hour.

More craft, less art, please.

2010-06-06T07:52:00.005-05:00

MUG: Mosaic slab construction mug, the mate to the mug seen in the previous post. "A porous coffee cup" isn't the same thing as "Pour us a cup of coffee". It leaks (no cracks).

COFFEE: Not wanting to waste good coffee, I made a single cup of Starbucks™ VIA® Ready Brew. It's the premium ~~instant coffee~~ ready brew coffee that comes in little tubular single-serve packets, a sample of which came in yesterday's newspaper (told you I was a Luddite). What does it taste like? Premium priced instant coffee.

NOTES: Double fail.

Roll 'em easy

2010-06-02T07:15:00.007-05:00

COFFEE: The usual (Colombian Supremo), ground immediately prior to brewing, roasted some time in the past.

MUG: An artsy-crafty mug made by a potter in Denton, Texas (former GF of my brother-in-law). Three piece slab-construction, with different-colored stratified clay rolled into a sheet, and the bottom punched out and a handle formed. The sheet is then rolled into a tube, and affixed to the base. A clear glaze is applied inside the cup (for liquid seal), and some decorations are applied to the outside. This is part of a set (two mugs and a creamer).

NOTES: Form over function, and nicer as an object than as a utensil. It drinks well, though, and has a nice tactile feel to the mug barrel, with the smooth glaze covering the lip. The handle is too narroe for me, but it does have a nice thumb indent at the top of the handle where it meets the mug barrel.

Stay tuned for Part Two.

Monumental discovery.

2010-05-24T07:21:00.000-05:00

MUG: Homer Laughlin china. Made in the U.S.A. No nonsense coffee service.

COFFEE: Proprietary, fair trade, locally blended and roasted by Cinfrani Coffee in Georgetown, Texas. Good, but needs to be brewed stronger to be great.

NOTES: Had coffee (and breakfast) at the Monument Cafe in Georgetown, just off the town square. A high-class diner built in 1995 to be reminiscent of 1930-'50s diners. Well worth the side trip off the hell that is I-35.

Die Grosse Mug

2010-03-20T14:46:00.006-05:00

COFFEE: Cappuccino from my Saeco Estro Vapore espresso machine, with a cocoa and chili powder dusting.

MUG: A giant Waechtersbach cappuccino mug (how appropriate) from the Crate & Barrel Outlet Store. Nobody does red glaze like Waechtersbach (not even the old, radioactive Fiestaware).

NOTES: Temperature outside was 74F yesterday. Twenty four hours later it's 35F, windy and raining. "Mr. Summer! Your horses are out of your pasture again!"

Jacked up.

2010-03-07T10:20:00.005-06:00

MUG: Crate & Barrel espresso cup and saucer. Clean design, simple and just slightly elegant.

COFFEE: Community Coffee espresso roast, brewed with our genuine Italian pump espresso maker.

NOTES: Out of Colombian this morning, so I hit the hard stuff.

GTT

2010-03-02T07:50:00.004-06:00

COFFEE: The Colombian of preference. Stout and high.

MUG: Texas novelty bistro mug. One of my favs.

NOTE: The words on the mug are U.S. Reresentative David Crockett's parting words to Tennessee (whose citizens had just voted him out of office). Happy Texas Independence Day.

Buffalo Chips

2010-03-01T09:54:00.001-06:00

MUG: Diner mug from Buffalo Pottery. Thick, dense, heavy, very satisfying. Made in tha USA.

COFFEE: Brazilian Estate at Cafe Brazil in Deep Ellum. Thin, weak, light, not at all satisfying.

NOTES: Lunch with Chip Seal. Cafe Brazil's coffee seems much more like normal, run of the mill restaurant coffee nowadays. The food was good, though (or so Chip said).

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2010-01-27T06:13:00.003-06:00

MUG: Generic "gimmie-mug" made in The People's Republic of China.

COFFEE: A very drinkable dark roast, freshly brewed, and of decent strength.

NOTES: Breakfast at Maxine's on Main in downtown Bastrop, Texas. I had a good plate of migas, but they were out of their home-made salsa. Can a restaurant make "home-made" anything?

All of the coffee mugs in this quaint restaurant were garage-sale pick-ups and promo mugs. No two alike.

