tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78223344587803091092024-03-13T07:07:36.604-07:00POTS AND FOODPenny SimpsonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-41547306942398233612015-10-27T14:55:00.000-07:002015-10-27T14:55:26.547-07:00Soup for Syria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlOPQffMVGM/Vi_uR4blNZI/AAAAAAAAAsI/zQqjYkS7dPk/s1600/soup%2Bbowls%2Bin%2Bprogress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlOPQffMVGM/Vi_uR4blNZI/AAAAAAAAAsI/zQqjYkS7dPk/s320/soup%2Bbowls%2Bin%2Bprogress.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Last Saturday my apprentice, Karis Kampfer, and I hosted a fund raising event at The Studio entitled 'Soup for Syria'. The aim was to raise money for the charity 'Hand in Hand for Syria'. Visitors to The Studio could make a £10 donation and have a lunch of a bowl of soup with bread and cheese. They got to take the bowl home with them.<br />
We had a lot of fun making the bowls and trying out different simple decorations. We gave away around 70 bowls and with a raffle and donations from people who couldn't come on the day - we have raised over £1,000. <br />
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The event really brought the local community together. Local businesses and crafts people donated raffle prizes. The vegetable shop donated vegetables for the soup and the local Co-op also donated soup and bread ingredients. The Horse pub gave a wonderful loaf of focaccia and others baked bread and made extra soup. The Cheese Shed, another local business, gave a box of delicious local cheeses. We were all amazed and delighted by the response and the money raised.</div>
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The charity, 'Hand in Hand for Syria', works inside Syria, getting food and medical supplies to people who really need them. Their admin costs are covered by gift aid, so all the money raised will go to the people who need it most.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-12563178203943099272015-03-01T08:35:00.000-08:002015-03-01T08:35:00.354-08:00Penny's Calendar Recipe for March<div class="section">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Buttermilk Pudding</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ingredients </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">serves 4</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 x 2g leaves gelatine</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">100ml full-fat milk</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">100ml buttermilk (use yoghurt if you can’t get buttermilk)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is really simple. If you can’t get buttermilk, then yoghurt is a good substitute. The sour taste really freshens the pudding up. This is great with any seasonal fruits.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring just to a simmer, and then take off the heat.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2. Squeeze out the gelatine and then stir it into the warm cream mixture to dissolve. Pour through a sieve into a clean bowl and stir in the milk and buttermilk. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3. Grease the inside of 4 small ramekins, if you plan to turn them out, and divide the mixture between them. Cool and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4. To turn out, put the dishes briefly in boiling water and then invert on to plates or shallow bowls</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 oranges (use blood oranges if available)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1. Peel the oranges and cut the segments out with a sharp knife.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2. Place the orange segments in a sieve and let the juices drain off for about 5 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3. Place the marmalade in a small saucepan, gently heat. Add the orange juice to let the marmalade down.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Remove the saucepan from the heat once the marmalade is melted.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">4. Gently fold the marmalade coulis in to the orange segments, do not mix too much as you do not want to break them.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-2108998359818787832015-02-18T08:23:00.003-08:002015-02-18T08:23:47.259-08:00Penny's Calendar Recipe for February<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14px;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">5 1 red chilli, thinly sliced</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6 zest 1 lemon, plus juice ½</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">8 200g purple sprouting broccoli</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cook the orecchiette following pack instructions. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil (and 1 tbsp of the oil from the anchovies if using )in a frying pan.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Add the garlic and chilli, and sizzle for 3-4 mins until the garlic is just starting to turn golden.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I Add the anchovies and lemon juice, and cook for 1-2 mins more until the anchovies melt into the sauce. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Put the remaining olive oil, breadcrumbs and lemon zest in another frying pan, stir together and cook until crisp.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When the pasta has 4-5 mins to go, add the broccoli to the pan.