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Pottery Sale at the Farm

The ultimate Food and Pottery Connection:

Food: 

Powessit Farm Stand Veggies 

at 37 Powessit Road in Dover, MA

Pottery: 

Lisa W. B. Walker pottery

Today! 
Tuesday, July 17th 1:30-6:30

Stawberry Season

My CSA is open for the season and the strawberries are abundant! 

strawberries picked fresh from the field.

 The Food and Pottery Connection:

FOOD:

Strawberry Shortcake 

(a Walker family favorite)

Biscuits - I usually pick up a batch at Roche Bros in Westwood

strawberries - hand picked, washed (see below**), hulled and sliced

sugar - sprinkle over cut strawberries and toss

whipped cream - Cabot's

strawberry jam - I love Fisher Brook Farm Strawberry Jam!

Slice biscuit and toast. Spread one half biscuit with jam. Add strawberries, whipped cream next... top with or without second biscuit half. yum.

AND POTTERY:

A Berry Bowl** for washing your strawberries

wheel thrown berry bowl with drain dish

Mother's Day is Sunday

 Ideas for Mother's Day:

A beautiful vase filled with her favorite flowers.

A tiny dish with the word "LOVE" stamped in it.

A handmade mug for her morning coffee.

A beautiful serving dish for her favorite meal.

ART for anyplace she might need a Mother's Day reminder after the day has come and gone.

The Food and Pottery Connection:

Serve This:

... because I'm a Mom and vanilla ice cream is my all time favorite

In This: 

wheel thrown hand painted bowl with floral motif  - yes, it's my very own...

I'll be working at the Dedham Square Artist Guild on Saturday, May 12th from 2pm-6pm.  Stop by the shop at 553 High Street in Dedham, MA.  There are many beautiful things to make your Mother's Day one to remember after the day has come and gone.

The HAND made connection

Over the weekend I decided to make homemade pizzas.  It was a first time adventure for our whole family.  Making the pizza dough was so much like working with clay, I must admit I was having a hard time sharing.  I found a great recipe in a new cookbook I bought recently called Cooking for Teens.  

Here's the recipe for pizza dough (found on page 92)

kneading dough

Sprinkle 1x1/4oz package dry yeast over

1 3/4 cup warm water. 

Set aside for 10 Minutes.

Combine 6 cups white bread flour,

1 tsp salt,

1 tsp sugar,

2 Tbs Olive Oil then add water/yeast.

Knead 10 minutes on a floured surface. 

Oil bowl, place dough in, cover, rest 30 minutes til doubled.

Divide into 4 balls. Cover and rest 1 hour.

wedging clay

Such Similarities!

When the dough had risen, we each made our own pizzas and shared with each other.  Our favorite was the Margharita.   

Here is the recipe for Margharita Pizza:

Preheat oven to 425. 

Roll out ball of dough to 10 inches.

Place on greased cookie sheet. 

Spread with pizza sauce. 

Top with slices of mozzarella cheese and torn fresh basil leaves. 

Bake in oven 12-20 minutes. 

Sprinkle with extra torn basil leaves before serving.

The Food and Pottery Connection:

Food: Making Pizza!

Pottery: Play with Clay!

The Hand Made Connection!

Try your HAND in clay at one of my workshops this week:

Create a Clay Bunny/Animal on Wednesday and Carve a Clay Tile on Saturday.  Signs up are still ongoing so Sign Up! Come Play with Clay with me in Dedham this week!

Photos for this blog were found using search on google images.

Vacation snacks & Pottery workshops

This Friday marks the start of school vacation week in Massachusetts.  It can be a challenging time for families not going away on vacation.  Parents look for things to keep kids happy, active and having fun. Dedham, Massachusetts, for the third year, will institute "no TV week" It's a great idea that encourages parents and kids alike to think outside the box, literally, and get out and about.

On Wednesday, April 18th from 10-11am, I will host a make a clay bunny workshop for kids first grade and older. Parents too!  

Learn to make a bunny out of clay by pinching and pulling.  Then add details like ears, eyes, feet and a nose using the scratch and slip technique. 

bunny with glaze awaiting kiln

I will dry your bunny, give it a clear glaze (see above) and fire it in a kiln at Potters Place

When your bunny is done, you can come to the Dedham Guild for pick up. It takes a little while, but I'll let you know when you can take your clay pet home.

meet "Flora", my country bunny

Sign up through the Dedham Guild. Click here for more information.

Kids need snacks to keep them fueled for creating!

Also called GORP

GOBBLEDY GOOK

4 cups chex rice cereal
1 cup peanuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup pretzels
3 tbsp. margarine, melted

Place all ingredients in a 2-quart re-sealable plastic bag, seal and shake until mixed. 

 The Food and Pottery Connection:

add colorful m&ms to the mix

now they're ready to play with clay!

I'm also offering a tile workshop for teens and adults.  Click here for information on my Saturday, April 21st workshop through the Dedham Guild.

Some of the above photos have been added to illustrate my ideas.  Search google images for photo credits.

