Pkqw: Week 11

[Pres]

Week 11

 

1. Considering the types of pottery, which category of ware may be used for Microwave, Oven, Stovetop, and in the dishwasher?

   1. Stoneware

   2. Porcelain

   3. Unglazed Earthenware

   4. Flameware

2. A primary rule when using Stoneware or Porcelain for baking or roasting is to _____________________________ .

   1. fill the pot as much as possible

   2. begin with a cool oven

   3. never pour cold water into a hot pot to add liquid

   4. all of the above

3. Flameware is uncommon as:

   1. the clay is difficult to mine

   2. few potters have the resources to formulate, fire, and test this kind of ware, so it is understandably expensive.

   3. It is not a useful kitchen ware

   4. glazes do not adhere to it

4. A popular form of storage jar that does not require a lid and is quite popular with cooks is the

   1. pickling crock

   2. salt pig

   3. french butter crock

   4. all of the above

 

This weeks questions come from text in In the Potter's Kitchen, Sumi von Dassow, c. 2014, American Ceramic Society.

Note from Pres: For those of you looking for functional pottery ideas, this is a great book with complete pictures to lead you through more difficult forms. On the upside is also the wealth of recipes for those of you that cook, also possible selling points with recipes in you ware at shows.

 

 

Answers:

1. 4.Flameware - Flameware is a relatively modern product that relies on modern testing technology to ensure that each piece is correctly formulated and ï¬red. It’s made from specially formulated clay that can withstand the thermal shock of heating directly on a stove-top and can also be used in the oven or microwave. Flameware absorbs no water at all. While Flameware is very versatile, potters who work with this kind of clay must be diligent about testing their ware, so it’s not commonly made. Only a few clay manufacturers make “Flameware†clay. For most porters, it must be custom-made, and only a very experienced and committed potter will want to try to make this kind of ware. If you want to make flameware, you’ll have to research clay recipes and materials and contract with your supplier to make it for you. The liability if the clay fails in use is too great, and ceramic materials are too variable for most suppliers to want to take on the risk of making Flameware clay. If you want to work with it, you’ll have to perform careful tests on every batch of clay and every kiln load of pots.

2. 4.all of the above - Caring for Stoneware and Porcelain

• ' Always place stoneware or porcelain baking dishes in a cold oven instead of pre-heating the oven.

• Always fill your baking dish - don’t use it to heat. small portions of food. For best results when roasting meat, chicken, or fish, surround the meat with vegetables and liquid to protect the baking dish from uneven heating.

• Never pour cold liquid into a hot baking dish! This is a good way to crack ceramic or glass bakeware, and it’s not good for cast iron or other metal either.

3. 2. few potters have the resources to fomulate, fire and test this kind of ware, so it is understandably expensive. (see explanation in question 1 of Answers)

4. 2. salt pig - One commonly used kind of storage pot doesn’t require a lid. This is the salt pig, which is very popular among cooks. Stored on the kitchen counter, next to the stove, it allows a busy cooks to spoon salt into recipes with one hand. Though many potters make stoneware salt pigs, traditionally this form is made from earthenware and the interior is left unglazed to allow the porous clay to absorb moisture and keep the salt from clumping. Perhaps this feature is not necessary with regular table salt which contains anti-caking agents, but sea salts often do form clumps in a shaker. There isn’t any one correct form for a salt pig, but the traditional one is shaped like a bent chimney-pipe. Another popular style is shaped like an egg standing on end, with a hole cut in the side. The opening faces forward instead of up, allowing the salt to be spooned out conveniently, and helping to keep dust and cooking debris out of the salt. A salt pig is a very handy pot to have nearby while you are making sauerkraut.

 

Note from Pres-I have begun making some apple bakers as described in the book, and as I do not use added sugars of any type these are nice for when others in the family are eating apple dumplings. My granddaughter is enjoying apples this way also, but she adds sugar. 

 

[Min]

4 flameware

4 all of the above

2 (edited)  don't really like this answer but it's more likely than the others. would say it's because it's super tricky to get a very low expansion clay and glaze to fit plus zero absorption. also, liability aspect

2 salt pig

 

(don't have the book but I'm impressed with how many Pres has)

 

edit: crap i wrote 3 instead of 2 for #3, question 3, # 2 (just to make it more confusing)

[Pres]

Sorry to say, but I have just begun to highlight my library. 36 years of teaching, and 45 years of learning.

 

 

best,

Pres

[LeeU]

I'll say that 1 is 4, 2 is 4, 3 is 2, and 4 is 2. The answer is 12. 

[Mark C.]