2010-01-01T09:02:00.003-06:00

MUG: Czech hand-blown stemless Champagne flute from Crate & Barrel.

COFFEE: Nope. A Spanish Cava, Cristalino Brut. Nice on the palate and the wallet. A great party sparkler.

NOTE: Last night's New Year's Eve Toast. Notice the clock... Happy New Year, Prince Edward Island!

2009-12-29T12:40:00.002-06:00

MUG: Chinese cast-ceramic "Holiday" mug depicting a snowman sitting on top of a chocolate biscuit (cookie to us Yanks).

COFFEE: A relative, cocoa, in the form of Mexico's Abuelita hot cocoa.

NOTES: Mexican cocoas (Abuelita and Ibarra) have a touch of cinnamon. Very nice. The less said about the mug (one of a matching pair received as a White-Elephant Christmas gift), the better. It does hold a lot (good), but the thin walls don't insulate (bad). Not microwave or dishwasher safe.

Another flaky mug.

2009-12-26T09:06:00.005-06:00

MUG: Waechtersbach™ "snowflake" mug.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo roasted by What's Brewing from Central Market (their "house brand"). Burr ground.

NOTES: Even a Spanish-made Waechtersbach mug is superior to most all other mugs. This navy blue mug has the unique to Waechtersbach "void" glaze (the white base slip is exposed) forming the snowflakes. While scrounging for used LPs at a local Thrift Store, I found this as-new mug for 33¢.

Burning down the house.

2009-12-14T19:51:00.002-06:00

GLASS: Hand-blown Mexican glassware that my parents imported from Mexico to sell in their shop, The Section House, in Pottsboro, Texas.

LIQUID: George T. Stagg 141 proof bourbon. 2008 release.
Fire water and much more.

Clip on.

2009-10-23T07:34:00.005-05:00

MUG: Contigo™ double-walled stainless steel travel mug from Target™.

COFFEE: Colombian Supremo from What's Brewing™ via Central Market™. Burred up fresh.

NOTES: This travel mug replaces a similar mug branded as Starbuck's™. The lid broke on it (started leaking), and the rubber base mysteriously disappeared. This improved version has a different lid mechanism, is totally leak-proof, and has (like the previous one) a carbiner handle so I can clip it to my Filson™ shoulder-bag/satchel/briefcase/man-purse.

The coffee is wonderful. Thank goodness I am out of Nicaragua™!

Eine Nicht Kaffe

2009-10-19T18:56:00.005-05:00

MUG: Waechtersbach musician's signature edition. I wanted the Bach, but got seduced by the yellow Mozart.

COFFEE: Nica's Fair Trade Nicaraguan Supremo beans, medium roast.

NOTES: Bought a two pound bag, untested, because I like Nicaraguan coffee, and I like Fair Trade products, and the price seemed right. But this bag of irregularly roasted beans was a complete waste of money and time. I've been forcing myself to drink it for two weeks now.

Must stash more coffee.

2009-09-02T05:54:00.004-05:00

MUG: Japanese novelty mug, ceramic with glazed color. Three piece cast construction (bowl, handle, and mustache guard are separate pieces).

COFFEE: More Community Coffee Colombian from Red Stick (Baton Rouge).

NOTES: This "stein" is the size of a coffee mug, and I presume that's its intended use. Made in Japan during the 1950s to 1960s, with a design motif of two Bavarians hoisting liters of beer while a stag leaps through the woods on the reverse. Probably imported by Italians, to complete the Axis Powers connection. A birthday gift from my buddy Mike, a.k.a. "Kitty".

As for the coffee, Albertson's sells this both prepackaged (med/dark) and bulk (dark). The bulk dispenser is the first of its kind I've seen. It has an air lock and a vacuum pump. When you dispense the beans, you first open an airlock and you can hear the air rush in. After the air pressure equalizes, the beans begin to fall into the bag from the spout. When you release the handle, you can hear the air being pumped out of the container. Very cool, and perhaps beneficial to increased freshness and/or longer shelf-life.

Being in community

2009-08-15T08:36:00.005-05:00

MUG: Chinese made ceramic bistro mug with many names of the Second Person of the Trinity engraved into its surface. The name we use as a familiar term is on the reverse side.