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When cooked, drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water, then add to the frying pan with the garlic and anchovies.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Stir and cook over a low heat for a further 2 mins, adding a splash of pasta water if it looks dry. Season, then serve in pasta bowls with the lemony crumbs sprinkled over.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-54778544468638608682014-09-24T08:58:00.000-07:002014-09-24T08:58:00.115-07:00Oven dish by Geoff Fuller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT5pE2UGNdQ/VBmvoDbYBQI/AAAAAAAAAd0/lG5DcqdIGbc/s1600/Geoff_Fuller_oven_dish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AT5pE2UGNdQ/VBmvoDbYBQI/AAAAAAAAAd0/lG5DcqdIGbc/s1600/Geoff_Fuller_oven_dish.JPG" height="261" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I was exhibiting at the Wardlow Mires Festival of Pottery and Food in Derbyshire last weekend, I couldn’t resist this lovely oven dish made by Geoff, who is one of the organisers of the festival.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">His slip-trailing decoration gets simpler and more lively as the years go by. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I used it as soon as I got home for a take-away lamb biryani with some veg. It looked wonderful. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-18266484717749888802014-09-17T08:43:00.002-07:002014-09-17T08:43:45.186-07:00POTS AND FOOD CALENDAR 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMge05huCwQ/VBmqToyXfrI/AAAAAAAAAdk/0WMUKw1cm8A/s1600/PennySimpson_PotsAndFood_calendar2015_FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMge05huCwQ/VBmqToyXfrI/AAAAAAAAAdk/0WMUKw1cm8A/s1600/PennySimpson_PotsAndFood_calendar2015_FB.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I am excited to be able to announce that my new Pots and Food Calendar came out last week, it was much admired at the Wardlow Mires Pots and Food event at the weekend. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This year I have worked in collaboration with Ben Bulger, head chef at The Magdalen Chapter hotel in Exeter, to produce the calendar. He devised the recipes and cooked them in my kitchen where we plated them on my pots for Suzy Bennett to photograph. The photo-shoot was great fun and an exhausting day’s work. I was left with lots of delicious food - and of course piles of washing up! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I like Ben’s food very much and his seasonal approach to cooking, influenced by time working at Riverford Field Kitchen, is ideal for the calendar. As before, the recipes for the dishes are included on the calendar. I hope you will enjoy trying the recipes - which of course taste better on hand-made pots.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The calendar, priced at £10, and you can also buy it from The Studio in Moretonhampstead, or call me and I can post direct.</span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-84502802238583545612014-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:002014-04-28T08:00:00.964-07:00Pots from Japan<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I returned from Japan just over a month ago and have been enjoying some of the pots which I bought when I was there.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0811gwLYxtI/U0wADnuyRWI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/TQ_3GtuUKcQ/s1600/IMGP6916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0811gwLYxtI/U0wADnuyRWI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/TQ_3GtuUKcQ/s1600/IMGP6916.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I bought these two bowls by Yoshihisa Okamoto in Mashiko. I like his work very much. The decoration is so simple and they are lovely to use for things like a small salad.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZVx_7JlsoM/U0v_9h8EKGI/AAAAAAAAAZA/gUQiCSZIa3A/s1600/IMGP6918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZVx_7JlsoM/U0v_9h8EKGI/AAAAAAAAAZA/gUQiCSZIa3A/s1600/IMGP6918.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was given this beautiful bowl by Ken Matsuzaki who was also very generous with his time and knowledge when I visited his workshop. He took me to visit his brother who makes lacquerware. He gave me a chunky little sake cup in lacquerware. He explained the advantage over a ceramic sake cup is that when you get very drunk and drop it, it doesn’t break. The colour is wonderful and it feels good to hold. I look forward to getting some sake to try it out.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sE-H-PZAXJA/U0wABPrb9pI/AAAAAAAAAZI/QJplO9qosMk/s1600/IMGP6922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sE-H-PZAXJA/U0wABPrb9pI/AAAAAAAAAZI/QJplO9qosMk/s1600/IMGP6922.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I was in Kyushu, I spent some time with Masahiro Kumagae, who exhibited in England last summer. I like his new work very much. This is a yunomi (japanese tea cup) with his new glaze. It is good in the hand and shows his very fluid throwing style.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now I have to make more pots for food, inspired by all the wonderful meals I had in Japan.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It is always good to experience the respect they have for hand-made pots in cafes and restaurants as well as in people’s homes.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> Hand-made pots definitely increase the joy of eating.