Ok, now I get to really play coffee snob.
There’s something you should know about me. I know we are all have our little idiosyncrasies, but when it comes to coffee…well, I’m a little finicky.
I drive my wife and my business partner crazy by refusing to take coffee to go. Ever. I simply won’t drink it in a paper or styrofoam cup. Good coffee is meant to be enjoyed in a “real” ceramic cup. Like this one:
Steeple House Coffee in LA
Nothing ruins a cup of coffee like the taste of styrofoam or paper…
And here’s another little secret about me. When I fly economy class, I bring my own coffee cup along or “borrow” one from the club and return it when I land. I don’t mind drinking water from plastic, but coffee must be in a “real” cup.
Enter Air New Zealand. The carrier just unveiled edible coffee cups for lounges and in the air. These leak-proof, vanilla-flavored cups are made in partnership with Twiice, a New Zealand company that specializes in these edible cups.
Twiice co-founder Jamie Cashmore said:
“It’s terrific that Air New Zealand has partnered with us to showcase to its customers and the world that a little bit of Kiwi ingenuity and innovation could have a really positive impact on the environment while at the same time delivering a really cool and tasty customer experience.”
Now, I’m willing to give these cups a try. I also applaud Air New Zealand for thinking outside the box to cut down on waste. But I’m deeply afraid these cups will also be quickly deemed unacceptable by this coffee snob. And who wants to have flight attendants (or anyone else) put their fingers on your edible cup?
So Air New Zealand, you may serve coffee in cookies for the environment, but I use the same cup over and over again. Who’s the better steward now? 😉
What do you think about Air New Zealand’s new edible coffee cup?
“When I fly economy class, I bring my own coffee cup along or “borrow” one from the club and return it when I land.”
What if you’re flying to an airport that doesn’t have the same airline club? Do you just keep the mug as part of a five finger discount? Or carry it around with you until you fly out of another airport with the same type of club?
LOL “five finger discount”
Aaron, I am so picky I mostly just bring my own cup now:
https://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/black-cat-project-cappuccino-cup-5oz
But whenever I borrowed a cup, I always returned it. The last thing I need at home is airline cups.
In the picture the guy is holding the coffee cup with his hand while pouring. I’m then supposed to eat it? Yuck!
Agreed. This looks like something they hadn’t thought about. Oops.
That was exactly my reaction. YUCK!!
There is something mildly creepy about people that insist on strutting around with a ‘to go’ coffee in hand. They have an air of self importance ( although it’s a bit cringeworthy at the same time as it’s awful Starbucks more often than not.) They’re far, far too important to be able to make time to sit down to enjoy coffee at leisure.
It’s not seen in Europe ( other than tourists) but very commonly in the US ( plus culturally acolyte states like Australia and others).
The thought of sipping coffee through a plastic vent in a styrofoam cup , while walking on the pavement…gross.
I appreciate your perspective. I myself having lived in Europe and generally subscribe to sitting and enjoying coffee in a ceramic cup. However, back here in America I am getting teased often times as being called a “snob” for using a real cup. This is funny.
Rather a snob than a pleb. It is impossible to make a decent coffee in a plastic cup, even if you have the best equipment and ingredients.
If it’s replacing a paper cup, I don’t have much issues besides spillage, especially if there’s a defect and it breaks all over my lap. But yes, I agree replacing real cups with that is a bridge too far.
In Australia, reusable glass cups are fairly widespread (e.g. keepcup) as regulars take them to the local coffee shop and such. They come in standard sizes of 4~12 ounces and have a lid too. Otherwise, not unusual for people to take their own mugs to the office coffee cart (as long as it’s clean!). Some places also offer little discounts for BYO.
I view this as a gimmick. They are perhaps more environmentally friendly than paper cups (very dependent on the supply chain etc) but I strongly suspect that they have some serious issues for onboard use.
But compared to china cups that get washed and reused their is no doubt that they are environmentally inferior.
I also find it very difficult to believe that they won’t affect the taste of the coffee. And I’m concerned about how durable they will be in use.
Cool idea but I strongly suspect ANZ is getting paid to use these as a promotional effort by their manufacturer.
100% agree…I’m sure Twiice made it worthwhile for NZ.
#FirstWorldProblems
Hmmm… Wondering about coffee cup made from glass, not ceramic. Some coffee are served in those…
Any baked substance that doesn’t turn to mush when exposed to hot coffee, certainly doesn’t deserve to be munched up in my mouth and swallowed. What sort of chemical madness is keeping these things stable outside my stomach but which will enable them to useful food inside??