The Coffee Mug Set

While tea is most definitely best sipped from fine china tea cups and saucers, coffee on the other hand always seems to taste better when it is served in a coffee mug, although die-hard coffee connoisseurs will be quick to point out that different types of coffee should be served in different sized coffee mugs or cups! Seeing that coffee is consumed by over 50% of the US population, approximately 60% of Australians, and millions of others around the world drink at least one mug of coffee a day, the coffee mug has become an important item in any home. In fact, mug sets are almost as essential an item to own as a china tea set, especially when serving coffee to visitors, (unless it is a formal occasion in which case a coffe cup should be used or perhaps a coffee glass.)

So What Is It That Makes a Coffee Mug Special?

The coffee mug, often the first thing clutched at when arising in the morning, is a revered item in many homes. Ranging in size anywhere from 12 ounces to 20 ounces, coffee mugs come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. There are also many different types of coffee mugs, though the most popular types are the regular porcelain coffee mug, glass coffee mugs, plastic mugs and stainless steel coffee mugs. A typical coffee mug has a large enough handle on the side to curl your fingers around, unlike a dainty teacup which must be held delicately by the handle between the thumb and two fingers. Coffee cups generally do not sit on saucers but are rather firmly set down on the table, coffee table, sideboard, computer table (this one should be a ‘no-no’) or on any relatively flat surface. I have even seen people precariously balancing their morning coffee on their bed!

For everyday use, the porcelain type is usually the cup of choice. They are great for hot coffee as the porcelain, which is usually considerably thicker than a porcelain teacup, holds heat well and keeps your coffee nice and warm while you drink it. These types of mugs are often decorative. Some are brightly colored, many have patterns or designs on the sides and it is not uncommon to find a ‘mug with a message’ sitting on someone’s desk. In fact, I am often intrigued by what I find written on coffee mugs. You can find mugs of all colors, if you are looking specifically for a black coffee mug or black and white coffee mugs you should not have too much trouble locating it. Unfortunately porcelain will break if dropped. It will also chip fairly easily, thus you do need to take care not to damage your ceramic coffee mug.

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Studies say Coffee Lowers Risk of Prostate Cancer

A lower incidence of prostate cancer in men who drink coffee is the focus of a newly released study conducted at Harvard university. The 22-year study looked at groups of men who drink either regular or decaffeinated coffee, and from 1986 to 2008, the men were asked to report their coffee consumption. The researchers discovered that the men who drank the highest amounts of coffee on a regular basis had the lowest percentage incidence of prostate cancer, and were 60% less likely to die from the disease. According to the study, those who benefited from the decreased risk were those who drank at least six cups of coffee per day. Those who drank up to three cups per day were 30% less likely to die from prostate cancer than those who did not drink coffee at all or drank it on an irregular basis.

The researchers, however, have noted that it is not advisable for men to go out and start drinking massive amounts of coffee based on one study, and that further research will be necessary in order to come to a more validated conclusion about the complex series of factors responsible for causing prostate cancer. One thing the results of the study did not explain was why coffee might contribute to lower prostate cancer numbers. Researchers have speculated that it may have something to do with antioxidants, or with coffee’s insulin-regulating compounds.

Although this most recent study is likely to cause quite a stir amongst the male population, this is not the first time Harvard researchers have linked coffee to health benefits. In previous studies conducted at Harvard, coffee was also shown to reduce the risk of liver cancer and Parkinson’s disease, and coffee drinkers were also shown to be less likely to develop type II diabetes.

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Pay Fairtrade Forward Day gets underway

The concept of “paying it forward” involves doing a good deed for a complete stranger. But do good deeds extend to buying those strangers coffee? Well, that’s exactly what one local charity is trying to get Kiwis to do on Wednesday May 18, all in the name of Fairtrade. It’s a daily ritual for many, but buying a coffee for someone you don’t know and have never met is almost unheard of. “Pay Fairtrade Forward Day” was started by a charity that is encouraging New Zealanders to help end global poverty, it’s centred around one simple act of kindness.

“All you do is go into the café closest to you that sells fair-trade, buy the first coffee of the day – but not for yourself, for the person behind you,” says foundation founder Divya Dhar. “Walk out the door and the next person that comes in gets a free coffee. It’s up to them to pay it forward.”It is hoped the domino effect of customers paying it forward will also generate talk about the Fairtrade movement, which looks to guarantee farmers from poor and disadvantaged nations aren’t underpaid for their produce. “In doing that act of generosity you’re really helping a huge community somewhere else that you don’t even know about,” says Ms Dhar.

A visiting coffee farmer from one of those communities in Ethiopia, Tadesse Meskela, says profits from Fairtrade go directly towards improving living conditions. The price of coffee on the global markets is continuing to rise, and Ms Meskela says Fairtrade is a way of making sure growers don’t miss out on the benefits. The P3 Foundation says more than 1500 coffees were paid forward last year. It hopes to increase that, with cafes in Brazil, South Africa and Italy also taking part.

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