All About Pottery

Clay is one of those materials that mankind has been using since time immemorial. They very often made and are making dishes from it. But behind the apparent simplicity of clay containers hides a lot of interesting and important things.

The very emergence of ceramics is unusually interesting. To make pottery began a few thousand years ago. Pottery was one of the main activities in any ancient civilization. Later, more advanced materials appeared (porcelain and faience), but each of them has its own drawbacks. The potter's profession was respected, but the requirements for the people employed in it were very strict.

It is believed that the first thing that appeared was a variety of dishes like a pot. It is easiest to obtain on a manual potter's wheel. For many centuries, this is exactly the kind of tableware that has dominated various parts of the world.

The emergence of large-scale industrial production of ceramics in the 19th century expanded its assortment and allowed making clay products almost unlimited.

But the merit of the ancient masters remains invaluable in its significance. It is believed that ceramics began to be made at the junction of the Middle and New Stone Age. In our country, already in the early Middle Ages, hundreds and thousands of people were engaged in pottery. Mostly oval pots and cauldrons then left the workshops. Their shape was not random - the dishes were made so that they fit in a Russian oven.

Shapes and sizes could vary greatly.Each master had his production secrets and carefully kept them secret. Clay kitchen pots were very expensive due to handicraft making, and therefore they were treated with respect. Such dishes were endowed with a number of cultural meanings.

Even now, when large batches of kitchen utensils are made in factories without problems, quite a lot of people are engaged in their manufacture in home workshops.

As in the old days, experienced ceramists extract raw materials for production on their own and themselves bring it to the right condition. Something good can be made from both red and white clay only if it:

• oily
• does not contain extraneous inclusions and small stones;
• stored at a strictly defined humidity.

White clay is used most often. In its natural form, it is painted in a grayish tone. When such raw materials are burned, it gets the color of ivory. Red clay includes iron oxide; it receives a characteristic color after firing. It is easy to mold such a breed, it is not prone to crumbling.

Porcelain clay in the form of raw has a gray color, and whitens when fired. The hardest variety has an initially black or dark brown hue. When burned, it is painted under ivory. Potters also distinguish clay by melting point. Both in large and in handicraft production, they try to cover finished products with glaze or enamel, with other compounds that help to achieve the necessary properties.

There are also dishes without impurities: they are usually made of terracotta (red clay) or black ceramics.

Thick walls warm up slowly, and this property has already been appreciated in ancient times. Smoked ceramic cookware was made and is being made for baking various dishes.

Over the long history of pottery, many types of pottery have been created. But all of it is created using approximately the same technology (with rare exceptions). Clay must be moisturized, because it is impossible to compress it properly when dry. Then they knead it and turn it into bundles. This method of obtaining blanks is more practical than the use of whole pieces. Further, as in ancient times, any workpiece is dried and fired.

Already in ancient times it became clear that earthenware for kitchen purposes fits very well. Burnt clay, of course, is natural, in its composition there are no foreign substances that can cause harm. Clay containers, if made soundly, cause emotional inspiration, delight the eye. This is true even for the most “simple” cups and pots; original products look even nicer.

Ordinary clay ceramics have a number of valuable properties that porcelain and earthenware do not have.

If you pour compote into a jug of clay and then put it on a sun-drenched window sill, the drink will remain cool even a few hours later. Tea, coffee, cocoa remain warm for a long time, milk retains its taste longer and does not sour.

The use of earthenware is also expressed in the fact that dry, loose products can be stored in it. Flour and cereal in a ceramic pot do not attract bugs. The shelf life of onions, potatoes and other root crops is extended. Herbs are well kept in clay containers. Porous walls provide good ventilation, save healing properties.

If the cookware is intended for cooking, it can be placed in an electric or gas oven. You can put any clay containers in the microwave, with the exception of:

• coffee pots;
• pitchers;
• Dummies.

If chilled, especially frozen foods are stored in a pot, it is undesirable to put it immediately in a preheated oven or microwave. Therefore, you will have to spend more time on a gradual warm-up. Pouring boiling water into pottery immediately is also impractical.

Another disadvantage is easy absorption of fat and other contaminants.

Clay dishes constantly protect from falls and bumps. Even if it does not crack, then it definitely gets a few cracks.

Low thermal conductivity increases the risk of cracking even with “normal” use. But on their own, high and low temperatures (if there are no differences) are well tolerated by clay.

Clay dishes are very easily saturated with various odors. because it is advisable to use it for storage and preparation of only certain specific products.

Dishes should be baked carefully Do not immediately place in a red-hot oven. Moreover, maintaining the temperature at a moderate level throughout the process, you can achieve a much better result.

Separately, mention should be made of how to prepare for the use of pottery for the first time after purchase.

To do this, her:

• washed properly;
• filled with water (optionally with the addition of soda);
• put in a warm oven and bring to a boil;
• turn off the heat and allow to cool.

Further clay pots intended for baking should be coated with vegetable oil from the inside. Such measures can avoid the appearance of microcracks. Later, before each use, rinse the containers.