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-56751722360758218622014-04-14T08:24:00.000-07:002014-04-14T08:24:46.452-07:00Visit to Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QGdx9uGwt_U/U0v7RT1S9jI/AAAAAAAAAYg/EnQakG4d6VE/s1600/Japan+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QGdx9uGwt_U/U0v7RT1S9jI/AAAAAAAAAYg/EnQakG4d6VE/s1600/Japan+Blog.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is a picture from my exhibition in Shozando Gallery in Fukuoka, Japan. I was there two years ago and it was wonderful to be back.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I gave a bowl to the chef and his wife at Zero, the restaurant next door to the gallery, where we had two delicious meals. This is what they did with it! It was very good and makes me want to give away more pots.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It partly explains why I haven’t been posting on the blog for far too long. I realize that I can’t travel without my laptop any more. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is their famous lunch platter. Just as good as ever. A real symphony of colour and taste, beautifully presented.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-72705778340120662192013-09-11T14:52:00.000-07:002013-09-11T14:52:49.193-07:00Berries and Jellies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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All this good weather has enticed me to spend time exploring the footpaths of Dartmoor, where I live.</div>
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Instead of writing posts on this blog! Now that autumn has arrived I have been enjoying foraging for hedgerow fruits to make jellies, so I can't resist sharing the joy of Jellies.</div>
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The rowan trees seem to be especially laden this year so last week I picked rowan berries to make a Rowan Jelly.</div>
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It is a beautiful colour and has a delicate, slightly bitter taste. I like it for breakfast on toast with a bit of soft goats cheese. It would also be lovely with roast meats. One recipe I looked at was infused with rosemary, which would be perfect with something like a roast lamb.</div>
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At the weekend I discovered blackberry heaven when out walking. It was a field with conveniently spaced bushes laden with huge blackberries. Three of us picked enough blackberries in about fifteen minutes to make six pots of delicious Bramble Jelly.</div>
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I added some lemon juice and a cooking apple to help the set for both jellies. The recipe consisted of simply boiling up the fruit (barely covered with water) until soft and then straining the liquid through a bit of muslin. I left it to drip overnight. </div>
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The liquid is then combined with sugar in the proportion of 1lb of sugar to 1pint of liquid.</div>
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It is good to heat the sugar slightly (5 minutes in a low oven) before adding it to the liquid and it is important to stir it over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved, before bringing it up to the boil and simmering until setting point is reached. It should take around 30 minutes or more. You can test it by putting a teaspoon full on a saucer which has been chilled in the fridge and see if it begins to wrinkle when pushed. When it is ready, let it cool slightly and then pour in to sterilised jars.</div>
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To sterilise the jars, the easiest way is to wash and dry them, then put them in a medium oven for 5 minutes.</div>
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Exercise, fresh air, wonderful scenery and free food. Dartmoor foraging is highly recommended!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-925078721287110802013-07-20T14:25:00.000-07:002013-07-20T14:25:01.166-07:00Cookery DemonstrationChef, Ben Bulger, of The Magdalen Chapter Hotel in Exeter, did a cookery demonstration using my pots last week. <br />
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I organised the event to showcase my new tableware range. It was held at the stylish In Toto kitchens showroom on the Marsh Barton Estate in Exeter.</div>
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It was great to see the pots in a posh domestic setting, rather than in a gallery and the collaboration brought new customers to me and to the kitchen showroom and chef. We also had a wine expert, Susy Atkins, who did a wine tasting, which helped to make the event relaxed and enjoyable. Hillside Foods provided excellent refreshments.</div>
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It really made me feel that collaboration between local businesses is the way forward and makes the whole business of promotion and marketing much more fun. I hope to do more collaborations with the chef, who likes using the pots.</div>
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This dish of lamb with beans and a salsa verde was delicious and very simple to make. I think everyone went home inspired to have a go at the simple dishes he demonstrated. Hopefully also inspired to visit my workshop and buy pots for their own use.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-21924985066952740342013-04-19T02:58:00.000-07:002013-04-19T02:58:01.725-07:00The Source - Food show at Westpoint, ExeterThis week I went to see The Source food show at the Westpoint exhibition centre near Exeter.<br />
