Clay&

Clay & Cuisine Techniques for the Studio, Recipes for the Kitchen
Cuisine
Having hand-made objects to prepare and cook in enhances
the comforts of home and the time we spend with food and
family. Preparing meals with friends and enjoying casual
dinner parties is often the start of good conversation and
enduring relationships. This book brings together handmade
pots with home-cooked meals to both enhance and engage the Techniques for the Studio,
gathered experience.
Separated into a day's worth of meals starting with Recipes for the Kitchen
breakfast and ending in dessert, each chapter delivers step-
by-step studio projects for making everything from ceramic
pourover coffee sets to muffin pans, from taco trays to
personal crocks, from loose-leaf teapots to wine stems. Each
page is loaded with tips and techniques from professional
makers to help you discover new forms and be successful in
creating your own personal dinnerware.
Each how-to project is followed by a recipe personally
chosen by the ceramic artist. Recipes include an ingredient list
along with detailed instructions. Following the same format
of a day's meals, the recipes begin with breakfast, move onto
lunch then snacks and tea, followed by happy hour, dinner,
and finally dessert. The artists chose family favorites, comfort
foods, simple beverages, and intricate dinner meals. Linking
them all are fresh ingredients easily sourced and basic steps
guaranteeing your success in the kitchen. Cheers!

Holly Goring is Editor of Pottery Making Illustrated, where

she guides the editorial content and focus of the magazine
that states its purpose as being “your resource for ceramic
techniques.” Goring holds a BFA degree in ceramics from the
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and maintains a ceramics
studio at her home in Columbus, Ohio.
Goring

The American Ceramic Society

www.CeramicArtsDaily.org
Printed in China
Edited by Holly Goring
 Clay&
Cuisine Techniques for the Studio,
Recipes for the Kitchen

Edited by Holly Goring

The American Ceramic Society
600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210
Westerville, Ohio 43082
www.CeramicArtsDaily.org

i
 The American Ceramic Society
600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210
Westerville, OH 43082

© 2017 by The American Ceramic Society, All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-57498-385-2 (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-57498-594-8 (PDF)

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher, except by a
reviewer, who may quote brief passages in review.

Authorization to photocopy for internal or personal use beyond the limits of Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law is
granted by The American Ceramic Society, provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center,
Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 U.S.A., www.copyright.com. Prior to photocopying items for educational classroom
use, please contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. This consent does not extend to copyright items for general distribution
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for special photocopying permission and reprint requests should be directed to Director, Publications, The American Ceramic
Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Westerville, Ohio 43082 USA.

Every effort has been made to ensure that all the information in this book is accurate. Due to differing conditions, equipment,
tools, and individual skills, the publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses, and other damages that may result
from the use of the information in this book. Final determination of the suitability of any information, procedure or product
for use contemplated by any user, and the manner of that use, is the sole responsibility of the user. This book is intended for
informational purposes only.

The views, opinions and findings contained in this book are those of the author. The publishers, editors, reviewers and author
assume no responsibility or liability for errors or any consequences arising from the use of the information contained herein.
Registered names and trademarks, etc., used in this publication, even without specific indication thereof, are not to be
considered unprotected by the law. Mention of trade names of commercial products does not constitute endorsement or
recommendation for use by the publishers, editors or authors.

Publisher: Bill Janeri

Editor: Holly Goring

Associate Editor: Forrest Sincoff Gard

Design and Graphic Production: Erin Pfeifer

Cover Image: Sarah Pike's teapot, cup, bowls, and plate with salad rolls.

ii
Preface
As a maker, I often think about how basic skills are handed down
from one generation to the next and I wonder if our crafting and
domestic skills are getting lost as we become more of a consumer-
based and service-orientated culture. It wasn’t that long ago that
most people had the skills to tackle any project they wanted to,
whether it was sewing, baking, wood refinishing, or canning. How
many people still learn to iron or make jam? It used to be that if
you had a task you needed to complete, there was almost certainly
someone that was either a friend or family who could teach you
the necessary skills. It was this collected wisdom that we relied
on to not only provide for ourselves but also to have pride in our
everyday accomplishments. We then, in turn, passed these skills
onto the next generation to help keep our society balanced and
self-sufficient.
The skills required to make a pot and to cook a meal are
surprisingly similar. Both gather materials or ingredients, which
are combined using a set of tools, and finally baked over a fire.
Thus it is often a natural fit for potters to enjoy cooking. To be able
to create something that enhances their craft also brings them
great pride. Additionally, the use of one's pots is a great way to
learn how well they function. How does the rim of a cup feel when
pressed against a lip? How well does the handle of a pitcher work
once the pitcher is filled? Will flatware leave dark marks on a white
liner glaze? Does the foot of a trimmed bowl scratch the finish on
a table? It is through use that potters enhance their skills as they
develop a more acute sense of weights and proportions, surfaces
and sizes.
This book is a collection of skills offered by a handful of
creative potters to help readers create homemade meals and
the handmade functional ware to serve them in. From faceting,
darting, and slumping to Thai curry, chorizo stuffing, and cucumber
gimlets, each page provides how-to ceramic demonstrations
followed by personal recipes and instructions. This is a book filled
with ideas and skills to help keep our community robust with
talented makers.

Holly Goring
Editor

iii
 Clay& CHAPTER ONE

Cuisine
Techniques for the Studio,
Breakfast
4 Pourover Coffee Set by Eva L. Champagne
RECIPE: Pourover Brew Coffee by Eva L. Champagne
Recipes for the Kitchen
7 Sugar Jar with Square Lid by Jared Zehmer
RECIPE: Chocolate Chai Coffee Mix by Jared Zehmer

11 Citrus Juicer by gwendolyn yoppolo

RECIPE: Morning Star Juice by Holly Goring

16 Pinched Breadbox by Jeni Hansen Gard

RECIPE: Bodil’s Rugbrød Danish Rye Bread by Jeni Hansen Gard

20 Spouted Batter Bowl by Courtney Long

RECIPE: Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes by Courtney Long

25 Custom Muffin Pan by Sumi von Dassow

RECIPE: Parmesan Hash Brown Cakes by Sumi von Dassow

CHAPTER TWO
Lunch
30 Pocket Handle Pitcher by Joseph Pintz
RECIPE: Watermelon Agua Fresca by Joesph Pintz

34 Picnic Set by Sumi von Dassow

RECIPE: Edamame Dip by Sumi von Dassow

37 Faceted Bowls by Guillermo Cuellar

RECIPE: Nelson’s Massaged Kale Salad by Guillermo Cuellar

40 Ribbed Oval Bowls by Elisa Helland-Hansen

RECIPE: Quinoa Salad by Elisa Helland-Hansen

45 Handbuilt Textured Teapots by Sarah Pike

RECIPE: You-Build-It Salad Rolls by Sarah Pike

50 Paul Eshelman’s Handled

Soup Bowl by Hannah Marshall
RECIPE: Winter Vegetable Soup by Jennifer Harrison

55 Wall-to-Wall Decorated
Platters by Colleen McCall
RECIPE: Lighter Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Colleen McCall

