Lynn Isaacson of New Prospect Pottery

Hudson Valley Potter, Lynn Isaacson has been working in clay seriously for the last 15 years.  She is also a teacher, painter and now she enjoys making “functional” pottery.  

She describes her food and pottery relationship in this way: 

"The spirit of creating objects that are not only beautiful to see and hold, but have a purpose in our daily lives, gives me tremendous pleasure.  I love to share the pots I make, and collect, using them with friends and family.  It makes enjoying a meal doubly pleasurable."

Artisan No-Knead Bread Recipe

Recipe by Lynn Isaacson, New Prospect Pottery

3 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 cup cornmeal (course ground cornmeal is preferred by some)
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups water

Instructions:

1.Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, salt) in the large bowl and stir with spoon for about 15 seconds. Pour molasses on top. Add water to the bowl and stir for about 1 or 2 minutes (it won’t look that good but that doesn’t matter). Cover the top of the bowl loosely with plastic wrap.

2. Let sit on counter top for about 12 to 16 hours (I usually do this for about 13 hours), the dough will look all bubbly on the top when done rising.

3. Generously sprinkle cornmeal or flour the top of your clean counter top or a cutting board (don’t worry about using too much, it won’t hurt it).

4. Slowly pour the dough from the bowl on to the floured surface, using the silicone spatula to help it peal off the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle a little cornmeal or flour on top of the dough and rub your hands together with flour. With you hands, gently stretch the dough out to a rectangle shape.

Covered Bakeware Instructions:

1. Fold the left side half way over and then fold the right side over it.

2. Fold the top to the bottom.

3. lightly grease a 3 quart (or larger) bowl and sprinkle flour in it to lightly cover the sides and bottom of bowl.

4. Place the dough into the lightly greased and floured bowl.

5. Let dough rise till it is almost doubled in size (about 1 to 1.5 hours).

6. Place empty bakeware in oven and turn oven to 450 degrees, to pre-heat bakeware for 15 minutes.

7. Open oven, remove bakeware lid, pour dough from the bowl into bakeware, replace lid, and close oven.

8.Let bread bake for 30 minutes, then open oven and remove bakeware lid and close oven.

9. Let bread bake for another 15 minutes without the bakeware lid.

Remove from oven, dump bread out on a cooling rack or your counter top and allow it to cool. Enjoy!

Here is Lynn's beautiful stoneware bean pot or casserole. "It has been wood fired and salt glazed. There was no glaze placed on the exterior of the clay. A heavy amount of salt was introduced into the wood fired kiln when it reached 2350 degrees. The salt vapor created the beautiful 'orange peel' texture. The interior of the pot was lined in a food safe gold shino glaze. This casserole must be placed in a cool oven to avoid thermal shock. It is dishwasher and microwave safe. It is a functional and beautiful way to cook and serve in the same vessel."


Lynn's website is full of her beautiful pottery.  She sells her work from her etsy shop as well as the Byrdcliffe Shop in Woodstock, New York.  She has just purchased a new kiln for reduction firing... can't wait to see what comes out of the fire!