COFFEE: 100% Colombia Altura by Community Coffee of Baton Rouge, sourced from Albertson's as an emergency supply (out of coffee, and didn't have time to trek over to my usual supplier).

NOTE: Community Coffee (the folks who dared to challenge Starbuck's in the South with their chain of CC's Coffee Shops...and lost) has a new line of "Private Reserve" premium coffees, most of which are nasty-flavored things I wouldn't use to deodorize the kitchen disposal. But their 100% Colombian is VERY good stuff, more than just acceptable. The beans are a bit small, but the flavor has that wonderful, deep, winey taste. The roast is a little darker than many do a Colombian, which helps, I think.

Strolling down Memory Lane.

2009-07-03T16:14:00.004-05:00

Mug: Not. This aluminum tumbler is one of a set of multi-colored anodized aluminum tumblers I gave my wife for her birthday last year. Both of our parents had tumblers like these for patio parties in the 1950s.

Coffee: Not. It's 102˚F outside right now. Too damn hot for coffee. Gordon's Gin and Canada Dry Tonic. Ice. A quarter of a lime.

Notes: While this tumbler brings back memories of our childhoods in the 1950s, aluminum eating and food preparation utensils have been suspected of being a contributing factor in the development of Alzheimer's Disease. My mother and my wife's mother were both victims.

Greecey spoon.

2009-06-08T19:15:00.007-05:00

Mug: Chinese-made commercial ware for Chubby's Family Restaurant. What can I say? It's a family restaurant mug. Chubby's is a family-owned chain of local restaurants owned by George, a big Greek guy with an accent so thick you can barely understand him. He hires a lot of Greeks (and a scary looking Macedonian dishwasher who wears combat camo).

Coffee: "Colombian" beans, fairly thin. Free refills.

Note: A story I was told from Chicago: A Greek and a Russian both immigrate to the US, and get jobs in a restaurant washing dishes. After a year, the Greek is the cook, and the Russian is washing dishes. After two years, the Greek manages the restaurant's new location. He takes the Russian with him as a dishwasher. After three years, the Greek owns the restaurants... and his old friend the Russian is working for him... washing dishes.

Wrap your mind around this mug.

2009-06-03T06:15:00.008-05:00

Mug: Large stoneware mug from China. Basic thick, heavy mug, with a handle suitable for ham-fisted handling. Digitally imprinted (not sure how this works, but it's cool). From the CafePress website: Super-size your favorite beverage or just size-up to avoid spills with our hefty, 15 oz. ceramic Large Mug. Large easy-grip handle. When you need more, mug it up. Measures 4.5" tall, 3.25" diameter, Dishwasher and microwave safe.

Coffee: The comfortable choice. 100% Colombian Supremo beans, full city roast, double the strength (coffee to water ratio) of the usual "American" coffee.

Notes: Features the graphic from the bumper sticker, "Thank You For Sharing The Road With Bicycles" reflecting what I feel is an example of SMART bicycle advocacy. This mug, and its companion, are available here.

Get a grip

2009-03-28T08:37:00.010-05:00

Mug: An interesting new acquisition: An 8 oz. Bodum double-walled ceramic coffee "cup" (well, Starbucks by Aida is what it says on the bottom, but it's identicle to the Bodum mugs that Starbucks was selling a few months ago... Aida is probably a Bodum subsidiary). I put the word cup in parenthesis because it has no handles.

Coffee: Organic arabica beans from Guatemala. Sourced from Newflower Farmers Market. Inexpensive, relatively ($7 lb.), but seems a little less fresh (rolled-off flavors) compared to my normal sources. Tried their Colombian, and had a similar reaction. Not bad, just not quite as fresh tasting. But at $7 a pound, as compared to my preferred neighborhood roaster's $12 a pound, I may get use to this during the deepening recession and my imminent part-time employment (in 18 months). Shiner Blonde instead of Weihenstephaner Original, too. ;-)

Notes: The cup is designed to keep the coffee warmer with it''s double-walled construction, while the exterior remains cool to the touch, and therefore has no need of a handle. Good tactile experience (you can't beat ceramics to the lips). The ergonomic design is good, with the cup's "waist" providing a good grip.