iv
CHAPTER THREE
Snack and Tea
62 Loose-Leaf Teapots by Clay Cunningham
RECIPE: Cool Breeze Loose-Leaf Tea and
Summer Salad by Clay Cunningham
67 Honey Jar by Sumi von Dassow
RECIPE: Honey Syrup by Sumi von Dassow
70 Lidded Tea Cup by Rachel Donner
RECIPE: Chai Tea by HP Bloomer
75 Ahjoshi Hanbok Canisters by Mea Rhee
RECIPE: Spice Cookies by Mea Rhee
79 Thrown and Decorated Teapot
by Doug Peltzman
RECIPE: Super Moist Banana Bread by Doug Peltzman
CHAPTER FOUR
Happy Hour
86 Olive Trays by Sumi von Dassow
RECIPE: Dolmades by Sumi von Dassow
88 Footed Slab Plate by Liz Zlot Summerfield
RECIPE: Roasted Strawberry Bruschetta by Liz Zlot Summerfield
91 Colored Clay Slip-Cast Cups by Peter Pincus
RECIPE: G & T by Holly Goring
95 Sipping Service by Mike Jabbur
RECIPE: Mojito by Mike Jabbur
99 Elegant Goblet by Yoshi Fujii
RECIPE: Cucumber Lime Gimlet by Yoshi Fujii
104 Shot Glass Set by Brice Dyer
RECIPE: Boulevardier by Brice Dyer
108 Whiskey Bottles and Cups by Matt Schiemann
RECIPE: Fall Forward by Matt Schiemann
112 Calla Lily Wine Stem by Marion Peters Angelica
RECIPE: Ann-Charlotte's Glüg by Marion Peters Angelica
CHAPTER FIVE
Dinner
118 Lidded Boxes by Martha Grover
RECIPE: Creamy Potato, Leek, and Broccoli Soup by Martha Grover
122 Comfort Food Bowls by Didem Mert
RECIPE: Thai Coconut Curry Soup by Didem Mert
125 Taco Night Taco Trays by Mark Cole
RECIPE: Tacos by Mark Cole
128 Upcycled Utensils by Kristin Pavelka
RECIPE: Kristen's Favorite Pasta by Kristin Pavelka
133 Slumped and Altered Serving Dishes
by Nancy Gallagher
RECIPE: Cornbread Chorizo Stuffing by Nancy Gallagher
137 Moroccan Tagines by Sumi von Dassow
RECIPE: Spicy Kefka with Tomato Sauce by Sumi von Dassow
141 Bryce Brisco's Serving Platter
by Yoko Sekino-Bové
RECIPE: Orange Bourbon Glazed Chicken Statler with Yukon
Gold Potato Hash by Bryce Brisco
145 Personal Bakers by Caleb Zouhary
RECIPE: Seafood Alfredo Lasagna by Caleb Zouhary
CHAPTER SIX
Dessert
150 Belly-Bottomed Cups by Birdie Boone
RECIPE: Homemade Hot Chocolate with
Homemade Marshmallows by Birdie Boone
155 Paul Donnelly's Snack Tray
by Annie Chrietzberg
RECIPE: New York Style Cheesecake by Paul Donnelly
159 Double-Walled Cast Ice Cream Server
by Hiroe Hanazono
RECIPE: Matcha Ice Cream Sundae with Shiratama Dango
by Hiroe Hanazono
164 Pinch-Formed Cake Stand by Ingrid Bathe
RECIPE: Coconut Layer Cake by Ingrid Bathe
168 Fluted-Rim Bundt Pan by Sumi von Dassow
RECIPE: Gluten-Free Banana Cake by Sumi von Dassow
1
2
 CHAPTER ONE
Breakfast

3
 Pourover
Coffee Set
by Eva L. Champagne

Eva Champagne's pourover coffee

set allows for easy brewing while
saving space in small kitchens.

Throw the filter There are so many ways to brew and enjoy coffee. The
cone base upside-
things I love about making pourover coffee include
down, create a
center foot ring. the rich, bright, and complex flavors, the lush and lively
Remove it from aromas, the deliberate quality of slowly pouring the
the wheel, and
water, pausing to watch the bloom rise and subside,
allow it to set up.
and the practicality of drinking my coffee from the
same vessel in which it was brewed. As a ceramic
artist I enjoy the processes of making, whether it be
a sculpture, a mug, loaves of bread, or a cup of coffee.
There is a certain cadence to every act: the considered
1 pace of making pourover coffee reflects the way I like
to transition from sleep to greeting a new morning.
When throwing
the top of the THROWING A SET
filter cone, push
all the way to I make the mug and filter-cone parts for the pourover
the wheel head coffee set on the same day: mug first, filter cone base
to create a
bottomless cone second, then the cone third.
with a slight flare. To make a mug that holds about 24 ounces of liquid,
start with a pound of clay. When throwing the mug
form, make the base rather broad or a little bottom
heavy to stabilize it and counterbalance a filter cone
full of hot coffee. In addition, instead of making a
2
tapered rim as you would for a regular mug, make the
rim more round. In this way you avoid chipping the rim
The bottom of
the filter cone
over time from repeated placement of the filter cone
should rest on top of it. Using calipers, measure the inside diameter
directly above of the rim.
the foot ring
that was thrown
Usually, I make the foot of the filter cone a bit
into the base to smaller than needed to fit in the mug, and the outer
prevent warping. diameter of its base slightly wider than needed. This is
so my filter cone fits a variety of mugs in my cupboard
beside its mate, and I get to use it more often.
Throw the filter cone base upside down. Center
the clay, flatten it into a thick disc, then compress
3
and pull up the foot (1). Check its diameter with the

4
 Breakfast
calipers. After trimming and rounding the edge of the Score and slip the
base to the filter
circumference, remove it from the wheel.
cone, add a coil
The cone itself should hold at least half the amount of clay, then cut a
of liquid as the mug, so use less than ½ pound of clay ½-inch-diameter
drip hole out of
for this. When creating the center opening, go all the
the base.
way to the wheel head. Throw the cone with a slight
flare at the bottom (2). After the top of the cone has set
up to leather hard, trim off all excess clay so that the
bottom is about the same diameter as the foot ring you
just threw. This is so that when assembled, the weight
of the cone rests directly over the foot ring, and results
in less chance of warping (3). When placing it on the
ware board, I press the base of the cone together so 4
that the bottom is now oval or oblong.
After making
ATTACHING AND FINISHING the mug handle,
echo the shape
When leather hard, carve out excess clay from the for the filter cone
lower interior of the cone following its contours. Next, handle. Make sure
the handles line
score both its underside and the base where they will
up vertically.
be attached, slip one side and press them together.
Sometimes a small coil of clay is needed at the join to
make it seamless (4). Once assembled, carve a small
circle from the center of the base for the coffee to pour
through, no more than ½ inch in diameter.
Make the mug handle first, then, when making the
filter cone handle, aim to echo the form of the mug
handle. Also, make sure the two forms line up vertically
when the set is put together (5). When everything is
leather hard, put the set together and continue to
dry them this way (6). Bisque fire them as a set, not
separately, which may cause the pieces to warp and not
sit well together
For glaze, I use a simple three-part, shiny gloss to
5
line the interiors and to cover the design. Then I wax
the design and apply the same base glaze, with an
added 2% copper carbonate, to
the exterior of the pieces and
fire them separately to cone 03.

Once the mugs and the

filter cones are leather hard,
put the set together to dry.
Bisque fire the set together.

5
 RECIPE

Pourover Brew
Coffee
by Eva L. Champagne

Ingredients:
• Course Ground Coffee
• #2 Cone Filter
• Filtered Water
Things that will affect the brewing time include
how fine or coarse the coffee is ground, the size
of the drip hole and whether your coffee is dark
roast (taking a bit longer) or medium to light
roast (taking slightly less time). Enjoy!
Instructions:
Begin with coffee beans that are ground to about the
consistency of coarse sugar. Using a #2 cone filter, fill the
cone to about 1⁄3 full of grounds, or a bit more if you like
your brew stronger. Boil water and use a narrow-spouted
vessel for more control over your pouring pace. The water
should be about 30 seconds off boil. Carefully pour enough
water over the grounds to wet them, then stop, allowing
the grounds to bloom for about 30 seconds. When the
bloom has subsided, continue with a steady stream of
water, pausing when necessary, until you’ve filled your mug
as much as you want. The total brewing time should take
about 3 minutes from start to the end of dripping time after
your last pour.

6
 Breakfast
Sugar Jar with
a Square Lid
by Jared Zehmer

Jared Zehmer's sugar jar with a

square thrown and altered lid.

The lidded faceted jar is a conglomeration of different Undercut the

base and notch a
techniques I’ve learned through watching a variety of
groove into the
other skillful potters’ instructional videos. The torqued, wall 1 inch below
bold edges of the form’s facets are great for a variety of the rim (1). Use a
cheese slicer to
glaze effects, especially the way they can catch wood
facet the jar. Start
ash, salt, or soda during vapor firings. I’ve been working at the groove
with runny, reduction-fired ash glazes to see if I can’t and cut down to
the base (2).
influence the direction of the flow. I feel the squared,
inserted lid goes nicely with the angled yet round body
of the pot.
1 2
CREATING THE JAR
To get started, center a 4-pound ball of clay to a Dry your hand
and press out
diameter of about 7 inches wide by 2–2½ inches high. from the inside to
Open the inside of the foot to about 3 inches wide shape and torque
while leaving a good 1-inch thick bottom. the jar.

