Please pass the ...

When summer transitions into fall, there are so many more opportunities to reconnect with friends. Art openings, book club gatherings, put lucks of all kinds that have little dishes of this and that to sample from.  The way I think...the friends, the events, they all circle back to pottery and what those tasty tidbits will be served on.

Please pass the.... food: tiny tomato tarts on the pottery: see below 

Dish with Leaf Motif

Please pass the.... 
food: chewy caramel apple cookies on the pottery: see below

"Stripes and Dots" oval plate

 
Please pass the....
food: eggplant, pesto and goat cheese pizza on the pottery: see below 

Square Plate with all over floral design

My Plates (for passing) are one of a kind, dishwasher and microwave safe, and for sale at my guild's gallery: the Dedham Square Artist Guild in Dedham, MA. One could be the perfect piece to serve your favorite food on at your next gathering. (And no one else will have the same one...)

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.

Lily of the Valley

1982 Postage Stamp

On Saturday, my cooperative studio, Potters Place has their BIG studio clean up in preparation for Spring Show & Sale on May 4,5 & 6. 

I've been concentrating my work on the show's theme: Flora & Fauna

Using postage stamps for inspiration, the "LOVE" stamp has proved to be a favorite.  I use small square dishes or tiles, as a painter would use oil sketches, to do much of my experimenting for larger work. For this series, I began by playing with the flowers that make up each letter in the LOVE stamp.

L

O

V

E

I liked the "E" dish best and although it did not start out as Lily of the Valley on the stamp, it became that to me.  I choose that design and translated it to other forms.

Tumbler with white liner and baby blue rim

Bowl with floral motif

Wheel thrown mugs with slip-trailing decoration

Plate with carved rim

The Food & Pottery Connection:

 Today, it is the pottery that inspires the food...

Fill the Plate with carved rim with roasted asparagus; it's in season! Fill one bowl with floral motif with jasmine rice and the other bowl with a green salad with cut veggies to bring in color.  Fill a tumbler with your favorite beverage to complement your menu, the other tumbler can hold a small bouquet of flowers for the table. The finale: a cup of tea in a mug with slip trailed decoration and shortbread cookies served on "E" dish. What a delicious spring meal inspired by my Lily of the Valley spring collection!

Roasted Asparagus

2 bunches asparagus, dry ends snapped off

Line a roasting pan with foil and spray with olive oil

Place asparagus on pan in single layer, coat with more olive oil

     and sprinkle with kosher salt

Roast in a 450 oven for 12 minutes

In a small skillet, brown butter, add balsamic vinegar and reduce

When asparagus is done, move to serving plate and drizzle with

     vinegar.

Visit my website to see more Flora & Fauna inspired work.

Pear Season

ceramic pears in crisscross bowl

It's fall in New England. There is no better place to find locally grown apples and pears.

 I'll eat any kind of apple, especially Macouns and Pink Ladies.  My favorite type of pear would have to be a Bartlett.  Crisp and fresh or baked with sugar, fall fruits are versatile. 

I haven't been apple or pear picking since my kids were little.  We traveled to Lookout Farm in Natick where the picking was easy and the trip was a half day.  Some day I'd like to venture out to middle or western Massachusetts where the picking is plentiful. Add that to the "wish list"....

Here is a recipe from www.allrecipes.com that is delicious at any meal.

Fresh Pear Cake

4 cups peeled, cored and chopped pears

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

4 eggs

2/3 cup canola oil

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Combine pears and sugar.  Let stand one hour.

2. Preheat oven to 325. Spray a bundt pan with non stick spray

3. Combine egg, nuts, oil, and pear mixture

4. Stir flour, salt, baking soda and spices together. Stir in pear mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

How does this season influence my work in clay? Take a look...

pear plate - hand carved and painted

pear plates - slip trailed and glazed

large crisscross bowl

square plate - slip trailed and glazed

Square Meal

I love it when you can get all your food groups in a one dish meal!

Moo Shu Pork - serves 4
Fresh Flavor Fast

4 tsp vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 pork tenderloin ~ about 1 lb, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 T cornstarch
1 lb shitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
2 T minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded
5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
8 flour tortillas (6" size)
Hoisin sauce, for serving

1. In a large non stick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over med heat. Add eggs, cook without stirring, until just set, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to cutting board.  When cool, roll and cut into 1/4" strips.  Set aside.

2. Place pork in medium bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch. Season with salt and pepper.  Heat remaining oil over medium high heat.  Add pork and cook 4-5 minutes - remove and set aside.

3. Add mushrooms and ginger to skillet; season with salt and pepper.  Cook 3-5 minutes.  Add cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, egg strips, and pork.  Cook 2-3 minutes until cabbage is wilted.

4. Heat tortilla, spread on hoisin sauce, top with moo shu filling, roll and enjoy!

Note: You may need to use extra oil to avoid sticking.  Use a large pot, like one you would cook pasta in.  Allow a good hour to make this meal - seems like a long time, but it is worth it.

Square dishes ...

Ode to Asparagus

In the first chapter of Barbara Kingsolver's book, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, she talks about asparagus being the tempting first crop of the harvest. I'm well into the season now and finding a good balance for picking, storing and cooking my local fare. Asparagus is symbolic in my life and my work as the start of Food and Pottery. Recipes from Barbara's book.

Asparagus Bowl to mark the start of a new season...