2009-02-13T06:09:00.006-06:00

Mug: Hybrid mug. Contigo™ desktop ceramic mug with travel lid (not shown), rubber base and handle. Stainless steel jacket adds insulation.

Coffee: Colombian Supremo, as always (almost).

Notes: An OK mug. The base is too big to fit into my car's cup-holder (maybe it would fit the Toyota Prius' cup-holders at work). The idea is to combine the classic drinking qualities of ceramic (no flavor impartation, good heat retention, and a great tactile experience for the lips) with the superior heat retention qualities of a double-walled stainless steel mug.

I don't think they were very successful in the design, as the steel appears to be single-wall, and therefore lacks the "vacuum bottle" effect and efficiency of a true double-walled thermal mug. But it's a pleasant, hefty mug.

2009-01-10T11:28:00.002-06:00

Mug: Fiesta Ware soup/cappuccino mug. Not much to say, it is what it is. I do like the reinforced lip, and of course, the colors.

Coffee: Italian Espresso roast from What's Brewing. Cocoa/chili powder sprinkle.

Note: First use of the cappuccino/espresso machine this winter.

I've had an epiphany.

2009-01-05T05:41:00.002-06:00

Mug: Post-War Japanese design. Thin walls, uncomfortable handle, that allows the heat to burn fingers. Over-painted polychrome colors are flaking off. The under-glaze is crazed, but holding up. The ceramic piece dates back to a time when people made fun of Japanese products.

Coffee: The Colombian of habit.

Note: I realized this morning that today is the last day of Christmas, and I hadn't featured this mug yet (or used it). Tomorrow is The Epiphany, the day the Church commemorates the Magi coming to Jesus. He might have been as old as three when they arrived. Their journey was not about bringing gifts, but about the gentiles being called into the Kingdom of God. Jesus came to you. Return the favor.

Boy Scout Syndrome.

2008-12-21T11:38:00.004-06:00

Mug: Chinese made gift coffee cup. Gold trim along the rim, with a Cub Scouts emblem. Nice and thick. Good feel to the hand and mouth, especially for this type of mug.

Coffee: Colombian from What's Brewing. Slightly bitter, although my lingering "systemic viral respiratory event" may be impacting my taste buds.

Note: I was a Cub Scout. I loved it. My mother was our Den Mother one year (a year she didn't have to work). I was a Boy Scout, too, but I didn't enjoy it as much, and after an assistant Scout master invited some of the other boys into his tent to watch "his snake dance", I decided Scouting wasn't for me.

But I left with the Scout Principals firmly rooted in my being. Through all my wanderings (button-down hippie, artist, state employee, graphic designer/art director, small business owner, bureaucrat), I have always returned unconsciously to the Scout Oath and Scout Law. As somebody, somewhere said, "the Law is written on our hearts."

Only in the Land of Bureaucrats has that consistently gotten me in trouble.

The Legal Grounds

2008-11-20T06:40:00.004-06:00

Mug: Chinese generic. Very glossy clearcoat.

Coffee: The Colombian, the usual. But the taste is off today, and that I believe is a fault with my system due to sleeping under an open window.

Note: This is a mug from the CycleDallas gift shop. Highly recommended.

When in roam, do as the roamin'.

2008-11-18T18:20:00.004-06:00

Mug(s): A Starbuck's stainless steel travel mug and a Starbuck's paper Tall cup with sleeve.

Coffee: Pike's Place Blend. Pretty mediocre.

Notes: Spent the weekend in Kyle. To avoid waking everyone, I drove into town to get my morning coffee at the Starbuck's (and coffee for Mrs. Summer). Crappy cellphone picture courtesy of my Palm Treo 680.

Body bag.

2008-11-12T21:06:00.006-06:00

Mug: Not. Plastic bag.

Coffee: The usual suspects. 100% Colombian Supremo beans, medium roast.

Note: While getting coffee recently from Central Market, I had an idea. The new bean dispensers they have are more difficult to control than the old "scoop in a bin" way. I couldn't tell how much coffee was going into the bag (vertical drop hopper style), and so I've been overfilling the normal coffee bag.

