The Holy Grail of Espresso Cups |
| Date Added: September 16, 2011 10:06:26 AM |
| Can an Espresso Cup be truly great? Is it possible that the design and build of a cup has such an effect on its intended contents that the cup itself should be proclaimed as a brilliant work of living art?Traditional Cup DesignTraditional Coffee Cups are...well, either a cup and saucer or a mug. That's not a brilliant design any more than a functional vessel universally hold-able with a smooth lip and thick enough walls to keep some of the heat in. It works, but perhaps it's not enough. But why? Accentuate The Differences There's been no major change in paper coffee cup design since Starbucks became a global company. Why not? Because familiarity is all part of the drip-feed marketing that makes businesses like that so popular - people enjoy the brand and keep enjoying it so long as nothing changes drastically. Besides, the cups do everything they're meant to - they hold the drink well, keep the heat in and fit in the car.Many appear happy with this, this espresso cups status quo. They don't realise that they purist espresso drinker has a point to their obsessive methods. Here's a breakdown of the important components that add up to the Holy Grail of Espresso Cups. Exterior Shape This is the first thing people notice, the aesthetic of the exterior, the 'design' that has the first impact which will make the cut, or not, in the eye of the beholder. Colour and contour play a part in making the cup interesting over a period of time and many brews. Fashion, current trends, artistic tradition and personal taste all play a part in whether a cup 'looks good' or not. The exterior of the cup does also affect the drink within - a large open top and tapered side to a small bottom means heat will escape more quickly. Having a cup with a more rounded middle and smaller surface area ensures that the drink is more evenly distributed throughout the cup, keeping the coffee hot for longer and making the drinker happier. Interior Shape Again colour and contour can be aesthetic choices the designer makes to please the eye, but the inside of the cup also affects the coffee. Having a flat interior bottom is only going to be bad news - the espresso will settle and rest, giving the opportunity for any particles to commune together. This doesn't make for a tasty drink. A smaller bottom that tapers rather than flattens is the ideal shape for better-tasting coffee. Handle and Saucer We are back amongst the domain of the critical eye and the coffee drinker's preference. A handle has a simple use - to hold an cup more steadily and not be subject to heat from the drink. A saucer has little practical value, perhaps at once a coaster and drip-catcher. Many espresso and coffee cups come with both, at least in traditional design. The handle does indeed keep the heat from the drinker and is usually only not seen on a number of espresso glasses. The saucer is also common, perhaps more so in cafés and restaurants who favour traditions and want somewhere to put the accompanying biscuit. Material This is arguably the most important part of cup design and manufacture from the point of view of the coffee drinker. The choice of material affects the heat retention capabilities of the cup as well as influencing the coating, colouring and feel of the cup in the drinker's hand. Porcelain is most common and keeps heat well whilst also having an attractive, colour-friendly shiny surface. Glass lends itself less-well to colour but does retain heat better than any other common cup material. Clay and earthenware materials suffer from poor aesthetic options. In summary, an espresso cup can have a dramatic impact on the drink it holds and the contentment of the coffee drinker. It only becomes a truly great experience when the other aspects of making coffee come together (the grind, the beans, ratios of water etc). Cheers! About the author: This article was written in consultation with Espresso Deco. |