Making tea, coffee time special

Making tea, coffee time special

For a long time, I have collected mugs, those larger-than-cup containers with a handle, from which you drink your tea/coffee/hot chocolate.

They are made of ceramic, steel, clay, glass, plastic and even a wooden and an enamel one. Some are hand washable only and others dishwasher and microwave-safe.

They are monochromatic, multi-coloured or colour-blocked, some insulated or with lids, normal or odd in shape and appearance.

Photos Left: Arquitecasa                     Right: Bunzlauwinkel.nl

I am told the belief is that gifting a mug is a sign of love and friendship because the recipient would think of the giver whenever he/she uses it. I have been given mugs as gifts on my birthday or some other occasion, with hearts, flowers, cute animals, landscapes, cartoons, happy birthday/sentimental/motivational/funny messages printed in various fonts on them, or there are themed ones.

Occasionally friends trying out their hand at screen-printing, clay art, pottery and some such new passion, give me the practice pieces of their (mostly) lousy artistic expression. I presume I am not good enough for the masterpieces and they have to get rid of these eyesores anyway.

Not to mention the few Mani likes which pass as railway memorabilia and of course the ones he has received as mementoes, (sometimes with his picture on them) at the events where he is the keynote speaker.

I have spent a whopping amount on mugs which I have brought as souvenirs from whatever city we went to, out of India.

The recent fad is – at a birthday/anniversary celebration, you are asked to get your picture taken by the photographer there and when you leave, you are handed a mug as a return gift. The mug is printed right there and has, besides the date and occasion, your picture as well as the hosts’ on either side of the handle. 

The hoarder/consumerist in me has felt rather proud of my collection and except those given by companies as free gifts with a purchase, displayed several of these mugs on shelves. Yet most of them kept untouched inside their original boxes, fill up drawers. I take them out (perhaps) once a year, admire them, go nostalgic about the occasion, and put them back. I do not use any of them. My mug stash could outlive the next couple of generations although I have been drinking my tea from the same old mug for years.

I also notice that everyone is using mugs for all shades of brown beverage they drink/serve in the name of tea. Taking out the dainty porcelain or china tea-set for ek pyali chai (a cup of tea) seems a hassle now.

Photo: Mirlandra's kitchen

We use mugs not only for tea, coffee and hot chocolate, but for various herbal concoctions, soup and now cakes baked in microwave ovens too. The unlucky pieces get used as containers for toothbrushes, stationery items or cutlery. An artist friend uses them for keeping water to wash her paint brushes.

Surprisingly, they have lost their spot among essentials for shaving and camping that we had seen a few decades ago, to other more convenient alternatives, and plastic has replaced metal mug for Indian style bucket and mug bathing.

We all know that taller, heavier and studier than a cup, a mug has thicker walls and denser base. You get them in small, regular, large and extra-large sizes. A regular-sized mug may contain about 150 to 200 mls. of liquid.

You would agree that while cups with saucers look elegant, mugs are functional and more convenient. They hold so much chai or coffee that except for my morning tea, I say a clear ‘no’ to a second one.

Balancing a cup and saucer as you slide into your favourite seat on the couch in front of the TV or with a book feels like an accident waiting to happen, but mugs are safer to use. Because they do not need saucers and the handle is big with a strong grip, one hand is free to hold the newspaper/book/door/phone/work the buttons on a remote/appliance, as you go about your business. They are better than bowls for having soup because they retain heat. And they are available with all kinds of designs made on them.

No wonder, they are the preferred choice for everyday use and informal occasions.

Most of us use ceramic mugs. They too get chipped, cracked or broken but you can easily buy new ones, sometimes individual too, to replace them.

Glass mugs look great but very soon scratches start to show if they are washed carelessly with harsh scrubbers. Almost every household in the southern states of India has double-layered steel mugs to drink their fabulous filter coffee from. Lightweight and non-breakable, metal mugs are useful for outdoor activities and those with small children may opt for plastic-coated ones. 

Do you use acrylic/plastic mugs for your favourite hot beverage? I agree that they do not break easily but let me warn you that they tend to stain and hold smells.

Perhaps you carry insulated mugs to work, to the gym or for travelling. The tight seal on the lid helps retain the temperature of the liquid inside and they fit into cup-holders in vehicles.

The rumination about mugs started when I decided to clear out some during my painfully slow progress towards minimalism. After all, how many tea/coffee mugs does one need in a household! And it does not look like my progeny is eagerly awaiting to inherit them as if they are a prize. Who knows like hundreds of other things, mugs might also be replaced with something else for drinking and with time, go out of style.   

But going back, do you also have a trustworthy friend, your favourite mug which you like to sip your tea/coffee mug from, to wake up to the world every morning? 

Meanwhile, a friendly suggestion to all my male readers, please take your regular medicines for hypertension, diabetes, and all other ailments as you do regularly, tomorrow too, do not trust your wife’s Karva Chauth fast to work sudden miracles.

                                                                                                - Anupama S Mani