Clay Baskets and Chocolate Eggs

While vacationing in North Carolina this past summer, I visited Seagrove.  In their shop, I spotted a wonderful little clay basket. You can see it on the bottom shelf in the photo to the left. 

I thought: "You can only make that in clay!"

When I began to create my spring collection, I knew I wanted to include a basket.

My interpretation... wheel thrown and pinched.  
Hand pulled handle across with a swirl stamp.

I like the contrast between a soft white "liner" and 
a strong colored glaze for the exterior. 

The baskets hold flowers.  They would work well as a gift for Mother's Day.

I can imagine a flower girl in a wedding using one. 

The Easter bunny arrives on Sunday morning! 

Hop on over to the Dedham Square Artist Guild to pick up your Easter basket 

complete with a bunny tag!

The Food & Pottery Connection:

CHOCOLATE EASTER EGG RECIPE

http://www.painlesscooking.com/easter-candy-recipes.html

• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 6 oz melted semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 oz softened cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ½ to 3 Tbls hot water
• Dash salt
• 2 lbs melted dipping chocolate
• Candy decorations

1. Blend ½ pound powdered sugar with melted chocolate chips, cream cheese, vanilla, hot water and salt.

2. With hands, work in remaining 1/2 lb powdered sugar.

3. Shape mixture into small balls; then shape balls into egg shapes.

4. Dip eggs into melted dipping chocolate; let set to harden.

5. Decorate for Easter.

Food: chocolate Easter eggs

Pottery: candy baskets

Make a bunny workshop-
I will teach kids, 1st grade an older, to create a bunny from clay. The workshop will teach pinch and pull, plus scratch and slip techniques.

Sign ups are open now for Wednesday, April  18 class through the dedham guild.

Cup of Coffee. Mug of Tea.

Sue Brum's (Hogwild Pottery) high fire mug on the left.

There is nothing better in my book than a cup (or two) of coffee in the morning and a mug of tea in the afternoon.  The biggest dilemma I have is choosing the vessel.  I'm a big fan of the story behind the pottery, so it will come as no surprise that I choose my cup or mug based on who I want to share the time with.

The top shelf in my kitchen cupboard is reserved for my collection of handmade mugs.  These are the ones I reserve for tea in the afternoon.  

Each has a story and is symbolic of something I love.

Debbie McCarty's elements of surprise, paintings, and mug shape make this a favorite.

Couldn't live without this Wayne Fuerst soda fired Mug - purchased at Harvard. 

One of two given by to me by a dear friend.  It's the glazing that I love!

A Lizanne Donegan mug...the textural quality could only be made in clay.

This little gem I made in college.  I love the glazing and the awkward handle that fits just right in my hand.

On my way to the Dedham Square Artist Guild for my afternoon shift this past Sunday, I stopped into Mocha Java.  I'm trying their signature lattes as a special treat that I spend the afternoon at the Guild sipping away on. First it was their Pumpkin latte, this week their Cinnabon latte, next time I might try their Nutty Irishman! Many of the Guild artists have their art up around town. My handmade mugs are displayed and for sale at Mocha Java.

Mocha Java in Dedham Square

The shape, size, color and design of a mug, whether it be for coffee or tea or hot chocolate, has to work for the person utilizing the pottery.  

Handmade functional pottery is all about 

finding that connection.  

I find the story of the mug - who made it, where they made it, why they made it - works in tandem with the enjoyment I feel while sipping what it holds.

You can check out more of my handmade mugs on my flickr photo sharing site. 

14 days til Valentine's Day - pottery for your sweetheart

Breakfast in Bed

Homemade pancakes served on a plate made by hand

Food and pottery - oh yeah~!

Hands down best pancake recipe ever....

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

3 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

3 tsp melted salted butter

Mix all wet ingredients except butter. Add wet to mixed dry ingredients. Add melted butter.  Spoon 1/4 cup rounds onto warmed buttered skillet. Serve with local maple syrup or wildflower honey ... warmed. Makes 10-12 pancakes.

Are you following the countdown?

28 days til Valentine's Day

I'm featuring pottery for your sweetheart on my social media accounts this month as I count down the days in the month before Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Sauce

to warm and pour over ice cream in a sweet heart shaped pitcher bowl (featured above)

12 oz semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces 

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon strong liquor, such as rum, or liqueurs such as Grand Marnier or brandy (optional)

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl and set aside.

Combine the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan and place over low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. 

Remove from heat and pour immediately over the chocolate.  Let stand until the chocolate has melted, then stir until smooth.

Stir in the vanilla extract and alcohol, if using.

Store the sauce in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to two weeks. Reheat over simmering water before serving.

Makes about 2 cups. Preparation time 15 minutes.

Local Food and how it commingles with handmade pottery

A member of Potters Place (my studio) giving a donation to the Walpole Food Pantry for over $800 raised at our Holiday Show and Sale in November!

Getting out to local farmers markets to share the message of how great local food and handmade pottery go together.

Selling handmade pottery where handmade gifts and home made gifts are featured.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - may 2012 be bountiful.