A Nice Cuppa

A Must Have For Tea Drinkers - The Eco Kettle

Jaay Dunlap — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 06:00:50 +0000

Whether you are an environmentalist who enjoys a nice cuppa tea, a hot tea drinker on a budget trying to cut back on your electric bill or like me, the occasional hot tea drinker just looking for a stylish electric kettle, the Eco Kettle might be perfect for your kitchen. At the risk of sounding like an advertisment, which I assure you I am not, the Eco Kettle is pretty darn cool!

If you want to talk statistics, according to the EcoKettle website, the kettle contains two separate reservoirs which allows you to more accurately measure and heat the appropriate amount of water needed, which “could save consumers 30% of energy compared with their normal kettle.”

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/01/eco_kettle_by_p_1.php

http://www.ecokettle.com/AFTERSALES.htm

In UK online outlets, prices were found in the neighborhood of £39.95 (US $68.72).

Why could we not simply pour the right amount of water into an ordinary stovetop kettle and save energy without buying more “stuff?” Well, we could, but the tradeoff is not that simple. When you heat a stovetop kettle, you are also heating the shell and handle, in addition to the water inside. Additionally, a stove top element leaves residual heat in the resistance coil and its cover tube. These inefficiencies are reduced by using a plug-in electric kettle, which is not “cordless.” [Choosing a “cordless” plug-in kettle, the kind with a removable base, means lowered efficiency.] The built-in measuring capacity of the Eco Kettle adds convenience and precision. We should hope that the design also provides for an automatic shut-off when the water reaches boiling point, and insulation to keep water hot until that phone call is finished. Bundling features is an advantage if it leads to a personal enjoyment that encourages conservation … to a point that is price determined.

We noticed that other electric teakettles, with many features comparable except for the dual reservoir, are priced in the $40 to $70 range. Eco Kettle is on the high end, but not unreasonable, in other words.

Conclusion: Eco Kettle could be a good value if you don’t have a functioning electric kettle and indeed want one. It does not make sense, however, to replace an existing electric kettle on the theory that the energy savings will make up for the resources needed to produce two electric kettles.

Writers Wanted

Jaay Dunlap — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 10:00:44 +0000

Yup, that’s right. We’re looking for new writers here at A Nice Cuppa. Sound like something you would be interested in? We’d love to hear from you. Remember, the blog covers not only things associated with coffee and tea culture, but also all the other great buzz inducing beverages out there.

Drop us an Email, we’d love to hear from you!

Must Have Mug

Jaay Dunlap — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 08:20:10 +0000

Are you familiar with Stylehive? I’ve been seeing some pretty cool stuff on that site. It’s a great resource not only for trend spotting, but also learning about up and coming designers. Plus you have a chance to read and post feedback about the items, which can be a big help knowing what others think before making a purchase, especially when buying online. I just spotted a set of mugs on Stylehive called “Stain” which were designed by Bethan Laura Wood.

According to Wood’s website:
Stain is a set of a teacups designed to improve through use. This project examines the assumption that use is damaging to a product (For example, scratches on an iPod).The interior surface of the cup is treated so as to stain more in predetermined places. The more the cups are used, the more the pattern is revealed. Over time they will build up an individual pattern dependent on the users personal way of drinking tea.

As much as I love them, sadly I don’t think they are for sale, unlike many of the other great discoveries I’ve made on Stylehive. For sale or not, the tea mugs deserve a look, as they truly are a work of art.

Photo from Stylehive.com.

Writers Wanted

Jaay Dunlap — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 04:30:32 +0000

Drop us an Email, we’d love to hear from you!

Best Wishes To You And Yours!

Jaay Dunlap — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:00:28 +0000

On this first day of 2007, those of us here at A Nice Cuppa would like to send out our best wishes to you and your loved ones. Here’s to hoping you have a wonderful and properous new year with many more to come!

Hey There’s Coconut Creme In My Coffee!

Jaay Dunlap — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:20:25 +0000

I love, love, love the Coconut Creme flavored non-dairy creamer from CoffeeMate. My day rarely seems complete without at least one cup of coffee in the morning. But I’m not a purist, I’m just not satisfied without a bit of cream and sugar, which makes the flavored creamers perfect for me. I’ve tried lots of different flavors, and whatever brands I can find. I choose the liquid over the powder and almost always prefer International Delights to CoffeeMate. But YUM is the Coconut Creme creamer from CoffeeMate good!

From my taste tests I’ve found that many of the flavored creamers are super sweet, but just don’t taste very good. Maybe I expect too much. I know I’m buying something that is flavored artificially, but is it too much to ask that it not taste that way? CoffeeMate’s Coconut Creme truly exceeded my expectations - it is sweet, without going overboard, and has a nice creamy coconut flavor. An authentic coconut flavor, if I do say so myself.

Liquid CoffeeMate can be found in the refridgerated section of your supermarket (usually near the milk and eggs). Coconut Creme along with Vanilla Chai Spice is packaged as a “Limited Edition” flavor chosen by consumers, however the website gives no mention of how long the product will be available.