Using a large wooden rib, shape the cylinder

straight up and down to a simple, thick, and vertical
form. An ideal cross section of the cylinder before
faceting would show a 6-inch tall by 5-inch wide
cylinder with walls that are no more than 1 inch thick.
Undercut the base of the cylinder and notch a
3
groove into the wall about an inch below the rim using
the edge of a wooden rib. (1).
Press the
90°-angled edge
FACETING of a wooden rib
I use a common cheese slicer to facet my jars. The gap into the thick rim
to create a gallery.
between the roller and the wire is less than ¼ inch thick,
which is an ideal measurement for faceting. Start by
resting the wire into the groove, then slice straight down
from top to bottom in one smooth, steady stroke (2).
There is a pattern to getting an even number
(eight in this case) of vertical cuts from top to bottom
around the whole cylinder so each edge meets with
4
little overlapping. Looking down on the cylinder from

7
 Start to square above, imagine the round rim as a compass with points
the rim shape by
indicating north, south, east, and west, and make lines
pressing out with
your fingers in on the top of the rim at these four spots. Make your first
each corner. faceting cut at the south mark. Turn the wheel so the
north mark is facing you and the south cut is opposite
you, then make your next cut. Now that you have two
cuts on opposite sides (the north and south marks) go
ahead and repeat the same process on the east and west
marks, giving you a total of four alternating cuts. Next,
5 slice out the remaining northwest, southwest, northeast,
and southeast sides. If done correctly, you should have
Define the an even-sided, octagonal vessel.
squared rim by
gently pulling While turning the wheel again at a moderate speed,
with equal sponge out all the water from the inside and up the
pressure on all walls. Dry the inside as much as you can. I use a soft
four corners.
rubber rib to remove as much moisture off of the inside
walls as possible.

6
Throw the lid
shape right side
up to create a
squared lid. Leave
enough clay at
the rim, open to
the base, and pull
up the center.
7
Collar in the
central cylinder
on the lid using
pressure from
your fingertips to
create the knob.
8 midway into the rim’s flat surface, creating a deep
Close off the top of the
knob, refine the shape
using your fingers and
a rib, then define the
bottom edge using
a wooden rib.
9 with four. Using the compass analogy again is helpful
ADDING A TWIST
This next step is torquing the pot to get a twisted
look. Dry your hands completely with a towel, turn the
wheel at a moderate speed, then press out from the
inside of the pot. The friction created by your dry hands
dragging on the inside walls twists and torques the
vessel (3). Since you can’t touch the outside of the piece
anymore without marring the facets, use your other
hand to support and hold your inside hand steady. As
I’m a right-handed potter, my left hand is inside the pot.
Once you’ve achieved a decent level of twist in
the pot, continue to do more shaping. With the wheel
turning again, throw a splash of water inside the pot
for further shaping. Now that the inside has been
resaturated, press even further out, moving your
fingertips up and down across the area you want to
expand to achieve a rounder form.
SHAPING THE RIM
Splashing a bit of water onto the rim, pull it slightly
inward and upward and level off a flat top while
maintaining its thickness.
Using the edge of a wooden rib, press down about
flange for the lid to nest in (4).
There are eight equal points around the rim where
the edges of each flat-sided facet meet. Pick one point
and press out into the upper edge from the interior
while pressing, supporting the point from the exterior
to form a corner (5). This temporarily warps the rim of
the pot, but once you repeat the same move on the
rest of the corners it will all even out. Now that two
opposite sides have been pressed into corners, repeat
the process in-between those two corners to end up

8
 Breakfast
as corners are formed in the north, south, east, and then Make four marks
on the edge of
west edges, respectively.
the lid rim in
Using your index fingers and thumbs, gently lay preparation for
and pull out each corner of the rim to form a square (6). altering it into a
square shape.
Repeat these steps around the rim until it looks equal.

MAKING A SQUARED, INSET LID

Using calipers, take a measurement of the inside
distance between two opposite corners. After this, cut
10
the pot off the wheel with a wire tool and put it aside
to dry to a leather-hard stage.
Use the tapered
To form the lid, weigh out ½ pound of clay and edge of a wooden
center it on the wheel, leaving the bulk of the clay as rib to lift the rim
a thick mound in the middle. Measure the diameter of from one mark
to the next. The
the lid and make sure to keep it about ½ inch wider marks become
than the original caliper measurement on each side. the corners.
Press into the center down to the bat, then hook
your finger and drag it outward to get underneath the
bulk of the clay while stopping about an inch from the
edge. Then, using the hefty amount of clay that was left
11
in the center, begin slowly pulling a wall up and in (7).
Start collaring in the wall below the tip to begin
After cutting the
forming a knob (8). Roll the top of the knob inward to lid from the bat
close in on itself. Once this move has been completed, and allowing it
to reach leather
the air trapped inside the lid will keep it from collapsing,
hard, shape and
thus more shaping can be done to form a knob (9). thin the interior
To form the square lid mark out four equal points with trimming
tools and a rasp.
on the rim using a needle tool (10). If you’re using a
bat with bat pins, it’s helpful to line up the pin holes
with the lid’s rim for the first two notches then esti-
mate the other two in-between marks. 12
Using the sharp edge of a wooden rib and holding it
at a slight angle, drag it under the rim from one notch When the body
and lid both reach
to the next, not all the way around, thereby lifting the leather hard, fit
rim into four straight sides (11). the lid onto the
Measure with the calipers again from corner to cor- jar and make
adjustments.
ner. You’ll want the lid to be slightly larger than the
actual measurement to ensure a snug fit after more
trimming. Once you’re comfortable with the measure-
ment, finish rolling over the sides of the lid rim with a
wet sponge, one side at a time, keeping all sides equal.
Cut the lid free from the bat with a wire tool, but leave
it on the bat. Poke a hole into the surface with a nee- 13

dle tool to let the air and moisture from the inside
Jared Zehmer's
escape while the rim dries and shrinks. sugar jar
Once at the leather-hard stage, trim and smooth out shown with an
the inside (12). Using a rasp, round off each corner un- alternative round
lid option.
til the lid fits snugly into the pot, then clean up the
rough marks with a wet sponge.
When both the lid and the pot are at a leather-
hard stage it’s a good time for final cleaning and
smoothing with a sponge before trimming (13).

9
 RECIPE

Chocolate Chai
Coffee Mix
by Jared Zehmer

Ingredients: Instructions:
• ⁄2 cup sugar
1 Mix all ingredients together and keep in a container. To
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder serve, put 2 tablespoons of the mix into a mug and fill with
fresh brewed coffee, add milk or creamer to taste. Makes
• ⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
10 servings.
• ⁄8 teaspoon salt
1

• ⁄8 teaspoon ground ginger

1

• ⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1
This is a recipe a barista buddy suggested
• ⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 to me and it’s pretty amazing. It’s a nice
alternative to straight up coffee and sugar.
• ⁄8 teaspoon ground cardamom or nutmeg
1
Tip: Prepare a large batch of chocolate chai
coffee mix and store it in a dry place in a
sealed container for easy everyday use.

10
 Breakfast
Citrus Juicer
by gwendolyn yoppolo

gwendolyn yoppolo's two-part juicer,

made from thrown and handbuilt
porcelain, with microcrystalline glazes,
and fired to cone 10 in an electric kiln.

My vision for our future with food involves people Measuring inside
diameter of the
working with whole foods in a direct way to craft their rim of the freshly
own nourishment, so I’ve developed a line of kitchen thrown bowl.
tools with that goal in mind.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
In designing a juicer form, the first decision to
consider is the specific purpose of the juicer, which will
determine its size—will it juice small citrus (lemons and
limes) or larger citrus (oranges and grapefruits)?
In my juicer and bowl set, the juicer form, which 1

is the site of reaming action, hangs over a receiving

Measuring the
bowl that’s also a pouring form. The three purposes—
diameter of the
reaming, catching, and offering—must be integrated juicer to ensure
into an overall form that’s stable during the juicing but proper fit.
not too heavy during the pouring.
Another consideration involves the straining of
the pulp and/or seeds from the juice. You’ll have to
decide how much pulp you want in your juice, and
design a straining mechanism that catches the seeds
but allows the desired amount of pulp through. A final
consideration might also be how the form could serve
2
to store leftover juice, if you decide that’s important.
Start your process with a strong idea for how to answer
Compressing
these design issues, then sketch profile and cut-away the clay after
views of the form, inside and out. For the purposes trimming the
here, when I refer to the bowl I am talking about the juicer bottom.

lower receiving bowl; when I refer to the juicer I am

talking about the hanging reamer section.

WET FORMING PHASE

In the wet forming phase, throw a bowl and measure
the diameter of the inside rim with calipers (1). The
juicer hangs inside this rim, so the inside diameter is
3
the important measurement.

11
 Forming the Next, throw the juicer. It’s shaped like a shallow
handle for
bowl or low plate (2), depending on how you would
the bowl.
like it to curve over or into the bowl. When throwing
the juicer, remember that the outer edge of the juicer
rim will be trimmed down to an oval shape to match
the hand-built handle added to the bowl, so be sure to
be generous with the amount of clay you leave for the
overhang. Be sure to leave enough width between the
rim and center of the juicer for the fingers and orange
to rotate around the reaming area.
I have a separate mold that I use to make the
reamer, which I make later. I estimate the diameter of
4 the juicer based on this mold.

