Category Archives: Fun

Quality mugs make a difference and can be fun!

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I was setting out to do a post on a set of Bodum Bistro mugs that where given to me for my recent birthday. They are double walled coffee mugs so they act as a insulator to keep drinks warm or cold. For me, I have a tendancy to drink through my drip coffee quickly since I like it warm to hot. When it cools down it is less of a pleasure drink. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but maybe…

If you have not had the pleasure of a glass coffee mug, there is entertainment value beyond the termal features. For drip coffee, there is quite a show as you add a bit of cream and it works it’s way around the cup, mixing with the dark coffee. Like a Lava Lamp, every showing is different. I attempted to get a image of this and kept ending up with a reflection of my camera. I will post up something when I get it right.

For now, here is a image I grabbed from the provider’s site so you can see it is truly a mug.

I was given a pair of the 15 oz version (Bodum Bistro Double-Wall Insulated Glass Café Latte Mug). They insulate well enough to keep the coffee inside warm while the outside of the mug is cool enough to hold without using the handle. A nice side feature I noticed from a site also reviewing the mugs is that you don’t need to use a coaster since the double wall of glass prevents condensation. Not that I ever sit my coffee around the house but that might be important to some folks. Another item is that while these glass mugs do insulate very well, they are glass so they break easier than a thicker mug.

Now, onto a bit of fun I found while looking for the above image. The folks at Beautiful Life have a post of 25 Creative and Original Mugs. Be prepared when you make the jump, this is a nice showing of mugs. Which means they have a sprinkling of ‘tea’ mugs in there too. It’s a fun collection to see, whether it makes you coffee taste any better or not is another matter.

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Plaid gives us an infographic of the World of Coffee

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Yes, we have seen plenty of infographics on coffee and the varieties of coffee drinks. Some are cool and some are… well, not. This one is on the fun and cool side.

The graphic, created by the folks at Plaid, is more for the average joe coffee drinker but would be very nice to see in every coffee house around the US. Not many folks know what is in a drink they see on the board or they order something they heard about only to find out that it contains something they don’t like.

Small corner of the master “A guide to the complex world of coffee” works:

The Plaid Blog mentions they may be doing a print soon so check in there from time to time if you want something more than the gif they are providing.

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Do you drink coffee with your morning yogurt?

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Yogurt is one of those food items that has never really caught on with me. From time to time I will have a berry one as a snack but it isn’t part of my regular meal plan. It can be interesting to see all the flavors available though. Why have just Strawberry when you could have Strawberry and Banana… or Strawberry, Banana and Blueberries. Each one on the shelf is just more flavors mixed in than the previous. Until I hit the end of the row, there was Coffee Flavored. Just Coffee and Yogurt. I just had to know.

You have to be a drip coffee lover to like Yoplait’s coffee flavored yogurt. It has a rather strong coffee flavor with an aftertaste you would expect from drinking a cup of coffee. Of course, there is the weirdness to a coffee flavor to something with the consistency of yogurt. The coffee flavoring doesn’t completely hide the yogurt flavor. An unusual mix of flavors, I can imagine this has a very limited market of either lovers or haters. It isn’t the flavor that someone will buy a second time if they didn’t like it. Personally, it wont be my first grab since I enjoy more than just the flavor of coffee from my cup of coffee. But, sure, I’ll buy it again.

While this ‘treat’ is 99% fat free, it isn’t free of calories. 170 calories isn’t ‘no calories’ but it is definitely on the low side of your options for an afternoon snack. Those afternoons when you want the flavor of coffee but aren’t worried about the ‘stay awake’ of your afternoon cup.

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Starbucks Instant Coffee Goes Cold!

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Brandy has gotten her hands on the Starbucks Iced VIA, here are her thoughts!

I was so excited to read that Starbucks now has Iced VIA! I order frappuccinos and iced coffee year-round, even if it’s 26 degrees outside. You can make regular Starbucks VIA® iced, but you have to be patient (which I’m not).

At first sight, mixing Starbucks VIA® Iced Coffee in the cold water made me a little nervous. Initially, a film surfaces while you stir and I wasn’t so sure it was going to dissolve, after all. I should’ve had more faith in Starbucks! The directions say to start with the cold water first; I disagree. It works much better if you pour the mix in the cup first and the water on top. Stirring with a spoon took longer than I’d hoped to dissolve the grounds. (Did I mention I’m impatient?) However, shaking the mixture in an enclosed container (like the VIA Shaker Tumbler, which comes complete with measurements on the side) works much more efficiently. Another trick (while not ideal if you’re truly “on-the-go”) is to use two cups and pour the coffee from one to another until it’s fully dissolved. Once dissolved, just add ice & you’re good to go! VIA comes lightly sweetened, but I prefer to add sugar and milk (and occasionally a little chocolate syrup for an iced mocha). And, the taste? Iced VIA does not disappoint. Each packet makes 16 oz. of coffee. A 5-pack box costs $5.95, but Starbucks and Starbucks.com are currently issuing $1 instant coupons, for a total of $4.95 per box.

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Cool Coffee Maker That Will Never Be

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There are a lot of really, er… interesting coffee pot designs that we all know will never make it to our local supplier. Every now and then there is a design that is simple and really should get a manufacturer’s attention. Sadly, this one looks and works in concept very well but will get missed by the masses.

There is nothing new here in the science of coffee making. In fact, there are makers on the market that look similar. This ‘gravity defying’ coffee maker by Lina Fischer would look great in the middle of the table when coffee drinkers come together. The Yanko Design site has this posted on their Form Beyond Function Web site. Hmmm…. think someone should tell IKEA about this design?

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