1-4

2-4

3-2

4-2-never made one

[Min]

1-4

2-4

3-2

4-2-never made one

 

That surprises me Mark, they sell like crazy to foodie types. One of those super fast to make items. I make them quite small, sell with a little spoon 18-

[Marcia Selsor]

4

4

2  however I know an earthenware from Pereuela, Spain that can do all 3 also.

 

2 

 

Marcia

[Mark C.]

OK Min where do you get the nice baby spoons-maybe I'll make a few for Anacortes show.

[Denice]

I have never seen a salt pig before, it will be a great gift for my son who is a foodie.  What exactly do the foodies do with them?  Is it about the size of a baseball and does the hole sits angled towards the front.  Denice

[Min]

OK Min where do you get the nice baby spoons-maybe I'll make a few for Anacortes show.

these guys, (cheaper with US$)

 

Denice, mine is smaller than a baseball, about 2/3rds that size but I've seen them all sorts of sizes. Most of my customers buy them for "finishing salt", like the fancy ones you get from gourmet shops like the himalayan salt, truffle salt, smoked salt etc. Or, just to put by the stove for cooking with regular or coarse salt / sea salt.

 

Little bit of trivia, customers always ask why it's called a salt pig. From what I've read the story goes kinda like this,

Going back a few hundred years ago in England salt and coins were equally valuable. The salt was kept by the hearth in a covered but easy to put your fingers into pot to take a pinch of salt from. Covered to keep the dust out of it but made from a rough pourous clay called pygg clay to absorb moisture from the air so the salt didn't cake. So there were two pygg bowls, one for coins, one for salt. The coin one turned into a piggy bank and the salt one into, a salt pig (or cellar). But it was actually the clay that they both got their names from, not the shape of the pot. (Since my clay is vitrified and won't absorb moisture from the salt anyway I glaze the insides of them.)

[Pres]

Hi folks,

This is exactly the type of discussion I had hoped to see when starting this quiz thing. All too often terms are overlooked. You may know what something is used for, but not the name of it. Terminology is important when ordering something, or making something for an order.

 

For those of you wishing to see more salt pigs:

 

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=salt%20pigs&rs=typed&term_meta[]=salt%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=pigs%7Ctyped

[glazenerd]

4-2-4-4

[Joseph Fireborn]

4422

[Mark C.]

I have heard them called salt cellars around here -I have had a few requests for them-We have a nice one made by my older pottery friend who is about 84 now and still makes a mean mug. I buy and pug her clay every year as well as deliver it to her studio. Some day I hope someone can do that for me if I make it into my 80's.

[Marcia Selsor]

Sorry to say, but I have just begun to highlight my library. 36 years of teaching, and 45 years of learning.

 

 

best,

Pres

After 50 years and two moves in the past 12 years, I have shrunk my library. Still have a lot of books including Leach's  Potters Book I got in 1968.. Plus sold $1200 worth in Potters Attic last fall, gave 5 boxes of CM, studio potter, PMI to local high schools, 9 boxes to local library, and 5 boxes to good will. I have 5 loose leaf binders of glaze recipes in my shop. Some day my husband (12 years my junior) will have a huge garage sale.

Marcia

[Roberta12]

1. 4

2. 4

3. 2.

4. 2

 

Min, do you use about a pound of clay for your salt pig?  I like that one and the spoon is a nice touch......

[Joseph Fireborn]

I imagine the spoon probably increases the sales of the pigs by a large margin compared to doing it without them. Did you try it without first then add them so people got the picture. I imagine most people thinking it some sort of planter or something until they see the spoon.

[Min]

Hi Roberta,

I use 12 oz. I throw them, then trim away any excess clay while it’s still on the wheel, wire them off, pick them up and put them on a board. Since they are an enclosed form they take a bit longer to dry, in my climate I can leave them uncovered overnight if I throw them at the end of the day, they are ready to finish in the am. I don’t trim them, just rib the bottom and use my thumb around the base to do a slight undercut. After cutting out the hole, (I use a scalpel) I compress the area inside the top where the clay has come together as this can be a weak spot. When they are a bit firmer I sponge the cut edges of the hole and they are done.

 

Hey Joseph,

Yes, the spoon helps for sure. I’ve used ones from amazon, ebay and etsy and last year my sister was in Thailand and brought me back a big box of mixed spoons, knives, pickle forks etc. Once I use those up I want to start making spoons.  I have little signs with some of my pots like the salt pigs, but there are always people who ask what they are used for but it opens up a conversation, which is a good thing. It's funny what you said about a plant, a few years ago if something didn't sell we used to say "should have put a bird on it" now its "should have put a succulent in it".

[Chilly]

4

4

2

2

 

Phew, a nice easy one this week, didn't have to think too hard, thank you.

[S. Dean]

1. 4

2. 4

3. 2

4. 2

[Marko]

4

4

2

4