Use a paper SOFT ALTERING AND BUILDING

pattern to
When the parts are set up to soft leather hard, you can
determine the
size and shape of trim the juicer on the wheel (3). You’ll trim and shape
the spout. the bowl using a rasp later, so that you can create an
oval foot. Since the juicer is designed to fit inside of the
round rim of the bowl, the bottom can be trimmed on
the wheel so that it registers properly when placed on
the bowl. The juicer rim will be reshaped later to fit the
curve of the bowl’s rim, so after trimming, moisten the
edge and wrap it in a strip of plastic several times.
Shape the spout and handle for the bowl. The
handle can be built from slabs, coils, or a solid form
5 that’s hollowed out later. I prefer the solid form
technique, because it allows the handle to be shaped
Compressing into a unified form with the bowl once finished (4).
the clay while
Pinch the handle into a rough shape, then let it stiffen
attaching the
handle to to a soft cheese consistency before hollowing it out.
the bowl. While the handle dries, work on the spout. Use a
quick paper pattern to estimate the shape of the slab
needed to attach to the front of the bowl (5). Reshape
the slab slightly to give it a more generous pouring
throat, then attach it to the front of the bowl, working
the joint together with metal ribs so that the spout and
bowl form flow together. You might want to add a coil
on the inside of the spout to round the edge and guard
against cracking.
6 When the bowl handle has stiffened, hollow it out
from the inside so the walls are an even thickness,
Perforations then attach it to the bowl using a basic slip-and-score
cut into
method and pressure from a metal rib (6). Shape the
the wall of
the bowl rib to achieve an upward movement that continues
leading into the curve of the bowl. Be sure to create a hole in an
the spout.
inconspicuous place on the handle so that air can
escape as it expands during the firing, otherwise
7 the piece may explode. At this point, cut or drill
perforations in the wall of the bowl leading to the
spout, or cut this part of the wall out completely (7).

12
 Breakfast
Even if you decide not to have a perforated wall in this The reamer
freshly popped
part of the bowl, it’s good to leave the upper rim whole,
off of the mold.
since the juicer will hang there and could use the
support. Allow the bowl to set up.
Now mold the reamer cone using a plaster or
bisqued slump or hump mold. The reamer mold can be
made from a commercial juicer or your own design.
Drape a slab into or over the mold, using a sponge to
work it into the crevices and over the protrusions. After
sponging the form, I sharpen the edges with a rubber
rib. The slab dries quickly and can be separated from
the mold within a few minutes (8).
Before joining the reamer cone to the juicer, reshape
the juicer to fit to the rim of the bowl. If you need to
wrap the reamer until the juicer is ready, do so. The two
parts should be of similar dryness when joined. 8

UNITING THE PARTS Adding a handle

Place the juicer on the bowl, working it gradually onto to the juicer.

the bowl’s curved rim with a sponge. The spout and the
handle additions have created a flowing curve for the
juicer to follow. Work the edges of the juicer so that they
hang over the rim of the bowl, this will keep the juicer
from sliding around too much during use. After sponging
the rim to get the contour, use a metal or rubber rib on
that area to compress, form, or shape the clay.
Attach the reamer to the juicer, adding a small coil of
clay around the base to guard against cracking. Remove
the part of the juicer bottom underneath the reamer to
expose the interior. Make sure the juicer is not bending
as you work. Also, don’t worry too much now about
clarifying the lines under there—it’s better to wait until
the juicer has set up to a harder cheese consistency to 9
clean it up. If you’d rather leave the bottom of the juicer
intact, that’s fine, but remember to poke a small air hole Attaching the foot
in the bottom like the one made in the handle. to a slab to create
Place the juicer on the rim of the bowl after a hollow foot.

wrapping the bowl rim in plastic to keep the two

separate. Attach clay on the handle end of the juicer
so that it matches the bowl’s handle and provides the
person juicing with a good grip on both of them (9).
Now wrap any part that seems to be drying too
fast (like the rim of the bowl) with plastic, then wrap
the entire pot in plastic and let it sit, at least overnight.
Such periods of rest within an airtight environment
allow for even moisture redistribution within the piece.

REMOVE, REDUCE, REFINE

For the next phase, which involves trimming the bowl
and perforating the juicer, the piece should be leather
10
hard. To trim the foot on the bowl, use a rasp to remove

13
 Using drills to clay, creating an oval form for the foot of the bowl that
mark off areas to
responds to the oval form created by the spout and
remove for seed-
catching slots. handle. After rasping away the clay on the outside of
the foot, remove the clay from the interior of the foot
using a small loop tool. This can be left as an open foot
ring, but I like to cover the foot ring with a slab of clay,
creating another hollow area on the bowl (10). This
requires an air hole on the bottom of the pot.
Reassemble the juicer and bowl, and use the rasp to
remove excess clay on the juicer rim. Sharpen and clean
up the edge on the underside of the juicer around the
inverted reamer. Next, carve out perforations that will
11
allow juice and pulp to fall into the bowl, while catching
seeds. Drill small holes encircling the base of the reamer,
Cutting the
seed-catching following its contour and slightly larger holes toward
slots using a the rim of the juicer (11). Use a utility knife to join the
utility knife.
holes, cutting slots that encircle the reamer (12). Again,
at this stage, wrap the pot and allow it to rest.
The next phase is one of refinement and reduction.
When the pot is almost bone dry, gently scrape away
unwanted marks and excess clay using metal ribs and
loop tools. The purpose of this almost-dry trimming
might be to lighten the bowl, to remove unwanted rasp
marks, to cut a sharper foot ring, to clarify a curve, or to
soften an edge. Sharp curved tools or small loop tools
12 are handy for trimming the edges of the perforations
in the spout wall (13). I like those edges to be soft to
Using a loop correspond to the manner of the other edges in the
tool to soften
piece. The holes in the juicer can be refined using a pin
the edges of the
perforations in tool. Now the forms can be air-dried, with perhaps a
the spout area. light covering of plastic if your room isn’t very humid.
Finally, when the pot is bone dry, use a sponge
to erode away any unwanted marks or slight
inconsistencies. A cosmetic sponge or a paintbrush
works well to soften the edges of the perforated slots.
Sponging a bone dry form is also nice because it
reduces the need for later sanding.

GLAZING CONSIDERATIONS
13
When glazing this form, remember that these two
forms need to be fired together to ensure a proper fit
after the firing. This means that the entire top surface of
the bowl’s rim will be unglazed, as will the underside of
the juicer rim. You can use a coil of wadding to separate
the parts during the firing if you’re worried about
them fusing together at all. I use a liner glaze inside the
bowl and inside the juicer, and matte microcrystalline
glazes on the exterior of the bowl and on the rim of
the juicer. Once the pot is fired, I use wet silicon carbide
sandpaper to polish any areas of bare porcelain. This
leaves all areas of the pot feeling very soft to the touch.

14
 Breakfast
RECIPE

Morning
Star Juice
by Holly Goring

Ingredients:
• ¾ cup carrot juice
• 1¼ cup orange juice
• 1½ teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
• ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large cup. Using
an immersion blender, blend the mixture for a few
seconds to combine. Or put all the ingredients in a
blender and pulse a few times to combine.

15
 Pinched
Breadbox
by Jeni Hansen Gard

Jeni Hansen Gard designed a ceramic

breadbox with two parts; a base to elevate
and display the bread, and a lid that sits
on the base to protect and preserve the
freshness of the bread.

Roll a long coil With a strong cultural connection to Denmark, as the

and gently push it
granddaughter of Danish immigrants, I’ve always been
around the edge
of the base on interested in the traditions of my ancestors. In my
the interior. own work, I look at the rituals of meal sharing and its
historical and contemporary relationship to ceramic
tableware. I traveled to Denmark in May for an artist
residency at Guldagergaard International Ceramic
Research Center in hopes of discovering my food
heritage. What I found was a culture of people who
were in love with their bread. The most common, and
1 by far the most important, recipe I was taught was for
the traditional Danish rye bread, known as rugbrød.
Use your thumb Rugbrød is a dense, dark rye-based bread. The bread
and forefinger to
further press the takes two days to make, with preparations beginning
clay into the base. the evening before you plan to bake it and up to a
Rotate the piece week if you’re also making the sourdough starter.
as you work.
I noticed that some of the people I visited in
Denmark would leave their bread wrapped in plastic on
a cutting board to keep the moisture in while others put
their bread out of sight in a wooden or metal breadbox
or the cupboard in the kitchen. After returning to the
US, I wanted to design a ceramic breadbox for my own
2
table that would function to protect the bread and to
serve as a centerpiece. I designed a breadbox with two
Once the first coil
is fully connected,
parts—a base to elevate and display the bread, and a
move back to lid that fits snugly into the base to protect and preserve
the interior and the freshness of the bread.
smooth out
the attachment.
PREP WORK
I like to bake my bread in a traditional Danish rye
bread baking pan made by the Danish design
company, Eva Solo. The pan measures 11.8×4×4 inches.
The rugbrød pan is unique because it’s a perfect
rectangle, with all 90° angles, unlike most bread pans
3
sold in the US.