The coffee is in the "bulk" area, with the spices and teas and candies. They have zip-lock plastic bags of various sizes for these. Why not use the zip-lock bags for coffee, instead of the opaque paper "coffee" bags? They'd have the bonus of sealing better than the fold-over paper bags, and the beans would stay fresher longer, holding their flavor, and the brewed coffee would have better "body".

So I did.

P.S. They weigh less than the paper bags, too, so they save a penny or two.

Old Faithful.

2008-11-07T06:54:00.004-06:00

Mug: Waechtersbach "mud colored" mug. Purchased at the Container Store in 1978, made in Western-Germany.

Coffee: Colombian Supremo. Locally roasted, ground a few minutes ago.

Note: There are "standards" for a reason. These are some good ones.

A reformulation of coffee?

2008-10-26T08:14:00.003-05:00

Mug: OXO double-walled stainless steel mug. Rubber handle with a nice thumb notch on the top. Smooth, "no-taste" steel. Happy lips (no metal taste, no metal burn). Cooler mornings allow for warmer mugs.

Coffee: Colombian Supremo "pea" beans from What's Brewing in San Antonio (via Central Market in Dallas). Some concern here that the coffee's not quite as good as before. The beans have gotten smaller (not as good a "pick"?), and slightly more acidic. Autumnal allergies may play a part in flavor shortcomings.

Notes: Today is Reformation Sunday in my church. Oh that they would.

Lighter than air?

2008-08-19T05:49:00.006-05:00

Mug: An Indonesia-made mug with a delightful woodcut of lighter-than-air-craft: blimps, hot-air balloons, and dirigibles.

Coffee: Columbia Supremo... brewed strong enough to walk on its own.

Note: One of a series from 222 Fifth. Eleven ounces (making it a mug and not a cup), with a tall cylindrical body and a very pleasing handle. The usually dainty tear-drop shape has been made more masculine by its extra width. A nice touch, a good mug.

The bottom of the mug has some good info on lighter than air ships, including the little known fact that the top of the Empire State Building was designed as a dirigible/airship terminal.

I got it for 99¢ from Amazon.com (on sale from $9.99). The rest of the series were not on sale, but this just happened to show up when I was buying some other mugs as a housewarming gift. The 99¢ price allowed me to qualify for Free Shipping. So, the mug didn't cost 99¢, Amazon paid me $6.95 to take it.

Further Note: The "lighter than air" concept is of interest to me right now due to the 4000 lbs of leafy tree that responded to gravity's call by landing on our house, delivering the den a crushing blow, and rending the roof asunder. And the rains came.

It's too damn hot.

2008-08-03T20:09:00.006-05:00

Mug: Not. Bodum of Denmark's hand-blown, double walled, insulted glass tumbler.

Coffee: Not. 2 ounces of Gordon's gin, 6 ounces of Canada Dry tonic water, two lime quarters, and ice.

Note: The official temperature today was 107° at DFW Airport, 105°at Love Field (more relevant to me). The Heat Index was 107-109°. Hell on Earth. A gin & tonic is one of the only known remedies.

Coffee by the Book.

2008-06-22T10:37:00.007-05:00

Coffee: Super H.E.B. Colombian Supremo (whole bean).

Mug: Bistro-style mug from Crate & Barrel or Target (I forget which, but I think C&B).

Note: Another morning on the porch on Atlantis Street in Kyle, Texas. The book is my combination Book of Common Prayer/New Revised Standard Bible. I use it to pray the Morning Office everyday. It belonged to my dad, and he gave it to me (because the print was too small) on Father's Day in 1994. In 1998, I had it recovered in goat skin by Henry Nuss Book Binders in Deep Ellum. Henry Nuss dates back to the late 19th century and the Swiss-French-German La Reunion Utopian colony survivors who moved to east Dallas after the colony's collapse (giving Swiss Avenue it's name, and opening a brewery that is long gone, Rudolph's meat market that remains, and countless other professions and trade shops that gave early Dallas a character that still lingers).

Like my dad, Henry Nuss' is now gone. But neither is forgotten.

All things are new again.

2008-06-21T22:19:00.002-05:00

Coffee: French Roast from the Super H.E.B. in Kyle.

Mug: Starbucks' city commemorative mug for Austin.

