Concerning Cups...

In my opinion, a drink can only be about as good as the cup it is in. Although it's true that a good cup can't exactly make a bad drink good, it can make a good drink better, and a bad cup can certainly make a good drink bad. And so it is that over the years, I have developed a little list of standards which any cup that aspires to become my cup must live up to.

1. Rim size... The most important part of a cup is the thickness of the rim. It should be thin, ideally with a gentle outward curve. If the rim is too thick, it will most likely have negative affects on the flavor and/or consistency of the beverage.

2. Cup shape and size... The cup should easily fit into one hand, while still being comfortable to hold in both hands (especially important in cold climates). The perfect cup shape will therefore vary a bit from person to person, depending on the person's hands. As to cup size, the perfect cup is on the small side of medium. Better for stronger tea and more coffee refills.

3. Color of cup interior... The interior side of a cup simply ought to be white. That way, you can see exactly what color the drink is, which somehow is essential in order to attain full flavor potential (I'm still not quite sure why that is the case, but it is).

4. Exterior design... As with cup shape, there is a lot of diversity in this category, and the optimal cup will vary from person to person. For example, my ideal cup usually has something to do with flowers and/or butterflies. This is last on the list because it doesn't truly affect the taste of the drink, but simply can add to the drinker's personal happiness.