16
 Breakfast
When I start making any food-specific vessel the Pinch the coil
up and check for
first thing I do is measure the size of the food, which in
even thickness.
this case is determined by the size of the bread pan. I After the piece
then make my calculations from the food and account stiffens up, use a
sharp knife to cut
for shrinkage usually adding an extra 5–10% for wiggle
and level the top.
room in case the loaf size varies. I use a mid-range
porcelain clay body that shrinks 13½% from the wet
state to the fired cone 6 form. I use these calculations to
make paper or craft-foam templates.
I have two templates I work with. One template is 4
slightly larger than the bread and is the size of the slab
that the bread will sit on, which is also the same size as Score, slip, and
attach the two
the lid’s interior dimensions. The other is larger than the slabs that will be
first template by at least 1 inch in each direction and is used for the top
used to determine the size of the base. of the base. Use a
rib to smooth and
I prefer to work on cement board because I can compress them.
roll slabs without picking up the texture of canvas.
The cement absorbs any excess moisture and easily
releases the slab.
Begin by rolling out 4 slabs at 3⁄8 inch thick—large
enough to fit the templates. Cover one slab in plastic 5

(for the lid) and let the remaining slabs rest until they’re
Lay a plastic bag
soft leather hard.
over the top of
the base platform
BASE and begin
Start at the bottom and work your way up. Cut a working on the
breadbox lid.
18½×8¼-inch slab for the base. Place the slab on a
board and set it on a banding wheel. Roll or extrude
a long coil. Score the top and side edges of the slab
and the bottom of the coil. Tip: To better control the
coil when attaching it, I start with the coil in my hand
and wrap the rest of it over my shoulder, feeding more 6
through my hands as I work. I usually go over and work
on each coil multiple times. Start by gently pushing Allow the bottom
coil of the lid to
the coil in place around the width of the base on the set up and then
interior (1). Use your thumb to press the clay down into add several more
the center of the piece and use your opposite hand to layers of coils.

turn the banding wheel. After one complete rotation,

move to the exterior of the piece and do the same (2).
After the second rotation, move back to the interior
and smooth out the attachment where the coil meets
the slab (3). Repeat these steps as more coils are added.
7
On the next rotation pull up the coil and check for
even thickness. Allow the piece to stiffen up, then use
Continue working
a sharp knife to trim the top, leveling it off so the next on the base. After
coil is attaching to a flat surface (4). Score the top of the desired height
the attached coil and add another coil and repeat the is reached, add
coils on the inside
process until you reach the desired height. Tip: If you’re to support the
going to leave your piece overnight before adding base’s top.
another coil, don’t trim the coil until you’re ready to
attach the next one.
While waiting for the coil to stiffen up, cut out
another 18½×8¼-inch slab and a 16×5¾-inch slab
8
from your remaining resting slabs. Center the smaller

17
 Score, slip, and slab on the larger slab and attach the two together to
attach the base’s
create a gentle raised platform where the loaf of bread
top. Add small
coils around the will fit and the lid will nestle against while resting on
seam to blend the base. Smooth the edge of the slab platform to
and secure the
prevent separation and cracking (5). Lay a plastic bag
pieces together.
on top of the connected slabs before starting to build
the breadbox lid to make sure that the lid has a perfect
fit to the base and to prevent the wet clay coils from
sticking to the base while working (see 6).

9
LID
The first coil is shaped snugly around the side of
Continue working the slab platform, so that it’s resting on the bottom
on the lid, adding wider slab where there’s a 1-inch margin (6). The lid
and pinching
more coils until
takes several layers of coils to make (7). After each
the desired height layer I switch back and forth between working on the
is reached. Level base and the lid to allow time for the layers to stiffen
off the top.
up. After adding two coils, remove the lid from the
platform slabs and the plastic. Place the 16×5¾-inch
template inside the lid to make sure that the size of the
lid does not shift or change shape as you are working
on it. Add one more coil and let the lid set up, moving
10 back to working on the base.
Flip the base over and compress the bottom edges
Drape a slab over where the bottom coil meets the slab. Flip it back over
the lid walls, slump again and add structural supports on the interior to
it slightly with a
support the top of the base. Pinch two coils up (evenly
rib, and leave it
until it’s leather spaced) so that they span the width of the base and trim
hard. Flip the slab these flush with the top of the coil wall (8). Before closing
over, trim, then
the base, put holes in each section to allow air flow.
attach. All process
and finished Score the areas that will touch when attached and
photos: Forrest place the slab on top of the base (9). Add a small coil
Sincoff Gard.
to even out the area where the coil wall meets the slab.
Now the base is complete.
To finish the lid, add two more layers of coils to
11
make it approximately 5¾–6 inches tall (10). Drape
Dry the breadbox the slab cut for the top of the lid on the top of the box,
base and lid allowing it to drop in slightly. Smooth the slab with a
together then
red rubber rib (11). Leave this together, fully
fire them
separately to covered overnight or until leather hard.
cone 6. The following day, flip the slab over, trim
it to the appropriate size, and attach to
the top. When it has reached a soft leather
hard, flip it over onto foam and add a coil
to reinforce the connection between the
coil wall and slab lid. Put the lid on the
breadbox and dry them together (12). For
food-safe reasons, I glazed the small slab
where the bread rests. I left the exterior
of the breadbox unglazed. Separate the
base from the lid and fire them to cone 6.
12

18
 Breakfast
RECIPE

Bodil’s Rugbrød
Danish Rye Bread
by Jeni Hansen Gard

Ingredients:
DAY 1
• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• ½ cup cracked spelt berries
• ½ cup cracked rye kernels
A B
• 1 cup rye flour
• 1 cup spelt flour (or wheat flour)
• ½–1 cup flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons salt
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds, optional

DAY 2
• 1 cup rye flour
C D
• 1 cup spelt flour (or wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon malt syrup, dark syrup, or dark molasses
• 1 malt beer or 1 cup water

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients (A) into a thick mush (B). Leave
at room temperature overnight (or for at least 12 hours)
covered by a cloth (C).
E F

Take ½–1 cup of the dough and store it in the refrigerator

for sourdough starter to use next time you wish to bake
bread (use within 1 week).

Add the day 2 ingredients to the mixture from day 1 (D).

Oil the bread pan and fill it ¾ full with the dough (E). Leave
the bread covered for 3–4 hours at room temperature or
until it has risen to the edge of the pan.

Bake at 350°F for approximately 2 hours. Put a few cups

of water in another pan in the oven while baking. This will
keep the crust from drying out too much during the long
bake time.

When the bread is removed from the oven (F) let it cool
covered with a cloth. Place in a plastic bag or an airtight Enjoy the bread toasted with butter or use it to
container overnight to let the bread settle. Then place it in make open-face sandwiches (smørrebrød).
the breadbox. Wait until the next day to slice the bread.

19
 Spouted
Batter Bowl
by Courtney Long

Courtney Long's batter bowls bring together

memories from her travels and narratives from
her home life to create a family heirloom.

Throw a medium- I’m inspired by North Carolina’s landscape—the

sized bowl and
Piedmont region’s red dirt, fall colors found along
remove throwing
lines from the the Blue Ridge Mountains, and local folk and Native
exterior and any American pottery traditions. Undertones of my
right angles from
experiences in China, Greece, the US Southwest,
the interior.
and the Appalachian Mountains combine and show
themselves in whispers in my work. I enjoy making
specialized objects that have nothing to do with
necessity but are utilitarian in their own right. If only
for a brief moment, these objects aid in daily activities
1 before becoming part of the day-to-day backdrop as
life transpires. In my home, the kitchen is the center
Trim the bowl of all activity. Size variations of the mixing bowl are
on the exterior
first then trim used daily and symbolize conscious cooking, eating,
the interior and even cleaning up with friends and family. These
of the foot to little moments accumulate over time and a narrative
fit the shape
of the bowl’s is placed on the pot in a way that could never be
interior well. achieved if it were unused, sitting on a shelf. It’s only
after a lifetime of use that it truly becomes a powerful
family heirloom, evoking stories connected to its users
through memory.