Note: Sitting on the front porch of my daughter Anna's new (and first) house in Kyle (on the farmland side on I-35). She and David closed on the house Friday the 13th, moved in over the weekend, and then she delivered her second son on Monday. They've been very busy.

Coffee Service.

2008-05-26T08:06:00.007-05:00

Coffee: Fair Trade, certified organic Colombian Supremo from Brazil's Marquez de Paiva (marketers) via Colombia's Colcafe (growers/gatherers). It's a medium-dark (fuller city) roast, with plumper beans than what I have been purchasing. I can not comment on the flavor, as I am still not possessed of functioning taste and olfactory senses.

Mug: Made in the U.S.A. china coffee cup from the Veterans Administration, manufactured by TEPCO in California (Technical Porcelain and China Ware Company). One of the most crudely made cups I have, it is reminiscent of the ceramic objects I created in my short-lived study of ceramics in college. This cup probably dates from the 1930s or 1940s. It's thick and heavy and does it's job.

Note: Today is Memorial Day, a day we remember those who died in the wars America has fought, and originally established to remember those who died during the American Civil War, regardless of which side they fought on. Veteran's Day is to remember those who didn't die, and came about after The Great War... World War I, and was originally known as Armistice Day, as it was celebrated on November 11th (the armistice that ended WWI was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month).

Pass the popcorn.

2008-05-19T17:48:00.004-05:00

Mug: Crate & Barrel bistro mug. This mug holds about 11 ounces of coffee. It's made in China (what isn't), but it has a very pleasing design. It feels good in the hand, although the handle is actually too large. The reinforced lip band provides a good feel to the mouth. The color is a bright red, clearly meant to imitate Waechtersbach's red glaze. Quite handsome.

Coffee: Unknown. An oily, dark roast from the H.E.B. in Kyle, possibly French Roast, and ground fresh just prior to brewing. I've got good kids. Flavor reminiscent of burned popcorn. Not the fault of the good kids.

Note: I am seated on the deck at Catherine and Riley's house in Kyle, overlooking the water retention basin/wildlife conservation area behind their house. I am in Kyle for a baby shower for my daughter Anna and her husband David (soon to be of Kyle as well).

I have a cold. Coffee tastes like burned popcorn. Satan is real.

Sipping in tongues

2008-05-11T08:24:00.004-05:00

Mug: Waechtersbach cup and saucer set, made in Germany. A new find, from St. Vincent de Paul's Thrift Shop, it is obviously more of a tea-cup than a coffee mug, but I couldn't resist the manufacturer nor the vibrant red color. 8 ounces is enough coffee to at least START the day.

Coffee: The Colombian Supremo of easy habit.

Note: Red is the color of Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Me no Alamo! Me no Goliad!

2008-04-21T13:14:00.004-05:00

Coffee: 100% Columbian Supremo beans roasted in San Antonio to a Full City roast and ground fresh this morning.

Mug: The last in the series of four Texas History Movies Sesquicentennial mugs. Chinese promo-mug of a non-offensive design. Two-finger handle design.

Note: The Battle of San Jacinto was one of history's (and especially American history's) most decisive battles. The entire political shape of the North American continent was changed in less than an hour by this conflict between roughly 2,000 armed men. The battle started one hundred and seventy two years ago this hour, as a small ensemble better suited for a tavern than a battlefield began to play the Irish melody, "Will Ye Come To The Bower". The opening volley of the Texian army's "Twin Sisters" cannons were fired soon after, and the fight was on. It was a battle with mythic elements that are true nonetheless:

Extreme bravery and courage (Texian general Sam Houston was shot off his horse while leading the attack, one of only 30 Texians hit by enemy fire),

Brutality (as Mexican soldier's begged for their lives by pleading "Me no Alamo! Me no Goliad", they were ruthlessly slaughtered by men who were drunk with vengeance... over 600 Mexican soldiers died in the battle, many of who were executed as they tried to surrender while standing in the waters of Buffalo Bayou),

Cowardice (General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna put on a private's tunic and hid in the weeds until captured), and...

Chivalry (Houston received the captured the General and spared his life from those who would have shown Santa Anna the same mercy he showed to Col. Fannin and his men at La Bahia... execution).

These are the things of myth, but being mythical does not always mean it is untrue.