EDITOR’s UPDATE (12/8/07): Interested in purchasing this product? The following link to the Nestle website will help identify a store near to you where you may purchase this product. Simply select “Coffee-mate Liquid” from the brand menu, the flavor and enter your zip code. Good luck! Find Coffee Mate Coconut Creme

Liquid Art From Down Under

Jaay Dunlap — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 08:35:29 +0000

I would like to introduce you to Simon Law. He is a barista at Cottesloe’s John Street Cafe, in Australia, and he happens to be the Michelangelo of lattes. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, Simon turns an ordinary flat white (aka a latte) into a canvas for his masterpiece. According to the Post, an Australian newspaper, Law has had no formal art training and his technique is rather simple, “Simon uses the tip of an oven thermometer to flick away fragments of surface froth, exposing the coffee colour underneath.” But my guess is few can match his talent.

Simon says that he would one day like to publish a coffe table book of his art work, he would also like to own his own cafe. Here’s to hoping you’ll see Simon Law’s artwork coming to a coffee table near you!

Photo from original story @ http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20061209/news/004.shtml

The Gingerbread Latte: Whose Is The Greatest?

Jaay Dunlap — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:20:04 +0000

Walk in to your local coffeehouse or in some cases your local donut shop, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a gingerbread latte on the menu this time of year. I’ve always been a fan of Starbucks version, having never heard of the drink any place else until this year. It’s reasonable to say that I’m pretty impartial when it comes to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks coffee, so when Dunkin launched their campaign introducing their gingerbread latte I had to see for myself just how well they stack up against Starbucks version.

The result surprised me quite a bit actually. I purchased the smallest size in each, so the milk to espresso ratio should have been pretty similar. I ordered each the standard way, regular, whole milk, etc. And, I have to say the Dunkin Donuts Gingerbread Latte won hands down for me. It was sweeter, with more spice and even a stronger coffee flavor. The DD version left me wishing I had ordered a larger size. But I will say that I may request just a little less syrup next time - towards the end it was a little heavy on the sugar.

As I was sipping the Starbucks version I couldn’t help thinking to myself how disappointed I was. It wasn’t a bad latte, by no means did I consider sending the drink back or did I feel the barrista was having an off day. The drink just lacked flavor - that wow factor. I detected the single shot of espresso, and the hint of gingerbread syrup, but mostly I tasted the milk. Starbucks’ version of the Gingerbread Latte tasted exactly like I remember. But I guess for my tastebuds that just isn’t enough, not with Dunkin’s version just an order away.

Anybody else tasted Dunkin Donuts’ Gingerbread Latte? Tell us what you thought. We’d love to hear the opinions of our readers!

Holiday Gift-Giving

Jaay Dunlap — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 08:21:25 +0000

It seems that no matter how early I start or how many times I declare that I will finish all my Christmas shopping early it never happens. Plain and simple it just does not happen. So if you’re like me, still searching frantically for the PERFECT gift I’ve got a few ideas for the caffeine lovers on your list. Considering the date you’re not likely to have these on time if you’re ordering online, unless Santa drops it off himself so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

It’s always great to know that you’re giving someone a gift they will enjoy and appreciate. I’m not a tea kettle kind of girl. I’ve never owned one, never needed to own one. But for some reason I want one. Is that strange? If you’ve got someone on your list who like me would appreciate a kettle (how silly does that sound?) check this kettle out: the Livestrong tea kettle. Chantal paired up with Lance Armstrong to create the Livestrong collection, and a percentage of the sales of each kettle goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The kettle is gloss golden yellow and would look darn cool sitting up on the stove all shiny.

Got someone on your list who loves iced coffee drinks or indulging in desserts such as affogato? From Illy, which I have to confess is my go-to brand when it comes to espresso made at home, I found these gorgeous crystal glasses designed by emerging artist Serse Roma. The design was inspired by the waves of the sea in Trieste, Italy where the artist is from. The glasses come as a signed set of two, along with a can of Illy.

Last but not least on the list is an electric tea maker I spotted on chef Art Smith’s Yahoo wish list. The TriniTEA electric tea maker has a section for steeping and a section for warming, and you have total control over the steep time and the water temperature. I haven’t the pleasure of trying this baby out, but assuming it lives up to its features description, the TriniTEA maker is the way to go if you use loose tea. It sells for around $99.

Happy shopping!

Enjoy

Jaay Dunlap — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:15:36 +0000

Hey y’all! From all of us here at A Nice Cuppa, we hope you have a wonderful weekend. We’re taking a few days off to go in search of a nice cuppa something caffeinated to warm us. Hopefully while searching we’ll discover where to get a latte the fastest or maybe we’ll find a great new teahouse to share with our readers. We’ll be back Monday with more great coverage of coffee, cola and all caffeinated things in between.

While you’re off enjoying your weekend if you find something we should share with our readers tell us about it (by emailing jaaysgoodthings AT gmail DOT com)