2 TRADITIONAL BOWL FORM

Prepare 2¾ pounds of clay to create a medium-sized
Make a template
for the spout. Trace mixing bowl. Throw a flower-pot shape. Leave around
the template onto 1
⁄8–1⁄4-inch clay in the rim so that it won’t become too
a slab and cut it thin as you widen the rim later. Remove any throwing
out. Compress
the edges using lines from the exterior surface as it’s going to be heavily
plastic (3). Gently decorated. On the interior, use a curved metal rib to
bend the spout remove any right angles (1). Your bowl may slump if it
into a curve to fit
the bowl’s exterior has too deep of an undercut.
near the rim. Be Place the bowl on a ware board and cover it
careful not cause overnight so the rim and bottom will dry at the same
any cracking on
the edges (4). rate. Once it’s leather hard, you’re ready to trim. Always
3 4
trim the outside profile first. Make a cut defining the

20
 Breakfast
foot ring but don’t worry about its final width here. Trim Fit the spout
against the
the excess clay beginning in the center and working
bowl and trace
outward (2). If you intend to dip your bowl in slip or the outside
prefer not to use dipping tongs during glazing, it’s a of the form
with a needle
good idea to trim the foot in a diameter that allows
tool making a
your hand to hold the bowl comfortably upside down. light mark.

HANDBUILT ALTERATIONS
Roll out a ¹⁄8-inch-thick slab on any non-stick surface.
I use a Super Surface Clay Mat because it has a rubber 5

backing as to not move while rolling and tossing slabs

on it and it has a non-textured surface. Remove any air Cut out the shape
and create a slight
pockets and smooth out any surface texture using a bevel. Attach the
rubber or metal rib. spout, supporting
Start with the spout form. I like to use tar paper the bowl with
your opposite
as an inexpensive option to make water-resistant hand at all times.
templates. Tar paper is available at home improvement
stores for less than $10. The template for the spout
shape is similar to the Rolling Stones’ lip and tongue
logo. Fold your paper in half and cut out a desired
6
profile so each side of the resulting template is
symmetrical. Repeat this process for additional
Shape the spout
decorative shapes that will eventually become the by wetting your
handle—for this bowl, I cut out two cloud-shaped hand and pulling
designs. Trace the spout and cloud templates onto in a curved
motion. Release
the slab with a needle tool then remove them before pressure at the
cutting the clay. X-Acto blades are thin and give you a rim’s tip.
crisp line without dragging clay or altering the shape.
Hold your X-Acto knife vertically when making the cut,
not at an angle. Set the cutouts aside to stiffen until
they become a soft leather hard.
7

SPOUT
Hold the middle
To prevent cracking, place plastic over the spout and of the spout with
compress the edges (3). Gently coax the spout into a your index fingers
while rubbing
half-rounded fold (4). If there are any minor flaws in
in a side to side
any part of the bowl’s rim, place the spout there. Dry and downward
fit the spout to the upper side of the bowl. Holding motion to refine
the shape.
the spout with one hand up against the bowl where
you intend to attach it, trace the outside of the form
with your needle tool, making a light mark (5). Cut
out the shape exactly on the line, holding the knife 8
straight, then go back over the cut to create a slight
bevel. Score and slip the cut opening, then attach the Use a rubber-
spout, working inside the bowl and pressing outward. tipped tool to
Press the clay into the beveled cut with one hand clean up the
attachment and
placed on the inside and the other hand placed firmly to define the
on the outside wall (6). To shape the spout for a better exterior shape of
pour, wet your hand and pull the spout’s outside the spout.

edge between your right thumb and bent right index

9
finger in a curved motion. Release pressure at the

21
 Place the handle rim’s tip (7). Hold the middle of the spout with your
cutouts onto
left thumb and left index finger while rubbing in a
soft, thick foam
and lightly side-to-side and downward motion with your right
press them into index finger (8). Repeat these motions until you get
rounded forms.
the shape you desire. Give the seam a distinct outline
Don’t overwork
the edges. using a rubber-tipped tool (9).

CLOUD-SHAPED HANDLE
Place the cloud cutouts onto soft, thick foam and
10 gently use your thumb, working from the center of
the shape and releasing pressure toward the edge,
Dry fit the to puff them out (10). Hold the two cloud halves up,
two halves to
the bowl’s rim in the shape of a closed clamshell, to the bowl’s rim
opposite the opposite the spout and trace a light line (11). Cut inside
spout and trace a the line, leaving a narrow area for the cloud to be
light line to mark
their placement attached (12). Cutting out this section removes weight
for attaching. from the bowl’s rim and eliminates a second air pocket
to worry about. Score and slip the attachment area
and the edges of each cloud shape. Attach the outside
cloud first, pressing along its edge only. Next attach
11
the inside cloud, then pinch the edges together (13).
Compress the newly formed edge with a sponge held
Make a beveled
cut inside
between thumb and pointer finger. Trace the cloud’s
the marked outline with a rubber-tipped tool to remove any clay
line, leaving a burrs or imperfections and create a distinct line. Push a
narrow area for
the handle to
small pin into the cloud to allow air to escape, but don’t
be attached. remove it until after the bowl is dipped in slip or the
hole will reseal.

BASE SLIP DECORATION

Porcelain clay offers the best surface to show off
12
translucent glazes but working with it can often be
a love/hate relationship. If you find yourself in this
Attach the
outside shape predicament, you can turn your favorite commercial
first, pressing the porcelain clay into a slip to use over a more workable
edges only. Attach
clay body. Begin by cutting it into small pieces and dry
the inside shape,
then pinch the them out. Place the dried clay in a bucket with enough
edges together. water to just cover the clay. Let it sit until all the pieces
are thoroughly slaked, then stir them using a drill and
paint-mixing attachment. Run the material through
an 80-mesh sieve to smooth it out. If you’d like to work
13 with a homemade porcelain clay body recipe, you can
adjust it into a workable slip. Be sure to test it for fit on
Push a small pin your own clay body.
into the cloud Dip the bowl in the slip gently but quickly (14).
to allow air to While holding the bowl upside down to allow the
escape but don’t
remove it. Dip the excess slip to drip off, brush any areas that the slip
bowl in the slip. did not cover, such as the inside of the spout and the
handle attachment. Add slip decoration both in white
or in additional colors to the bowl’s well (15). Let the
14 slip dry uncovered overnight, then remove the pin.

22
 Breakfast
SGRAFFITO DECORATION Brush any interior
areas that the slip
Sgraffito is like a haircut, you can take away but you did not cover. Add
cannot put back, so plan ahead. Make templates from slip decoration in
additional colors
sketches or photocopies and increase or decrease to the bowl’s well.
the sizes as needed to fit your bowl. The best surface
quality for creating sgraffito decoration is during
the leather-hard state. This state allows you to trace
templates onto the dry white slip using a pencil
without leaving embedded marks. Once a preliminary
sketch is complete, spontaneously carve the lines 15
to give the image gesture. A needle tool held at an
angle gives fine, crisp lines (16). Most dust or clay Sketch on the
exterior then carve
burrs that form on the surface can be easily removed
over the lines
when bone dry. Don’t blow the dust in the air as it’s with a needle tool.
harmful to breathe in. If the underlying red clay leaves Remove burrs
after they dry (16).
smudges, gently brush them away once the bowl is
Add underglaze
bone dry. Don’t disturb smudges while they’re wet, embellishments.
as the red iron mars the surface—a concern mainly if Bisque fire the
pot. Wax the foot.
you are using clear glaze. Once the sgraffito line work
Apply 2–3 coats of
is complete, you may add underglaze embellishments colored glaze on
in various colors. Allow the entire pot to dry and then 16 17
the imagery (17).
bisque fire it.
Immerse the bowl
GLAZE DECORATION quickly and rotate
Thoroughly wash the pot before doing any glazing clockwise, coating
the exterior and
to remove any dust, then let it dry overnight. Use a interior with
water-based wax to coat the foot ring and allow it to translucent glaze.
dry upside down. Dab or brush two to three coats of
colored glaze on imagery so it’s about the thickness
of a dime (17). After the colored glazes are dry, pour
translucent glaze into an open, round container,
hold the bowl in your right hand, and twist as far
18
counterclockwise as comfortable. Immerse the bowl
quickly into the clear glaze on one side, set upright to
let glaze slosh into middle before immersing it once An interior view of
again. Roll the bowl around in the glaze as you rotate Courtney Long's
Cloud Batter Bowl
your wrist in a clockwise motion as far as possible (18). with Rabbits
It’s best not to end major pour out drips over imagery; showing the glaze
therefore plan ahead and make sure to initially hold and sgraffito
line work.
the bowl so the excess glaze pours out at either the
spout or the cloud handle. Dab finger marks with glaze
after the form dries but before wiping the foot ring.
Rub any pin holes that may form on the glaze surface.
Don’t blow the dust! Fire the pot to temperature.

