Safety First

 

MUG: IGLOO, a Chinese-made 13.5 ounce double-walled stainless steel, vacuum insulated mug. Nice hi-viz powder coated yellow. The mug's lip rolls down into the interior for a very lip-friendly design. Another step in IGLOO's on-going war with cross-state rival YETI.

COFFEE: Eight O'Clock 100% Colombian Peaks coffee, light-medium roast. Excellent coffee.

NOTES: Save the planet. "The Earth-Friendly Thirst Quencher. With durable, BPA-free stainless steel, you can endlessly reuse this mug, helping to meaningfully reduce the amount of single-use plastic or EPS/polystyrene foam that end up in the landfill."

Early morning surly tableware

MUG: Sainte-Germaine, a Chinese-made 10 ounce cup from Sur la Table. Conical shape, fairly thick ceramaric cup with nice lip and finger feel.

COFFEE: Eight O'Clock 100% Colombian Peaks coffee, light-medium roast. Beans delivered to my door. Excellent coffee.

NOTES: This mug is from the Sur La Table Collection of what I presume to be reproductions of, or homages to, European cafe dining ware. Sainte-Germaine is a Paris neighborhood famous for artistes, intellectuals, ex-patriot cultural refugees, bistros, and the left bank of the Seine River.

In Memorium

MUG: M Ware coffee mug (made in China), heavy cafe/naval-style mug ('tactical self-defense' weight?).

COFFEE: Colombia Huila, Pitalito, from Barrett's Micro Roast Coffee.

NOTES: While on a trip through parts of West Texas and The Big Empty, I stopped in at Booked Up, Larry McMurtry's bookstore/collection in his hometown of Archer City, Texas. I didn't have time to prowl around the shelves and stacks and tables of the two buildings, but I did have time to swap a couple of stories with the proprietress, and purchase this mug.

Five Not-So-Easy Peaces

MUG: 16 ounce paper to-go tumbler.

COFFEE:  Four ounces of drip-grind Colombia Jardin, medium roasted by White Rock Coffee in Dallas, and "sourced from a cooperative of the best farms in the Antioquia region." An excellent coffee and roast. Rainforest Alliance certified. Just the unbrewed ground coffee.

NOTES: In preparation for a four day trip, I pre-ground and packed my preferred coffee to make during our stay (our friend who was hosting us with is not a coffee drinker). A somnambulant mishap with unfamiliar brewing gear resulted in losing a day's supply. I ventured out to find a small supply.

The Wuhan Panic has resulted in bulk bins being discontinued, so my first thought of getting a quarter pound of coffee ground was a non-starter. "All our coffees are pre-packaged."

My next idea was to get a small sample-packet of quality coffee. Rebuffed again, as no such small packets were to be found.

I found a promising 12 ounce bag of coffee beans at a shop I trust and respect from my former life in Dallas, but I only wanted about 3-4 ounces ground, and the rest I would keep un-ground to use upon my return home. I asked the shop if they could just grind 1/4 of the bag to drip, and eave the restof the beans whole. "No, we can't do that," said the nice young lady behind the scones counter "we have nothing to put the ground coffee into."

Rebuffed again, I started to leave. But when I reached the door, an idea came to me. I went to the order counter, where a supervisor (?) awaited me. I explained my dilemma, and offered a solution. "Can you grind 1/4 of the beans and put the fresh grounds into a paper to-go cup, leaving the whole beans in the bag so they'll stay fresh until I get back home in a couple of days?"

A long pause came upon the gentleman as he pondered the ramifications of meeting my request. After about fifteen seconds (during which he was making hand gestures compatible with thinking through a math problem), he replied "I don't see why not." After grinding the beans, he kindly resealed the bag for freshness with a heating tool.

I departed at peace and in puzzlement.

Nicht Bin Ein Berliner

MUG: 14 ounce "You Are Here" series souvenir mug from Starbucks B.V. of Holland. Commemorating Berlin. Porcelain ceramic made in Thailand.

COFFEE: Colombia Jardin, medium roasted by White Rock Coffee in Dallas, and "sourced from a cooperative of the best farms in the Antioquia region." An excellent coffee and roast. Rainforest Alliance certified.

NOTES: The mug belongs to our friend Barbara, at whose house we were staying while visiting Dallas.

What goes around.

MUG: Yeti Rambler 12 ounce travel mug with a twist-open HotShot lid.

COFFEE: Eight O'Clock 100% Colombian Peaks coffee, light-medium roast. Beans delivered to my door. Good coffee.

NOTES: This mug is my reward from Yeti for achieving the 'Sherpa' level of their Field Guide retail training program. The HotShot lid is a variation of the lid design on some Stanley travel mugs I got about 10 years ago. But then, Yeti drink ware itself is a variation of designs originated by Stanley over 100 years ago.