It was mainly local food producers, showing off their wares, with various associated companies selling equipment, magazines, packaging and so on.<br />
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I went mainly to see Hillside Foods, who were using my pots to display their delicious crackers and chutneys. The simple display looked professional and inviting. <br />
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It was nearly lunchtime when I was there, so the many free samples of sausages, pies and so on were very welcome. I bought a couple of Tom's Pies which have totally converted me to the idea of pies in general. Their ham hock and pea is one of my favourites. They also have some delicious spicy vegetarian options.<br />
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The prettiest food - which also tasted good - was some beetroot pickled quail eggs. They are produced by a Dorset company called Little Windsor. The samples were served with smoked cheese cubes. Yum!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-31601827382173400332013-03-31T16:11:00.000-07:002013-03-31T16:11:44.759-07:00Soup with Svend Bayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I went with my apprentice, Caro, to have lunch with Svend Bayer at his home in Sheepwash, North Devon. He lives in a part of Devon which people in my village call 'mamba country' - 'mamba' standing for 'miles and miles of bugger all'! So, a suitably rustic setting for a hearty, rustic soup, served in one of his comforting soup bowls. <br />
The wooden spoon was made by his son, Bjorn, who showed me a collection of the beautiful spoons he has made. <br />
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They are made from apple and maple wood. The finish is silky smooth and they are a joy to use.</div>
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We looked at the pots from his latest firing. Many of them are destined for the shop, David Mellor, in London. I especially liked these soup bowls with a beautiful pale celadon glaze inside.</div>
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I chose a lovely bowl with 'mishima' decoration. This is a technique which involves texturing the clay surface with stamps and cords and filling the indentations with slip, which is scraped back to create a smooth, patterned surface.<br />
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It already feels very much at home on my table as a fruit bowl. A tomato salad would also look delicious in it. A new pot is always a good source of inspiration for cooking. I want to make something special to complement such a lovely pot.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-47477341399602518702013-03-17T16:27:00.000-07:002013-03-17T16:27:46.582-07:00After the Food Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is just a week now since the Food Festival and it seems to have taken that long to recover from all the hard work of preparation.<br />
The Food Presentation Demonstration went well. This photo shows the fruit platter which I put together. I hope that I convinced people that using hand made pots to present food can make a beautiful centrepiece for the table, with a minimum of effort.<br />
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Below is the salad platter which I made. Unfortunately, the photo was taken before the tomato and mozzarella had its final drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of basil leaves.<br />
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We enjoyed eating the completed dish that evening, with some hand-baked bread from one of the stalls at the festival. Tom's Pies provided a couple of delicious pies for the next meal and a spring posy of daffodils and assorted greenery from The Husbandry School has brightened up my table all week.</div>
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The Food Festival seems to get better every year. I just wish I had been able to see a bit more of it, but I shouldn't complain about having a busy showroom at this time of year.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-5283406711084616872013-02-21T03:56:00.000-08:002013-02-21T03:56:08.060-08:00Moretonhampstead Festival of Food and Drink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been busy designing and making a new range of tableware which I am planning to showcase at the <a href="http://www.moretonfestival.com/" style="color: #336699;" target="_self">Moretonhampstead Festival of Food and Drink</a> on Saturday 9th March. The Festival is now in its 5th year and promises to be bigger and better than ever with stands all down the main street and cookery demonstrations throughout the day.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">
<br /><span style="font-family: 'lucida sans unicode', 'lucida grande', sans-serif;">I will host two demonstrations at The Studio. The first will start at 11.30 a.m. and the second at 3.00 p.m. The demonstration will last for about 25 minutes. Influenced by the Japanese art of food presentation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'lucida sans unicode', 'lucida grande', sans-serif;">I am planning to put together a fruit platter and show how to assemble a salad platter from simple ingredients. I am excited (and nervous!) as this is the first time I have attempted anything like a cookery demonstration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'lucida sans unicode', 'lucida grande', sans-serif;">If you can, please pop in and have a cup of tea or coffee in the showroom whilst you have a look at the new pots and my demonstration.