{Difference Between Coffee & Tea Cups}

Yesterday I did mention in my post that those chevrons, pointed at the particular cups in the end of my TV Interview's video, were wrong. So here I like to point out to you the visible differences between Coffee & Tea Cups. 

Sorry for the poor photos, because of the camera focusing in on the windows... I placed each time two cups on an oak tray, placed on a ceramic pedestal. LEFT you see a Coffee Cup and to the RIGHT is a Tea Cup!

• Coffee cups are more narrow and mostly straight up. Teacups are lower and wider and often tapered down. 
• The reason that teacups are wider at the top and more shallow is because a good tea is set with BOILING water. 
• The bigger surface lets your tea cool down faster, to a consumable temperature.

To the left I also placed a smaller spoon than to the right. These cups are German Seltmann Weiden Mirabel in white.  Spoons are Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet.

Frontal view of Coffee Cup to the left and Tea Cup to the right.

Europeans brew their coffee a lot stronger than people here in the USA and or Canada.

We do use a dark French roast, that also makes the coffee darker but always mild and never bitter.

Nowadays the famous Dutch JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS coffee, since 1753, is widely available in the USA as well.

These I do use as Coffee Cups; demitasse and regular size Coffee Cups. What is your guess? These are more tapered down.

This is WEDGWOOD CREAM COLOR ON CREAM COLOR (PLAIN EDGE). Even Replacements Ltd. does not specify the difference. It names the one to the left footed demitasse and the other footed cup & saucer.

Frontal view of the two cups & saucers.

This again is easier to judge. To the left is a demitasse for coffee and to the right a demitasse for tea. The French word Demi Tasse means Half Cup. This is ROSENTHAL SANSSOUCI ROSE-IVORY (GOLD TRIM).

Frontal view of the demitasse Coffee Cup to the left and demitasse Tea Cup to the right. For both I used the demitasse spoons from Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet.

Again an easy to judge set. To the left is a demitasse Coffee Cup and a regular Coffee Cup and to the right is a regular Tea Cup in MASON'S MANDALAY-CHARTREUSE.

Frontal view of the demitasse Coffee Cup to the left, regular Coffee Cup center and regular Tea Cup to the right. I used a demitasse Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet spoon for the demi and regular spoons in gold plate for the coffee and tea cups.

Christie's Mandalay by Masons

This one is again easy to judge. A demitasse Coffee Cup to the left and a demitasse Tea Cup to the right with regular spoons in gold plate. When I mean regular, it is NOT a regular American size spoon but a much smaller European size teaspoon. This is ROYAL ALBERT THE GARDENIA.

Frontal view of demitasse Coffee Cup to the left and demitasse Tea Cup to the right.

Again easy to guess: to the left a regular size Coffee Cup and to the right a regular size Tea Cup. Both with gold plated teaspoons. This is ROYAL ALBERT PRINCESS ANNE (BRUSHED GOLD EDGE).

Frontal view of regular size Coffee Cup to the left and regular size Tea Cup to the right.

Again somewhat difficult to analyze... The one to the left is called an After Dinner Cup and the one in the center a Coffee / Tea cup. The one to the right is named a Breakfast Cup...  Guess we can either pour coffee or tea in them! This is French GIEN ROSE.

Frontal view of those three cups... Here I used two demitasse spoons from ALVIN BRIDAL ROSE and to the right a five o'clock spoon.

Frontal stacked view and clear view of size difference.

Though these are not tapered down I presume that the one to the left is a Coffee Cup and to the right a Tea Cup. This is from POTTERIE DE DRIEHOEK in Huizen, The Netherlands. Spoons are demitasse and teaspoon by Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet.

Frontal view of this Coffee Cup and Tea Cup.

Here we are facing our final set of in my opinion again a demitasse Coffee Cup to the left and a regular Coffee Cup to the right. I used Alvin Bridal Rose demitasse spoons for both. This is ROYAL DOULTON ENGLISH ROSE.

One last frontal view of a demitasse Coffee Cup to the left and a regular Coffee Cup to the right...

Now you also know what I am using when hosting a High Tea. We have quite a choice on china. Will show you photos from such a High Tea later. My idea is that more people are using Tea Cups than Coffee Cups. What is your take on that? You might be able to reflect on your own stock or maybe heirloom pieces that you got handed down.

Worldwide, it seems that numerous people look for the 'right' cup... 

A total of 92,643 views so far.

Related links:
{My Etiquette Training Interview with WGXA.TV (FOX24/ABC16)} | yesterday's post (from WGXA.TV) by me referring to the cup differences in video
So, What's This About Coffee "Cans," Reggie? | previous post from Blogger Reggie Darling with interesting facts
{Our last Datura Angel's Trumpets and TEA with a Twist} | previous post by me, showing also Japanese tea
Learn from Mariette | Classes used to being offered by Mariette's Back to Basics
The World in your Teacup | book by Lisa Boalt Richardson

{Table Setting for Friends}

Saturday evening, we had a dinner for six friends at our home. Just like to share with you my table setting. From husband Pieter, I had a dozen white roses and in our garden we just found enough Fragrant double Obdam narcissus for putting in the individual Delft white picture frames, as a place setting. We had heavy rain on Saturday but inside it was cozy.