And therefore, if the recipe requires cooking at high temperature, you can further increase the heat and cook the dish longer.

It is impossible to give exact recommendations in this regard: all culinary specialists select the necessary parameters by trial and error. As for clay teapots, you can not leave the tea leaves in them for several days in a row. The optimal result is achieved if the kettle is washed and dried after each use.

Please note that There are some exceptions to the general rule "Do not put pottery on fire." These exceptions are the Georgian pan ketsi and the old Russian latka.

Clay is reasonably considered to be “tender” material. But with proper care, it is entirely possible to count on the long-term operation of such dishes. Clay products cannot be washed in dishwashers; manual cleaning is much better. You can remove fat by wiping dirty places with a sponge soaked in soapy water. If possible, synthetic detergents should be avoided.

It is also undesirable to leave the dishes wet: the responsible owners wipe it dry. If suddenly the lid from the clay vessel broke, there is no need to panic. You can make a good substitute with your own hands - baking the exact same shape of the lid from a regular dough. Do not place hot pots in the refrigerator or on a cold surface. It is better to wait until their contents cool to room temperature.

If you keep it closed, you can encounter unpleasant odors. To clean it, it is recommended to use soft sponges (hard ones can damage sensitive material).Compliance with the main recommendations allows you to guarantee a long service of ceramic dishes and good culinary results. Glue broken pots, jugs with special food glue (you just need to check the safety of the composition).

In some cases universal adhesives, such as “Moment” or “Second”, are a good alternative. The problem is solved as follows:

• collect all the fragments;
• wash them under a stream of warm water, using a mild dishwashing detergent;
• dried;
• degrease the edges of the chips with acetone or alcohol;
• gently apply glue;
• tightly connect the joints;
• remove excess adhesive mass with a soft cloth.

Do not assume that only pots, jugs and teapots are made from clay. This material is used much more widely. For baking in the oven, pots remain the most attractive choice. Their shape (wide throat, narrow bottom and extension in the center) is justified by centuries-old practice. It is such a dish that perfectly distributes heat throughout the volume.

Pottery for tea deserves a separate discussion. In a tea country like China, all the attributes of a tea party are made exclusively from ceramics. These include:

• bowls;
• cups
• teapots for tea leaves;
• containers for storing herbs.

Brewing tea in an unglazed vessel, you have to put up with the fact that the aroma of the first tea leaves saturates the material forever. The same rule will have to be observed in relation to the ceramic Turk. Each type of coffee is brewed in a strictly defined container. Otherwise, you may get a very unpleasant mixture of aromas.

Glazed crockery is the only option from clay for microwave cooking.

There are various options for microwave ceramics:

• containers for heating;
• pans of different volumes;
• Bakeware;
• baking dishes.

Among the kitchen utensils made of clay are also worth mentioning:

• baking dishes;
• dishes for cooking soups;
• dishes for cooking roast;
• Julienne
• tajines;
• braziers;
• cauldrons;
• barbecue.

All these products are suitable not only for processing products, but also for serving ready meals on the table. And for lovers of Georgian cuisine, a ketsi clay frying pan is ideal. It bakes various dishes in the oven. Ketsi sometimes serves as a bowl, a bowl for hot and cold dishes. In the manufacture of this type of cookware, icing is not always used, so you will have to choose it carefully.

In addition to these things (as well as plates, saucers and services), there are many more clay objects that can be found in the kitchen:

• tureen;
• cocotte;
• salad bowl;
• kashnik;
• vases for storing vegetables;
• sugar bowls;
• vessels for wine and a number of other types of dishes.

A good choice is the products of the Voronezh company "Horomy Ceramics". This company began its work in 2017. Its range includes:

• cups
• saucers;
• vases;
• Kettles
• circles and many other things.

An alternative can be considered products of “Tarusa Ceramics”. At this factory, pottery has been made since 1974. And since 1971, the Pskov Potter factory has been operating, whose employees apply all modern design techniques and hand-painted. You can buy a variety of dishes there, including tea sets. The products of the Pskov Potter have repeatedly won prizes at Russian and foreign exhibitions.

It is also worth considering ceramic companies:

• Leander;
• Bernadotte;
• Royal Czech Porcelain;
• Colombo
• Continental
• Costa Nova;
• Domenik.

When choosing pottery, you can not be guided by brand names alone. Of great importance is the beauty of specific products.After all, kitchen utensils must necessarily create a pleasant impression. The next point to pay attention to is the volume of products. They can be designed for one or more servings.

But even the most capacious and elegant dishes should be resistant to mechanical and thermal influences. And these parameters depend on the firing. You can judge the quality of processing by the purity and sonority of sound, by the accuracy of the forms.

Strongly unacceptable:

• scratches;
• cracked areas;
• bloating;
• chipped.

Good pottery is glazed evenly, without sagging or distortion.

As in any other case, excessive savings on the purchase should not be. Finally, in order to choose the right clay dishes, you need to pay attention to reviews, which describe all the shortcomings of the dishes.

You can get acquainted with different types of pottery and their purpose in the next video.