The Coffee Tray

In the bazaars of Turkey men carry coffee to customers often using a Turkish coffee tray. The coffee tray uses centrifugal force to keep the drinks on it from spilling. With sufficient force it is possible to swing a tray in a complete circle without spilling a drop. During the swing it is possible to look up and see the drink upside down and the liquid firmly in place.

At a party in my parents villa in Naples this was demonstrated to Flt Lt Tucker using a coffee tray my father got in Turkey. Fascinated he asked if he could have a “go”. The drink was in my mother’s best crystal and had she been aware what the men were up to nothing would have come of it. Unfortunately, it was a big party and she was occupied elsewhere and unaware. He swung the tray but when it reached the top of the Arc he stopped swinging to see if the glass was indeed upside down. When the tray stopped the centrifugal force ceased as well and the drink came straight down crashing on the marble floor of the villa. In an effort to master the swing Tucker went through several glasses.
When My mother found out about it later, diplomat that she was, she said nothing and congratulated Tucker on his final successful swing. Flt Tucker was a gentleman in every regard and I suspect his wife may have had an hand in it but that is how my mother came to own Irish hand cut crystal.