</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-18215729928932700422013-02-14T16:31:00.000-08:002013-02-14T16:31:31.237-08:00New TablewareJanuary is always a tricky month in the workshop. It is hard to motivate myself to get back to work after Christmas when the workshop is cold. Luckily this year I had a Japanese potter friend working with me, who kept me going. I was able to work on developing a new range of tableware.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z37eE530dok/UR1_uttHesI/AAAAAAAAAP4/-BhQEIcXsLM/s1600/new+slab+dishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z37eE530dok/UR1_uttHesI/AAAAAAAAAP4/-BhQEIcXsLM/s400/new+slab+dishes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The new tableware uses the soft grey and white palette which I have been trying out over the last couple of years. It is great for serving many kinds of food. These slab dishes are modelled on some which I bought years ago in Japan and have used a lot. I have tried before to create something similar and these are the best yet.</div>
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The texture on them is inspired by the Jomon pots from the previous post. I made some rollers using plaited string glued on to dowel rods and used them to texture the slabs. Opposing corners were impressed using a shell I found on the beach last summer.</div>
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With the new pots, I am trying to keep it simple. For me, that is often the hardest thing to achieve.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-87036592261794272152013-01-01T12:59:00.001-08:002013-01-01T12:59:15.783-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was at the British Museum yesterday - along with hundreds of tourists sheltering from the horrible rainy weather - and enjoyed looking at the Jomon pots.</div>
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This is what the Japanese were making when we were making Stonehenge.</div>
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What I hadn't realised is that they used them for cooking in. They had a photograph of some fire pits which the base of the pot was put in to. </div>
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I don't know what they actually cooked in them, but I like the idea of such ornate and exciting pots being used for cooking. Quite an inspiration for the next making cycle!</div>
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Back to the studio tomorrow...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-21077191127260279902012-12-28T15:29:00.000-08:002012-12-28T15:29:05.007-08:00Christmas Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ARq2qp9lc/UN4mnWS3J4I/AAAAAAAAAOs/kvfWS4cZ4zk/s1600/xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ARq2qp9lc/UN4mnWS3J4I/AAAAAAAAAOs/kvfWS4cZ4zk/s320/xmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had our family Christmas dinner early as my daughter, Miya, was going to Germany for Christmas. Taja made some wonderful marinaded fish and tuna sashimi starters, beautifully presented on a couple of his serving platters.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1o5hyJPYXQ/UN4m2HUe_7I/AAAAAAAAAO0/KlDqdYgb5cs/s1600/taja+platter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1o5hyJPYXQ/UN4m2HUe_7I/AAAAAAAAAO0/KlDqdYgb5cs/s320/taja+platter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My contribution was a chocolate roulade. I found a Mary Berry recipe on the BBC Food website and added some fresh cherries poached in brandy (with stones removed) with the cream inside, and some raspberries to decorate.<br />
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In between the fish and the roulade we had a delicious roasted chicken with lots of veg and all the trimmings.<br />
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On Christmas Eve, a Scottish lady came into my showroom looking for an 'ashet'. I didn't know what she meant. She was looking for an 'ashet' big enough to serve her turkey on. Unfortunately, the one I had was only chicken sized. Intrigued by this word, I looked it up in the Concise Oxford Dictionary, Volume 1, and discovered that it is a northern dialect word for a large plate - from the french, 'assiette'.<br />
She did buy a jug for the gravy.<br />
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I'm hoping to make some larger serving platters next year, which will make good centre-pieces on the table and add to the sense of occasion, when serving something a bit special. Hopefully, I will be able to provide a suitable 'ashet' next time.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-51139878539593036422012-12-06T02:02:00.000-08:002012-12-06T02:02:01.102-08:00Christmas Show at The Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Christmas Show at The Studio opened at the weekend and will be continuing until Christmas.<br />
It seems to need an event to make me re-do the display in the showroom. Now it is looking festive and stylish for the Christmas season. I have used photographs from my Pots and Food Calendar to show the pots in use.<br />
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No more deadlines before Christmas, so I am looking forward to developing some new work.<br />
I want to make some larger serving platters and will try and get round to showing some work in progress on the blog. Always difficult to remember to document work in progress, when you're caught up in actually making it.<br />
