Krazy Straws for Grownups: Glass Dharma Glass Drinking Straws

You spent hundreds on crystal glasses and quality ingredients and have perfected your perfect cocktail recipe. And now you're going to stick a plastic straw into it for your guests? Talk about a presentation killer.

Glass Dharma offers an alternative (and it's even eco-friendly): Glass straws handmade by California glassblowers.

Available in three styles and in a variety of diameters, the straws are all made from Pyrex-type glass and feel extremely sturdy despite their delicate appearance. (Not only are the straws dishwasher-safe, the company recommends sanitizing them therein.)

The "Simple Elegance" style is a straight-up glass tube, unadorned, while "Beautiful Bends" puts a slight kink (about 15 degrees) in the straw about 2/3 of the way up the body. The show-stopper is "Decorative Dots," which has two colored glass beads fused onto the top of the straw. With six colors available, these straws can be used much like a wine charm to help your party guests identify whose drink is whose. I've been checking them out firsthand and really love the way they add to the presentation of a nice drink. (I hear some people even use them for drinking wine... interesting!)

Cleaning brushes and "straw cozies" (hard or soft sleeves) are also available. Hanging onto the cardboard box the straw comes in is also, of course, a good idea. As well, all Glass Dharma straws include a lifetime guarantee against breakage.

Prices vary, but a set of six of the "Decorative Dots" straws will run you $40 (7mm diameter) to $67 (enormous 14mm diameter). That may sound expensive, but a single good wine glass can often set you back that much alone.

Check them all out at glassdharma.com (hit "shop" to check out the various deals).

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