• Real Wax Carved Rose tea lights (battery operated Flameless Candles) in white, when lit they look yellowish.
• White ceramic roses as center piece, together with the Baccarat Harcourt pitcher with real white roses.
• You can see this Baccarat Harcourt pitcher in a previous post, see link below.

• Gumbo Soup spoon is Bridal Rose by Alvin and other flatware is my Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet.
• Baccarat Piccadilly stemware.
• French Pillivuyt charger...
• Le Jacquard Français tablecloth. 

• Table got set for 8 of us.
• Before I placed a fork to the left of this plate, I took the photo... 
• Don't you like to have cozy dinners with friends when the weather is cold, windy and rainy?

Related link:

{Fragrant Double Narcissus Obdam} | previous post by me

{Lady Alexander Rose by Queen Anne & Obdam Narcissus} | previous post by me
{Delft White Picture Frame Vase} | previous post by me
{6 Gorgeous Bridal Gown Peonies in Baccarat Harcourt Pitcher} | previous post by me
{Our Royal Bonica Rose} | previous post by me

{Happy 89th Birthday Dear Mom}

Wishing my dear Mom a Happy 89th Birthday on February 12! She is quite a hero for still going strong after almost 5 years of kidney dialysis. You can read more in my previous posts about her, below... 

• Mom taught me how to love, love my human Parents and love my heavenly Parents. How sweet it always was when she came to my bedroom, to see if I got tucked in well, together with my sister Diny. She marked my forehead with a cross and said her sweet prayer: Danke Lieve Heerke, danke Lieve Vrouwke, danke engeltje zoet die ons Marietje bewaren moet. Thank you Dear Lord, thank you dear Lady Mary, thank you sweet Angel who must wake over our Marietje... With that prayer by Mom, I felt so loved and so fuzzy that in no time I was in dreamland! 
• Mom taught me how to care for others, how to cook, how to love flowers, how to do fine needlework.
• Mom taught me how to uphold myself and for wearing good, decent and supporting lingerie. She repeated what her Mom always taught her: Wie zijn eigen bewaart, die bewaart geen rotte appels. Those that keep their own do not keep bad apples. 
• Mom taught me how to keep the sun from damaging the face, she covered up with an all cotton headscarf, while working the fields. Smart woman as till today her face is soft and a lot younger looking than her actual age. So glad I too always covered up with a wash cloth when at the pool or wearing a hat at the beach. Thank you Mom!
• Mom taught me the love of ginger and I recall as a young teen, staying up late and baking her a surprise ginger cake on her birthday! Got reprimanded by Dad for not being in bed, I cried but it was worth it. Mom loved it!
• Mom also taught me to LOVE those diamond shaped nougat blocks with chocolate covered. I always would bring her one home when I was dating and going to a fair where they got sold.
• How Mom could put a spring in my step as I did smell her home cooked delicious tomato soup when we came walking home from school for lunch. No one could sautée onions better than Mom. She also used sautéed onions with her green beans and her ribs were so yummy with sautéed onions and tomatoes... Her apricot pie baking was something out of this world! 
• Mom kept an exemplary MORAL COMPASS—passed down by generations of strong women.
• With love I did bake and cook for you during your four stays with us here in the U.S.A. and also giving a High Tea in your honor for some ladies... Short video where at 1:23 you can see the tea/coffee table in her honor here in Georgia: Pieter J.C. Vedder squeezes lemon over Popovers for Mom & Dad & High Tea in Honor of Mom in Georgia ←click it.

Here in our living room we are together; framed forever in silver. Mom's is with roses...

I still can hear your voice when you exclaimed that those pictures were the most precious gift you ever received... 

We went together to the next city for this photo shoot, when you and Dad were staying with us in the USA.

That will forever remain a wonderful memory, as there are so many others!

Thanks Mom and Happy 89th Birthday from your American daughter.

Related links:
{The Little Black Dress & My MOM} | previous post by me
{Mom's 4th Dialysis Anniversary} | previous post by me
{Like to see my own Everlasting Silver ROSE?} | previous post by me
{MY VERY FIRST BLOG AWARD} | previous post by me, listing 10 points about me...

Mom got called MOVIE STAR for once she was the CENTER of ATTENTION! | later post with video

{SUNSHINE as a Perfect Birthday Gift}

My Birthday was a very happy day and it was full of SUNSHINE. That made it already a Perfect Birthday Gift, considering the dreary, cold and rainy day that followed... Our foster-daughter Anita in Indonesia did Skype us via video call before breakfast time; that was a nice gift to see her beautiful face and smile in front of us. When we were reading our mail and had a cup of coffee with chocolate, our Liz called from Rotterdam in The Netherlands. With the iPhone in front of us, we could again chat via Skype video call. How times have changed for the better in communication! Lots of phone calls from family and friends. We also did go outside and I did snip off our only two Ehrlicheer daffodils that were blooming. We have almost no daffodil blooms this year; very sad... only leaves but no buds. But at least one Baccarat  perfume bottle could be filled with them, together with the two from a previous day. 