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I made my venison casserole yesterday, using the recipe from the Calendar. I used some of the spiced mulled wine which was left over from the Christmas Show opening, which made it particularly delicious. Mulled wine is always great for meaty casseroles as well as warming up the customers!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-69862734479000083822012-11-27T14:21:00.002-08:002012-11-27T14:21:45.129-08:00Art in Clay, FarnhamIt seems longer, but it is just over a week ago that I was exhibiting at the Art in Clay show at The Maltings in Farnham.<br />
It was a good show and I really enjoyed catching up with other potters who I haven't seen for a while. It is always inspirational to get out of the workshop and see what other potters are doing.<br />
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I did a pot swap with Margaret Brampton, another slipware potter. She had made a series of these lovely bowls with a simple pea-vine motif.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DJtAsaDzVt0/ULU6jEKxBTI/AAAAAAAAAN4/nMOlT2Jk0Kw/s1600/pea+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DJtAsaDzVt0/ULU6jEKxBTI/AAAAAAAAAN4/nMOlT2Jk0Kw/s320/pea+bowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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By coincidence, I had been looking at recipes for pea and mint soup, so perhaps they will be good bowls to serve it in, though I think the shape is more suited to a risotto. I have had an asparagus risotto with a pea-shoot garnish, which would look great.</div>
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I'm looking forward to using it, and will post a recipe when I've had time to try it out.</div>
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Busy making and firing pots for my Christmas Show which opens this weekend. I'll also be doing some cooking, as I'm planning to serve some nibbles based on recipes in my calendar.</div>
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Another busy week!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-9266574743451167822012-11-09T16:06:00.000-08:002012-11-09T16:06:58.260-08:00Stuffed mushrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DoaTX_NwEec/UJ2X2ZOQ1UI/AAAAAAAAANo/pDi_rpNAVTc/s1600/3-March+mushrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DoaTX_NwEec/UJ2X2ZOQ1UI/AAAAAAAAANo/pDi_rpNAVTc/s320/3-March+mushrooms.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is another photo from my Pots and Food Calendar 2013. The platter is the same one which I used for the Pavlova in June. Those lovely cherry tomatoes love my pots, especially the ones with a dark green or dark blue rim, which show them off beautifully.<br />
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This recipe is one which I have used for many years, originally from the Observer, I think. The tomatoes are stuffed with a mixture of bread-crumbs, an egg, some chopped tomato, crushed garlic, grated parmesan, olive oil, parsley and the chopped stalks of the mushrooms. The mixture is topped with some extra bread-crumbs and drizzled with olive oil, then baked in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes. Great for a starter and substantial enough for a main course, too.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-4236946202074872422012-11-04T15:14:00.000-08:002012-11-04T15:14:05.178-08:00Apple Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WxAFiAH65JI/UJbTgKQ6U4I/AAAAAAAAANY/HI3CkCeW2a8/s1600/4-April.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WxAFiAH65JI/UJbTgKQ6U4I/AAAAAAAAANY/HI3CkCeW2a8/s320/4-April.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is another image from my Pots and Food Calendar, which I collected from the printers last week.<br />
I am really pleased with the photographs, taken by photographer, Jose Lasheras. We also had help from Alison Clarkson, a food stylist, to compose the shots and show off the pots and food to the best advantage.<br />
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These are some new slab dishes in my grey and white range, which I have just started making again. The muted colours are good for many kinds of food and the long slab platters lend themselves to many different uses. For the decoration I have been using paper cut-outs in layers with white slip brushed over, using a coarse brush. If I want a strong brush texture, I sometimes use a brush made from Japanese rice straw.<br />
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The apple cake is my basic cake recipe. The ingredients, which must be at room temperature, are all weighed, put in a large bowl and simply mixed together. This mixture can be used to make a cake with fruit and nuts in various combinations, or chocolate cake by substituting an ounce of cocoa powder for an ounce of the flour. <br />
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Ingredients: 7 oz/200g brown sugar<br />
8 oz/225g butter or soft margarine<br />
9 oz/250g plain flour (white or wholemeal)<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
2-3 eggs<br />
a few drops of vanilla extract<br />
a pinch of salt<br />
2-3 cooking apples<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
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Method: Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200 C<br />
Weigh and mix the ingredients, except the apples and cinnamon, in a large mixing bowl.<br />
Add enough milk to make a soft consistency if necessary.<br />
Add one peeled and chopped apple to the mix.<br />
You can also add chopped walnuts, dried prunes or apricots, if you like.<br />
Spread the mixture into a lined baking tray.<br />
