What’s in a cup?

Published : 27/05/2010 | Author: HOMEMAKERS | Annelien Nolte

Ever wanted to know where your favourite winter drink containers come from? We found out and would love to share the story …

About mugs

A mug is a type of cup often used for drinking hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mugs usually have handles and can often hold more fluid than any other type of cup. Mugs are mainly designed to have thermal insulation and have thick walls to insulate the beverage inside so that it doesn’t get cold too quickly. The bottom of a mug is often not flat, but either concave or has an extra rim, to reduce the thermal contact with the surface on which a mug is placed.

According to wikipedia.org; the oldest drinking vessels recovered by archaeologists were made of bones, they hardly had a handle and can thus not really be classified as mugs. The first mugs are related to the Neolithic Stone Age and pottery vessels which were found in China and Japan and date to about 10000 BCE. Beautifully decorated clay mugs were found in Greece from 4000–5000 BCE. The biggest problem with those clay mugs, were that the thick walls were not really fit for the mouth. The walls were thinned with development of metalworking techniques. Metal mugs were produced from bronze, silver, gold and even lead from roughly 2000 BCE and were hard to use with hot drinks because metal also becomes hot. Wooden mugs were produced probably from the oldest time, but most of them could not be preserved to the present time. The invention of porcelain around 600 CE in China brought a new era of thin-walled mugs suitable both for cold and hot liquids, which we enjoy today.

Most modern mugs are made of ceramic materials such as earthenware, bone china, porcelain or stoneware. Some are made from strengthened glass, such as Pyrex. Other materials, including plastic, steel and enamelled metal are preferred by campers and people who travel often.

Different types of materials cups are made of:

Porcelain

These cups are great at retaining heat and can look beautiful as it is easy to decorate. They are ideal for presenting when guests come over or to use every day. The only disadvantage is that these mugs or parts thereof can easily brake and it is not recommended to take along when you are travelling.

Stainless steel and plastic

There are various different types of these mugs available on the market. Both options of mugs do not break easily. Plastic mugs are ideal for children who are not responsible enough to use porcelain or glass, but if poorly constructed these cups get warm and can actually burn the person holding it. Stainless steel mugs are ideal for camping and travelling. These mugs are usually plastic inside and stainless steel on the outside, which means that they retain heat for longer and also won’t burn your hand. Some of these mugs have the advantage of lids that sport a drinking spout or hole, making them spill-resistant and also help to retain the heat.

Glass

Glass coffee mugs do not only make an elegant statement, but is also a lot tougher and will last longer than porcelain which could crack easily. It is also stain-resistant and will retain its natural beauty for a long time. Glass mugs is not suitable for travelling and if not careful, you could burn your hand.  Disposable paper cups Although it is one of the most common types of coffee cups used today, due to our hectic lifestyles, it is least preferred among the coffee drinkers. The paper coffee cup is very thin and is difficult for the user to hold it due to the heat of the coffee and results in spills – but it is convenient in the sense that you can through it away once you are done and it will not roll around in your car and make a mess.

Shapes and sizes

The shape and size of a mug is also important. Most mugs hold 250ml water, but some are designed to accommodate a larger amount of fluids. The shape of the mug will also differ according to what it is used for. You get different types of mugs – each with its own use:

A general coffee mug holds 250ml of water, is designed to retain heat and is often made from porcelain and other earth ware. It is the most popular type of mug available.
An espresso cup (demitasse) is usually a small cup (half a cup) used to serve Arabic coffee or espresso (a very strong coffee – therefore only small amounts are drunk at a time). These cups are mostly manufactured from white porcelain and come with matching saucers.
A cappuccino cup is generally a very wide porcelain cup. The beverage is usually served with foam on top and the combination of foam and porcelain ensures that the drink retains heat and stays warm for longer.
A teacup is a small cup (smaller than a coffee mug) with a thin handle that are usually easy to hold between three fingers. Teacups are often manufactured from ceramic materials but are also available in glass varieties. A teacup is always accompanied by a matching saucer and usually available in a set – which often includes a teapot, cream jug and sugar bowl.
An Irish coffee mug is usually tall and made from glass.

Did you know that you can now get a Magic Mug that changes colour when a hot beverage comes in contact with the mug? Visit www.coffeemug.co.za for more information.

Looking for beautiful and interesting coffee mugs or some coffee to make your taste buds tingle?

Visit the following websites and order them online:

How to get rid of stains:

Nothing spoils the appearance of porcelain, pottery and fine china cups than those dark brown rings appearing at the bottom op the cup. Try the following to get rid of those coffee / tea stains:
Sprinkle each mug’s inside with bicarbonate of soda and add a little bit of hot water to make a paste and leave for a couple of hours. Rinse thoroughly then, wipe dry and see the stains disappear.