Let’s just declare, here and now, that they’ll be none of this tea CUP talk: this is a place for MUGS only. Proper sized mugs.
It appears on examining my cupboards that I buy mugs in pairs. This was quite unconscious and it’s not so Husband and I can drink out of matching mugs (excuse me while I vomit) it’s so that if one is dirty I have another clean one. Or perhaps if I should drop one…
- They have to be the right size: Big, but not oversized. This is so that the teabag to water ratio is correct, obviously.
- They must not be chunky pottery. Bone china is ideal but not essential. If the ceramic is too thick the tea won’t taste right.
- They cannot have colour on the inside: they must be white. This used not to annoy me until HPoP pointed out that you can’t see the colour of the brewing tea. Fair point HPoP.
Anyway, I think those are the basic rules. And now here are the mugs:
I’m rather fond of these although I don’t use them on the basis that the tea to water ratio fails. They are tall but very slim. I bought them in TK Maxx because they got slightly squidged when their clay was wet.
I bought these very cheaply in Sainsbury. I think they’re beautiful. They have a special glaze on them that you might be able to see in the one on the left. I can’t use them unless all the mugs in the house are dirty, because they aren’t white inside.
These are rather special because I bought these when we moved to Thailand and our house contents were still being shipped. We bought 4 plates, 4 knives, 4 forks etc and these two mugs. They were reduced to 90 baht each which is about £1.40. They are almost perfect: my first choice of mug from the cupboard.
These I bought in Central because I fell in love with the pattern. They are good mugs to use, but they haven’t quite got the je ne c’est quoi of some of the others.
This mug I bought on Monday from Starbucks. It’s a good size; I love the design and the colour. It’s not the perfect mug though, just the one I’m infatuated with at the moment.
And now I tag: Oh any of you daft enough to have conversations with yourself about your teacups.
12 comments:
Lovely mugs, especially the Starbucks one.
My perfect mug got broken... of course. I'm still looking for a replacement.
What a stunning collection of mugs!
Yes, mugs are very important! Agree with you that they must be white inside (although not so easy to clean of course) and that the thickness is crucial!
My current favourite is a spotty mug I bought from the Co-op the other week, it's tall, elegant and pretty. And the tea tastes lovely in it too - bargain!
Oh, JJ this did make me laugh!!
Now I know that, in addition to the tea bag being left in the water for four minutes, you require a mug that holds the right water to teabag ratio that's white on the inside and the right thickness.....blimey.....I now think we should always have tea at your house!!
C x
yip - I have done mine too :)
I love your prickly pear one! Love it!
x
I heartily agree about the thickness of the mug :)
Thanks Lane. Try Starbucks to replace your broken one. They obviously have scientists and psychologists working on Mug design because they're pretty damn perfect...
Yvonne, thank you.
Sue, gosh yes, cleaning them is horrible isn't it? tea stains so badly ... apart from my blog of course.
Carol, s'okay - I don't come over for your 'tea'. I come for the cats, I mean you.
Caroline, Oh I am SO jealous of those mugs. I want. They are not quite big enough, but adequate and the aesthetics of the bookiness of them MORE than make up for that.
Rachel, it is crucial isn't it? I've sometimes ignored it and bought a too thick mug, but, no, it just can't be done.
Caroline, I meant they aren't quite big enough but they are adequate. And the gorgeousness more than compensates.
The choice of tea mug can get you in hot water!
http://uphilldowndale.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/sullied-reputation/
Uphilldowndale, I love it! How embarrassing. I particularly like the idea that you could decorate your tea/flask/mug thing to look just like the tin of Heineken. I would, but then I have too manys already of procrastinating.
I'm so impressed JJ. If you call at my house when you come to the UK in July, I'll have to buy you a special one to compete with what you are used to x
LPlate, if I were invited to your house in July I wouldn't give a toss what you served me tea in because I'd be there to see you. I would drink what I was given!
However, you do live in the ceramic capital of the UK - don't you? Are your mugs not divine?
JJx
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