Decorate the top with apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon mixed with a little sugar.<br />
Because of the fruit, the cake can take quite a while to cook through. You just need to keep<br />
an eye on it, so that the top doesn't burn. Check it with the point of a knife until it comes<br />
out clean. Usually about 45 minutes.<br />
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It can be served warm or cold, with or without cream. It is a useful cake as it doubles as a dessert and a tea-time treat. Bon appetit! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-48340464562653351312012-10-30T13:57:00.001-07:002012-10-30T13:57:28.083-07:00Mushrooms in Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As promised on my previous post, here are some Italian mushrooms.<br />
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I went on holiday to visit my son, Ben, who is farming in Italy. When I arrived at the small town of Borgo val di Taro, near where he lives, there was a mushroom festival going on. The streets were lined with stalls selling mushrooms and other local produce. The man in the picture above is selling mushroom driers, an essential piece of kitchen equipment in the area, so you can keep all those lovely porcini to use through the winter.<br />
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I took a present of one of my oven dishes and was pleased to see that it felt very much at home in this lovely old farmhouse kitchen. We took one of those baskets out to the woods near the house and came back with enough porcini for a delicious feast. Iris also found a huge parasol mushroom which she dusted with flour and fried whole.</div>
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As you can see, it took up the whole pan!</div>
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No wonder that so many of the recipes in my new Pots and Food Calendar include mushrooms after that kind of inspiration.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-79667520387273991792012-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:002012-10-28T09:29:35.369-07:00Pots and Food Calendar 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Firstly, I must apologise for the long gap between posts. It has been a very busy summer, mainly in the studio, though I did manage a trip to Italy, arriving in the mushroom season, which was great.<br />
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Last week was very much focussed on pots and food, as I did a photo shoot for a calendar for next year. The calendar features a different dish, with recipes, for each month, presented on a selection of my pots. Some of the recipes have already featured on this blog, but the images are all new.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was lucky enough to be able to work with the photographer, Jose Lasheras, to create a series of mouth-watering shots. We had help from a food stylist, Alison Clarkson, who assisted us to make the most of each dish. It was hard work, but a lot of fun, doing the photo-shoot, and my daughter, Hana has done a great job with the artwork, putting it all together.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It has certainly helped with my own Christmas present list, as the calendars come cellophane wrapped with their own envelope, so very easy to send to friends here and abroad.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I am selling the calendars (Size 30 x 30 cms) for £9.95 through the Devon Guild of Craftsmen and my showroom here at The Studio. I am also making a special offer to people like you, who follow my blog - for £8.00 - including postage and packing, for customers in the UK.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you would like to order one (or more!) just email me at <a href="mailto:psimpson@thestudiopots.fsnet.co.uk"><span style="color: #1022a3; letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">psimpson@thestudiopots.fsnet.co.uk</span></a> , giving me details of where to send it and send me a cheque, made payable to Penny Simpson, at The Studio, 44a Court Street, Moretonhampstead, Devon TQ13 8LG.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The images shown here are a summer recipe for a spanish Tortilla - approved of by the photographer, who is Spanish! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Also a mushroom risotto.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Talking of mushrooms, I will post about the Italian mushrooms I met on holiday next. Promise not to leave it so long between posts this time.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-36236012669139769562012-07-29T14:31:00.000-07:002012-07-29T14:31:55.891-07:00Mugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been feeling a touch of bloggers guilt about the length of time between posts. Apologies for the delay in getting around to talking about the mug swap I mentioned in my last post. It has been a busy time in the workshop.<br />
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The mug on the left is like the one I gave to Josie Walter in exchange for her spotty one on the right.<br />
I am enjoying using the mug she made. It is well balanced and the handle feels comfortable to hold.<br />
I remember having a discussion with another potter about why we make mugs. The thing is that for the amount of work involved, they are less cost effective than many other pots, such as bowls or jugs. However, this is the pot which people really develop a close relationship with. You pick it up, hold it, put it in your mouth and warm your hands round it. Often it is chosen from a selection of mugs, according to personal favourites or the type of drink to be consumed. I think for many people it becomes a way in to an appreciation of hand-made pots. Hopefully when someone has been seduced by a mug, they will come back and buy more pots, realising the warmth that comes from something which has not been mass produced.<br />
