Behind closed doors we’ve all made desperate glassware choices, such as a coffee mug for Pinot Noir, but with a little bit of history and one of these expertly crafted drinkwares, you’ll be back to enjoying beverages as originally intended.
The Tumbler
In 1896 the New York Times published an article explaining how the tumbler was named, “so perfect was its balance that it returned instantly to an upright position. Whether turned upon its side or rolled along the floor or dropped upon the soft carpet, the same result followed.” No longer metal with a round bottom, the modern tumbler is practical for everyday drinking. Update your tumbler game with the Oregon or Washington Tumbler ($45) by Portland-based North Drinkware.
The Coupe
Stories abound for the origins of the coupe: a lovesick glassblower modeled his Champagne glass for the last queen of France before the French Revolution, specifically Marie Antoinette’s left breast as the inspiration. Other historians say the coupe glass was designed in England around 1663, over a century earlier, for sparkling wine and Champagne. Regardless of its inception, the shapely glass has maintained its celebrity for holding both bubbles and cocktails today. Splurge on the Copper Cocktail Coupe Gift Set of two ($79) by Elyx Boutique.
The Martini Glass
Although the V-shaped martini cocktail glass has fallen from grace in the modern cocktail scene, its iconic shape is still synonymous with cocktail culture. The cone-shaped bowl on a stem saw its original debut at the 1925 Paris Exhibition as a modernist take on the coupe. It wasn’t until after World War II that the glass gained traction. Often used interchangeably, with the term “cocktail glass” both have the same M.O.: allowing your martini to stay icy cold. For a modern take on the martini glass, go for the Crosby Martini ($40) set from Marquis by Waterford.
The Copper Mug
John Martin, best known for bringing A-1 Steak Sauce stateside, purchased Smirnoff in the 1930s and it wasn’t selling. Soon he was lamenting to his friend Jack Morgan who owned the Cock ‘n Bull pub in Hollywood. Morgan matched his loss with mention of ginger beer collecting dust in his basement. A patron added that she had copper mugs that she couldn’t get rid of either. From there a marketing campaign was hatched that spawned one of the most popular drinks of the 1950s and early 1960s. Get your own 16-ounce, antique-hammered copper mug ($23) from Montana’s Butte Copper Co.
This article originally ran in the winter print edition of Sip Northwest magazine. For the full story and more like it, click here.