Happy at the dinner table with friends...

Happy with daughter Anita calling via Skype video before breakfast...

Happy with daughter Liz making a Skype video call and her singing happy birthday together with her Dad...

We started off with some Fog in the early morning but the forecast was excellent.

By 2:29 PM it was 78°F or 25°C Real Feel ~ what a Birthday gift with lots of SUNSHINE...

See the BLUE SKY? Smelling my two stems of Ehrlicheer daffodils; they are so fragrant!

Wearing my Escada jeans and Escada cotton cropped black sweater.

Also Escada shoes...

Frontal view of 62 year old me...

Happy day!

In-between telephone calls and such, I did manage to make some Tom Yam Koeng Thai soup with fresh Georgia shrimps and served with brown rice as a full meal.

Tiramisu for dessert with coffee...

Using my French Le Jacquard Français placemats and napkins and Baccarat crystal.

French Gien Rose soup bowls with Alvin Bridal Rose gumbo spoons...

Happily eating some of my tiramisu... sugar for a Birthday is allowed!

It felt great to be with dear friends at table...

Grateful for another year being added!

Related articles:

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday} previous post by me

{Our Daughter Liz} previous post by me

{Anita Anggraeni our Foster Daughter} previous post by me

{60 Years Ago} previous post by me

{International Sterling Silver Rose Pendant on Black Giovanni Raspini Necklace}

For the month of Romance, of course one can never have enough ROSES and CHOCOLATE...! One more find for you, this lovely International Sterling Rose Pendant on Giovanni Raspini, Italy black caoutchouc necklace. Note the beautiful silver bail that's on the pendant. Again, this unique piece of jewelry is available at Spectrenoir.

As usual, these photos are taken outside on the balcony. Not easy to capture silver!

Without bail, this beautiful rose pendant is 2.2" x 1.6" or 5.5 cm x 4 cm.

The Giovanni Raspini black necklace has a 925 silver lobster clasp and shows the 925 and ★132 AR, Raspini Arezzo silver marks.

The necklace is 16.5" or 42 cm in length.

Closeup of the Rose Pendant...

International Sterling marking on the lower back of this Silver Rose Pendant.

Sorry Sold out...

{Hot Chocolate Tastes Better From an Orange Cup}

• On January 8 of 2013, I came across the following article: Drinking hot chocolate from an orange or creme colored cup makes it taste better...
• So I had to check it out if: Hot Chocolate Tastes Better From an Orange Cup! 
• Out came our vintage Dutch cups & saucers from Potterie de Driehoek and together with our FIRST fragrant daffodils and some DARK CHOCOLATE I made the test, together with husband Pieter. 

• Yes, I did make Hot Chocolate from Dutch processed Droste Cocoa, using Half & Half  (half milk and half cream). No sugar added...
• Indeed, my very first vase with fragrant Sweetness Daffodils. See more about them in links below post.

• Friend Barbara from Switzerland made the brown mug...
• Dark Chocolate is healthy too, so we had to have some!
• The tablecloth has been hand embroidered by my Mother-in-law.
• She made probably hundreds of those on request; she still had a long list when she died at almost 95...

• Sure, some Rose Silverware has to go with this setting as well... that will also add to the taste!
• Silver plate with silver mark: E ST 925 and repoussé roses.
• I placed a crystal bowl on top for the chocolates...

• Alvin Bridal Rose demitasse spoons...
• Okay, go ahead and take some dark chocolate!

• What is your idea about WHAT will make Hot Chocolate Taste Better?

Related link:

{Our 1939 Sweetness Daffodils} previous post by me

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday} previous post by me

{WONDERFULLY FRAGRANT SWEETNESS DAFFODILS} previous post by me

{Vintage Silver Rose Brooch}

Another treasure for offering to my clients. This time I found an Old World Vintage Silver Rose Brooch and it is in excellent shape, pin and all. Just have a look at this lovely piece. Some artistic silver smith did an excellent job. This gem is available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

More and more I do admire those professionals that make photos for magazines or books.

It is awfully hard to capture anything in silver! Even my French ombré silk velvet is shiny...

But you do get an idea how lovely this rose is.

This is taken on our balcony and you can see the trees reflected in the silver...

The silver mark, an 800 content of silver. The back is smooth with only the needle and lock.

Sorry Sold out...

{1925 Art Nouveau Silver Brooch with Roses}

For you again a special find from the Old World. This time it is a 1925 Art Nouveau Silver Brooch with Roses in very nice repousse work. It is 6.7cm x 2.4cm in size, or 2.6" x 0.9" and has a well functioning needle with secure lock. See last picture below. Again this is available at Spectrenoir.

Photo is taken outside on the balcony and the sun is a bit reflecting in the roses...

But at least you get to see the beautiful repousse silver work.

This one has less reflection from the sun... 

I admire those silver smiths how they can create such life-like roses with buds and leaves!

This is the reverse side of the brooch and you see the needle and its locking system.

To the left at the top, under the rim you can read the 800 silver mark.

One more 800 silver mark on the arch of the locking system.