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I have a shelf of mugs and my favourites change with mood, season, whim etc. I also enjoy asking friends to choose a mug and seeing which one they choose. Sometimes they get worried that I am making character assessments according to their choice. Perhaps, subconsciously, I am, though I am not sure that I would be able to articulate what they are.<br />
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I do like a large cup for tea in the morning. My current favourite is the one second from the right at the top - a chunky robust mug by Doug Fitch. It has some tactile sprigs on it and a general feeling of warmth and generosity which reflects his own character. I guess that's another thing about hand made pots, especially where you have met the maker, you can feel the presence of the potter in the pot.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-9983832711512522762012-06-22T03:54:00.003-07:002012-06-22T04:12:57.415-07:00Papaya and Avocado SaladMy latest discovery for an easy starter which is healthy and a bit exotic is this salad with avocado and papaya. It was a chance combination following a trip to the supermarket where I'd bought myself a couple of treats in the form of a perfectly ripe avocado, a papaya and a lime. Lime and papaya is a marriage made in heaven - a perfect balance of sweet and sour. This is teamed up with cubes of avocado and a couple of spoonfuls of greek yoghurt, a glug of olive oil and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. <br />
I have tried different versions with fennel or basil and mint, depending on what I have around at the time. <br />
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What makes it a starter with 'wow factor' is choosing a lovely ceramic platter or shallow bowl and arranging a circle of salad leaves - little gem lettuce is perfect for this - which are then filled with the mixture. The whole can be garnished with herbs and a sprinkling of paprika for colour as much as taste. Some marigold petals or other edible flowers would also be good.<br />
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This one is presented on a shallow bowl by Jane Cox. The decoration on the dish is revealed as people help themselves to the contents, which again brings added interest to the table. We did a swap of pots this time last year - one of my favourite things about exhibiting at craft fairs is arranging swaps with other exhibitors. I just did a great mug swap with Josie Walter - which could be my next post!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822334458780309109.post-86404445006947145732012-06-19T10:44:00.000-07:002012-06-22T03:07:46.995-07:00Posh PavlovaLast week Carole and Jonty Williams came to dinner. They are from <a href="http://www.husbandry.co.uk/">the Husbandry School</a> near Ashburton in Devon, where they grow vegetables and edible flowers and run various courses on growing fruit and veg sustainably. I visited them a few weeks ago on one of the rare sunny days this summer and their place felt like a little bit of sustainable paradise. They have beautiful pigs, goats and chickens as well as the flowers and veg. The views of the Devon countryside from their place are stunning and they have a house which they built themselves at the heart of their land. <br />
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I was delighted to be given a bunch of flowers and a salad pack containing lots of edible flowers - of the kind which they usually supply to top chefs. I used some of the flowers - marigold petals in yellow and orange, borage flowers and violas to decorate the pavlova I had made for dessert.<br />
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The flowers completely transformed the dish into something spectacular - aided by placing it on a large serving dish I had made. The dish is formed with a slab top and thrown ring for the base, so it stands proudly on its pedestal, giving it that much more importance.<br />
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The pavlova recipe was from Nigel Slater's book, Appetite, which I find brilliant as a guide and inspiration for all kinds of dishes. He gives you some basic recipes and then suggests variations to encourage you to try your own versions. I used a combination of strawberries and passion fruit on the top, which had the right amount of acidity to complement the sweetness of the meringue and the richness of the cream. <br />
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The great thing about a pavlova for a dessert is that it is very simple to make the night before and then all you have to do is whip the cream and chop the fruit. I assembled it just before serving.<br />
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This is a quick photo of the pot without pavlova. It would also be good for serving lots of other dishes, such as a selection of cold meats with salad garnish or cheese and biscuits.<br />
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I'm definitely going to start growing some edible flowers of my own. Looking forward to colourful salads and beautifully garnished dishes.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629094796092106864noreply@blogger.com0