23
 RECIPE

Banana Chocolate
Chip Pancakes
by Courtney Long

Ingredients:
• 1 egg Instructions:
• 1 cup flour Preheat an electric griddle to 350°F. If not using a griddle,
• ¾ cup milk preheat your pan just before cooking the pancakes.
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or oil of choice Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a handmade
mixing bowl.
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in separate bowl,
• ¼ teaspoon salt 20 seconds in a microwave.
• 1 ripe banana
• ¼ cup chocolate chips Whisk milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Smash a banana. Add all wet
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 inches of vanilla bean ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
cut and scraped Stir in ¼ cup chocolate chips in batter. For extra chocolatey,
stir in ½ cup chocolate chips. Add dash of cinnamon.
• dash of cinnamon

Spray pan or griddle with cooking spray or oil of choice.

Tip: Steam will cause pancakes to become soggy, so don't
stack them, but instead lay them in a single layer to rest before
serving and adding butter and syrup.
Drop desired amount of pancake batter onto preheated
griddle or pan. Cook until small bubbles form then flip until
the bottom is golden brown.
Serve plain or with maple syrup.

24
 Breakfast
Custom
Muffin Pan
by Sumi von Dassow

Sumi von Dassow's seven-cup

ceramic muffin pan.

For years I resisted making a muffin pan out of clay. Too Throw seven
muffin cups to the
complicated, I thought. Well, I finally had to try it and
exact same width
I found out that while complicated, it’s also fun, good and height.
practice, and an attention-getter. Muffins bake well in
a stoneware muffin pan and a bonus is you can make a
pan with however many cups you want.
I make my muffin cups to fit a standard paper
muffin cup, which is 2 inches wide at the bottom
and 1¼ inches tall. For each cup, I set my calipers to
somewhere between 2¼ and 2½ inches for the bottom
measurement and I use a ruler to make the cup about 1
1½ inches deep. It doesn’t need to be perfect. A paper
muffin cup will fit even if it isn’t exact. Use a Japanese
tombo to measure
the muffin cups if
SEVEN IDENTICAL CUPS you throw them
To make a seven-cup pan, prepare seven, 6-ounce balls off the hump.

of clay. Throw a flat-bottomed bowl with the first small

ball, using a bat, and set the calipers inside to get the
bottom measurement to 2 inches. You don’t want to
trim a foot on each cup, so make it flat inside and leave
the floor only ¼ inch thick. Pull the walls up to about
1¾ inch high—that’s the outside measurement, so the
2
depth inside will be about 1½ inches. Throw the rest of
the cups to match this one (1).
Arrange cups on
If you want to throw the cups off the hump, you can, the underside
although you’ll probably have to trim them. Start with a of the slab. Use
3½ pound ball of clay. As you throw each cup, measure a decorating
disk to space
the bottom with the calipers and measure the height them evenly.
by making a Japanese tool called a tombo (2). To make
a tombo, use a twist tie to join two popsicle sticks into a
cross shape. Adjust it so that one end of one stick is 1½
inches long. You can now lay the other stick across the
rim of the freshly thrown cup with the 1½-inch-long
end pointing down into the cup. If the cup is the right
3
height, the end of the stick will just touch the floor of

25
 Trace around the cup. You can also mark the cross pieces to measure
all the muffin
the diameter of the rim.
cups, then use an
X-Acto blade to
cut out the circles THROWING A SLAB TOP
one at a time.
Throw a slab for the top of the pan with 3¼-pounds of
clay. It needs to be about 10½–11 inches wide, allowing
for ½ inch between each cup and another ½ inch
around the edge. Using a 12-inch bat, center your clay,
and spread it out wider with the heel of your hand until
4 it’s almost the full width of the bat and a consistent
¼ inch thick across the whole slab. Once it’s even and
Brush slip or compressed, run the point of a wooden tool under the
magic water edge of the slab and lift it slightly, then use a sponge or
around the rim a chamois to smooth around the rim.
of each cup and
push it into the Allow all pieces to dry to slightly softer than leather
hole. Smooth a hard. Run your wire under the slab, flip it over, and use a
thin coil around rib to smooth the bottom.
each cup.

ATTACHING THE CUPS

Place a sheet of plastic or newspaper under the slab
so it won’t stick to the bat as you attach the cups. Next,
5
arrange six cups on the slab in a hexagon with the
seventh cup in the center. Use a decorating disk to help
Flip the muffin
pan over and
arrange them symmetrically (3). Now draw around each
carefully blend cup with a needle tool, then lift each cup one at a time
the edge of each and cut on the line you drew (4). Brush slip or magic
cup into the top
of the slab.
water around the rim of each cup and inside the cut-
out circle, then push the cup into the opening. Repeat
for all seven cups, then wrap a small coil around each
one and blend it into all surfaces (5).
Flip the muffin pan over and clean up the top side.
Fill in any small gaps and then smooth everything
6 together (6). Be very attentive to detail and don’t use
too much water. Now flip the pan back over onto a
clean, absorbent surface and dry it slowly upside down,
so the slab won’t warp.

ALTERNATIVE FOUR-CUP PAN

To make a smaller four-cup muffin pan, throw a 9-inch
round slab using 2 pounds of clay, and attach four
evenly spaced cups. You can cut the outer edge off
between each pair of cups to square the rim and give it
a more traditional design. When you flip it right side up,
use a Surform rasp to smooth around the cut rim (7).
For a four-cup
pan, use a ruler GLAZING
to cut off the
edges of the pan. The muffin pan can be a difficult form to glaze by
Use a Surform pouring or spraying. So to glaze the seven-cup muffin
rasp to finish the
pan, pour glaze into a wide, shallow pan and hold the
cut edges.
muffin pan by the edges to dip it. I then hold the pan
upside down to dip the entire face into a second glaze.

26
 Breakfast
RECIPE

Parmesan Hash
Brown Cakes
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 3½ cups shredded russet potatoes, rinsed and Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Coat
squeezed dry each muffin cup with olive oil. Spoon mixture evenly into
• 3 green onions, chopped (approximately ¹⁄³ cup), cups and pack tightly.
including green stems
Bake at 350°F for 60–75 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes and
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
carefully loosen with a thin knife. Gently lift each potato
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
cake out and serve bottom side up.
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing muffin cups Serve with salt, pepper, and ketchup.

For best results be sure to squeeze the excess moisture from

the raw potatoes until they are very dry, don’t add too much
cheese, and don’t skimp on the olive oil.

27
28
CHAPTER TWO
Lunch

29
 Pocket Handle
Pitcher
by Joseph Pintz

Joseph Pintz scrapes the surfaces of his forms to

bring out the texture of his coarse earthenware clay
body and to suggest a history of use.

Using paper Food is always on my mind. I grew up in a household

patterns, cut out
that placed a high value on food. This value was
the body, base,
handle, handle reinforced during college. As an anthropology major,
pocket, and spout. I learned how material culture sheds light on what
a society values. I began my journey as a maker of
ceramic utilitarian objects at the same time, while
learning more about cooking and serving food in
handmade containers.
The food we share nourishes us both physically and
emotionally. It also feeds the social relationships that
1 define who we are within a group. Mealtimes, from
the perspective of anthropologists, are cultural sites
Bevel the base slab for socialization. Eating and drinking from handmade
at a 45° angle. Roll
out a small coil pots causes us to slow down, creating the perfect
and blend it into opportunity for conversation.
the base. I use a handful of basic handbuilding techniques
to create my pottery forms. I often use soft-slab
construction and then scrape the surface to highlight
the unrefined qualities of my coarse earthenware
clay body. In order to compliment the texture created
during the forming process, I use a combination of slip
and glaze to create subtle, weathered surfaces that
2
suggest a history of use.
My pitcher form is based on an old tin pitcher that
Score, slip, and bend
the slab around to
I once saw at an antique store. I used it as a starting
complete the circle point for how to approach the form but adjusted the
and form the body. proportions and shape according to how my clay
behaves as a material.

BODY AND BASE

Begin by rolling out a 3⁄8-inch thick slab. I use a series of
paper patterns to make the following parts: a body, a
base, a handle, a handle pocket, and a spout (1). Cut out
all the parts and set aside the spout and handle parts,
3
storing them under plastic.

