"When you look at a piece of delicately spun glass you think of two things: how beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken." - Tennessee Williams
While wine can be enjoyed under almost any circumstances, investing in proper stemware will add to the delight and charm of any vintage whether at a formal meal, a backyard barbecue, or just sitting around with goods friends.
"The world is a looking glass and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face." - William Makepeace Thackeray
Do you have glassware that you would like to have engraved? Laser engraving is one of the most effective processes, especially for delicate glass, including crystal.
At what temperature does glass melt? Glass can be manufactured with a number of additives to meet specific purposes. Because of this, it's difficult to pinpoint an exact melting temperature. However, glass melts and begins to flow between 1100°F and 1400°F.
Every part of a wine glass has specific names. It rests on a base, with the stem rising to the bowl. The top of the glass is the lip or the rim (either term is acceptable). The size and shape of the bowl determines what type of wine to use it for.
FYI: Glass can be recycled endlessly into innumerable shapes and for infinite purposes. It takes almost thirty per cent less energy to recycle glass than to manufacture new glass.
The lead in lead crystal will not affect you when you drink from it because it combines with the glass material in a way that renders it harmless. However, if you leave red wine in lead crystal overnight, the wine will stain the glass and require extra effort to clean.
While most of decorative glassware may be used for drinking, it can serve double duty. For example, when hosting a dinner party, champagne flutes make lovely serving vessels for parfaits, showing off the layers in an attractive manner.
Here's something we should always keep in mind: "Fortune is like glass - the brighter the glitter, the more easily broken." - Publilius Syrus
There are four parts to a wine glass. From the table up, they are the foot, stem, bowl and rim. They play roles both individually and collectively in the enjoyment of wine.
The design of the champagne glass, the flute, is such so that it keeps the beverage from going flat after pouring. While other shapes may be used, for the greatest enjoyment choose the flute.
The height and circumference of a wine glass rim are designed to direct the wine to the proper areas of the mouth. Tall and narrow directs the wine further into the mouth and onto the tongue, while shorter and wider places the wine more towards the tip of the tongue, and brings the nose into play.
If your rooms are small, you can create the illusion of a larger space by adding strategically placed mirrors. They will not only make the room appear larger, but it will make it feel less crowded as well.
Be careful with acid based cleaning products for glass. Used improperly, they can etch the glass, causing it to look dingy and constantly in need of cleaning.
Have you ever sat a table and wondered which glass (or glasses) is yours? It can be confusing. When properly set, glasses are always to the upper right of your plate, and there can be as many as four, depending on the number of wines being served.
Encalmo, classically known as "incalmo," is a Venetian glass blowing technique that fuses together different glass sections to create the desired look. This technique requires the glassblowers to work on two separate bubbles of molten glass before combining them together.
Amber is among the most common colored glasses. It is created by adding together carbon, iron, and sulfur. Due to its relatively high carbon content, amber is considered a "reduced" glass.
Did you know that glass is not a true solid? Unlike true solids, where the molecules are ordered in a regular lattice, or fluids where the molecules are disordered and not rigidly bound, the molecules in glass are disordered but are rigidly bound.
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
The Pilsner beer glass is tapered along straight lines from top to bottom in order to provide an excellent presentation of the color and clarity of the beer. Although they typically have a thick base, some models are stemmed.
The bowls of red wine glasses are fuller and rounder with larger openings than those found on other wine glasses, and they provide greater interaction with air so the complexities of the wine are more readily appreciated.