A Meal with Sandy Brown

Yesterday evening I went to have a meal with Sandy Brown at her home in Appledore.  The meal was prepared by Shun, a young Japanese potter who had been working with me last December and is now helping Sandy.  My present apprentice, Curtis, also lent a hand.  Shun had cooked some delicious 'takekomi-gohan' - rice cooked with small pieces of chicken and vegetables flavoured with soy sauce - and then made tempura of vegetables and prawns.

 The food was served on pots made by Sandy.  The overall feeling of the pots and food was one of generosity.  The pots are generous in size, accommodating generous amounts of food and giving the food plenty of room, so that it is easy to appreciate both the food and the pot it is served in.

The tea cups shown here were used for a dipping sauce and the tempura was laid on the large slab platter as it was cooked.

                                     

Sandy's pots have vitality and strength, as well as a feeling of playfulness and joy, which make eating a pleasure and give a sense of occasion to the simplest of dishes.  The meal was a great example of how much hand-made pots can contribute to the enjoyment of food.  They also look great on the shelf when not in use.