The Perfect Cup

Many a treatise has been written on the perfect cup of tea, expounding on everything from the temperature of the water to whether the tea should be poured into the cup before or after the milk. George Orwell provides us with no less than 11 points necessary to ensure the perfect cup of tea! But what about the humble and oft overlooked vessel without which tea would simply be another hot drink – the tea cup.
Tea cups come in a bewildering array of colors, shapes, and sizes – from the daintiest bone china with a delicate pattern of forget-me-nots around the rim to boldly colored oversized French cups, large enough to bathe a small dog comfortably. Originally developed in China, teacups gained the addition of a handle when introduced in Europe to keep the drinker from burning the fingers.
But what makes the perfect cup? Volume? A cover (gaiwan)? Thinness (to help cool your drink) or thickness to keep it hot? Height? Designs in tea cups range from the basic to the visionary, much like the tea itself. But without a background in fluid dynamics (and, surprisingly, no physicists seem to have taken up this challenge), it seems we may never know which is best.
Fortunately, designers have known for a long time that it is not simply the function of the object that matters, but how it figures in the experience of using the object. That is, a tea cup is not simply a way to get tea from the pot to our lips, but part of the experience that is drinking tea. As a result the texture, shape, and beauty of a tea cup is just as important as its ability to keep your tea contained. For example, Bethan Laura Wood makes teacups that are treated to be stained in predetermined patterns – the more you use the cup, the more of the pattern is revealed – underlining that the tea cup in inextricable from the act of drinking tea.
But as I sit sipping a cup of earl grey, contemplating what makes the perfect teacup, I remember one important consideration that no one ever seems to mention. A saucer large enough for your biscuit.

Baby and Me Makes Two for Tea

“…and you’ll have to give up tea…” continued a well-meaning friend of mine who was delivering a litany of all the things I could no longer do now that I was pregnant. I was horrified – give up tea? Sure, I could forego the wine and give up my sushi, but tea? That was going too far! Fortunately, a bit of research into the subject soon showed that I would not have to give up my favorite cuppa. The main concerns over tea and pregnancy are caffeine and herbs
Higher caffeine consumption (specifically more than 300 mg daily) has been linked in some studies to miscarriages and low birth rates. Low caffiene consumption - less than 150 mgs a day – has been shown in studies to have no affect on developing infants. Amounts in the middle (150-300 mg) are still in debate, with studies coming in on both sides. Since a typical cup of brewed black tea contains about 48 mgs of caffeine, you can sip up to 3 cups a day without real concern (and of course, you can always get decaf).
Herbal teas are trickier – some herbs can cause serious issues, especially in early pregnancy. Yellow dock and alfalfa are both considered unsafe during pregnancy while ginger and peppermint are thought to be fine. Fortunately, food-based teas (like my favorite Blood Orange) get the thumbs up across the board.
On a side note, there has been some recent controversy over green tea consumption during pregnancy. Due to the way the elements of green tea bond with certain chemical within the body, it has been suggested that drinking green tea may have an adverse affect on the body’s ability to process folate (important in reducing neural tube defects).
So, as with most things, the key is moderation. I ordered a few tins of my favorite black teas in decaf form, stocked up on my fruit teas, and made a date with my girlfriends to head out to our favorite tea room. Who knows? Maybe I can start growing a new tea lover early.