30
 Lunch
Bevel the edge of the base slab at a 45° angle. Roll Score and slip
the bottom
out a small coil and blend it into the base (2). This ramp
of the pitcher
of clay will be helpful in the next step when joining the and around the
base to the body. base edge.
Next, cut the one side edge of the body at a 45°
angle while undercutting the second side edge in
the opposite direction at a 45° angle so they line up
properly when the body is assembled. Score and slip
the angled side edges of the body and bend the slab
around to complete the circle (3). Compress these
seams together with a rib on both the inside and
outside, while providing support with your opposite
hand. Then, gently oval the body.
Bevel the bottom edge of the body at a 45° angle.
Score and slip the bottom of the pitcher as well as
around the base edge (4). Invert the body and place it
4
on the base. While supporting the wall on the outside,
use your fingers to gently blend the interior ramp
Use a paddle
of clay from the base into the wall to secure them along the edge
together. Use a paddle along the edge of the base to of the base to
gently reestablish
gently reestablish the form (5). Set the body aside and
the form.
allow it to stiffen up a bit.

HANDLE SETUP
To assemble the handle, start by compressing the
handle slab with a rib to remove any texture. Then,
place it between thin pieces of plastic and smooth it on
both sides (6). This gives it a soft, rounded edge. 5
Now, take the slab that will be inset into the curve
of the handle to create a pocket. Cut two grooves that Place the handle
inside a fold of
are the width of the handle along the pocket slab; plastic and gently
this allows you to fold the edges up into a bridge-like swipe your finger
shape. Score and slip along the grooves before folding along both sides.

up and reinforcing the corner with a small coil for

added strength. Next, place the handle on edge and
bend it into the approximate curve while inserting
the pocket into place. Lightly mark where these parts
come together; then score and slip them together (7).
Don’t poke a hole in the handle pocket at this point. 6
Leaving it filled with air will help give it structure while
it’s setting up and during the attachment of the handle. Score, slip, and
Set the assembled handle aside and allow it to firm attach the handle
pocket slab. Set
up a bit while you work on attaching the spout to the handle aside to
body of pitcher. firm up.

SPOUT
Compress the spout with a rib to remove any texture.
Then, place the spout inside a fold of thin plastic and
gently swipe your finger along the long side of the
spout. Flip it over and repeat this process on the other
7
side to give your spout a nice tapered edge that will

31
 Score and slip the aid in pouring. Miter the top edge of the pitcher body
top edge of the
to a 45° angle. Score and slip this edge as well as the
pitcher and the
short side of the short side of the spout and attach (8). The articulation
spout and attach. of this seam on both the inside and the outside is very
important to my pitcher form. Allow the clay to stiffen
up before refining this detail.

HANDLE POCKET
After the handle has firmed up, cut away a slight divot
8 from the top and the bottom of the handle so that
it fits the curve of the pitcher. Check for fit and then
Use a lug of wet lightly mark the body where it will be joined. Score and
clay to help prop slip the handle as well as corresponding points on the
up the handle body and press firmly to attach. Use a lug of wet clay
while the joint
sets up. to help prop up the handle while the joint sets up (9).
It’s important for the visual strength of my pitcher that
the line of the handle pocket is parallel to the line of
the body, so adjust accordingly. Next, backfill the gaps
between the handle and the body with small coils of
clay to help strengthen the attachment as well as help
make the handle look more visually substantial where
9
it joins the body.

Use a trimming FINISHING TOUCHES

tool to carve
out a foot on Once the handle and rim have set up to medium
the bottom of leather hard carefully refine the seams and transitions
the pitcher.
between the individual sections. Remember to prick
a pinhole into the pocket of the handle to release the
trapped air before it gets too hard. Turn the pitcher
over on a thin piece of foam and trim away the center
portion of the base to create a foot ring (10). This makes
the bottom look more considered as well as help to
10 make it sit flat on the table.
Scrape the exterior surface of the entire pitcher to
Scrape the entire bring out the texture in the grogged earthenware (11).
exterior surface
Allow it to dry and bisque fire. Finally, brush three coats
with a rib to bring
out the texture of of a colored glaze and fire it to cone 03.
the grog.

11

32
 Lunch
RECIPE

Watermelon
Agua Fresca
by Joseph Pintz

Ingredients:
• 8 cups seedless watermelon
• 1 lime, juiced
• pinch of salt
• agave nectar (optional, to taste)
• a few sprigs of mint (for taste and for garnish)
• ice
• 1½ cups water
A B
Instructions:
Cut watermelon into chunks (A).

Puree the fruit in a blender (B).

Strain into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve (C).

Squeeze the juice from the lime (D).

Transfer the watermelon juice to the pitcher; stir

in 1½ cups water, lime juice, and mint. Chill. Serve
over ice and add mint sprigs as a garnish.

C D
You can also add a spirit such as gin or
vodka to make a cocktail.

33
 Picnic
Set
by Sumi von Dassow

Sumi von Dassow cringes when she attends a summer

picnic potluck and sees a salad that should be kept
cold left out without ice or refrigeration. So, she came
up with the picnic set, which is basically a covered
bowl that nestles inside another bowl, allowing room
for ice in between.

Pull up slightly ICE BOWL

rounded walls,
smooth and Start with a 3-pound clay ball, and throw a flat-
compress the bottomed bowl that’s about 9 inches wide, 3 inches
floor, inside, and
outside of the deep, and ¾ inch thick to form the ice bowl—the
walls. Smooth bottom piece of the set. It’s a simple form, completely
the rim.
flat on the bottom, so there's no need to trim a foot,
and the walls are slightly rounded so the rim angles
inward just a bit (1). This means there will be a little
air space around the inner bowl to help insulate
1
the contents.
Flatten the clay with the heel of your right hand,
Measure the inside anchoring it on your left hand and swiveling out from
diameter of the the center toward the edge. Lean your hand against
rim with calipers
the side of the disk of clay and brace your wrist on
and use a ruler to
measure the depth the splash pan. Open up the center and measure the
of the bowl. thickness before widening the opening. You want the
bottom thickness to be about ¼ inch so you won’t have
to trim . With your right hand, pull the floor out wide
and flat. Use your left hand to compress the clay as it
moves out. Use calipers to measure inside the rim of the
bowl (2) and use a ruler to measure the bowl’s depth.
2
SALAD BOWL/CASSEROLE DISH
Throw a disk Next, I use the 2½-pound lump of clay to throw the
narrower than
the caliper
salad bowl or casserole dish. It should come out just
measurement. under 9 inches wide and a bit less than 3 inches high.
Make a flat- The calipers, with the measurement from the ice bowl,
bottomed bowl
and bring the should fit (not too tightly) around this piece from the
walls up. foot to just below the rim (3), since it will have to fit
inside the ice bowl. The rim will rest on top of the ice
bowl’s rim. It also has an untrimmed flat bottom.
When you have opened up the centered clay to
create a wide flat floor, pull up the walls to form slightly
3
rounded walls. Use a rib to smooth and compress

34
 Lunch
across the floor and inside and outside the walls. Trim Smooth the walls
and rim with a rib.
the rim if necessary and use a chamois to smooth Use a rib to pull
the rim. Use a soft rib to widen out the rim so that it the rim out wider
fits on top of the ice bowl and holds a lid. Pull the top to form a gallery
for the lid.
½–¾ inch wider, creating a comfortable gallery (4).
The calipers should fit around the outside of this bowl
below the gallery, and the same caliper measurement
should fit inside the rim, becoming your lid
measurement (5). I measure with a ruler from the foot
up to where it starts to widen out. This measurement 4

should be at least a ½ inch shorter than the depth of

The calipers
the ice bowl to leave room for ice.
should fit inside
the gallery. The
THE LID height should be
at least ½ inch
Using a 2-pound lump of clay, throw a very shallow shorter than the
bowl or saucer form, with a slightly curved bottom ice bowl.
instead of completely flat. It takes almost as much
clay to throw the lid as it does to throw the bowl
because the lid will need to be trimmed to reflect the
slight curve across the bottom. If you do make the lid 5
perfectly flat it’s likely to slump when fired.
To avoid making the lid too dome shaped, I use For the lid, make
my rib to lay the outer rim of the lid flatter—not a shallow bowl
slightly smaller
quite horizontal and still slightly curved (6). I use a
than your caliper
needle tool to cut the rim to fit just inside the caliper measurement.
measurement. Thus the profile of the lid is composed Flare the rim
and trim it to fit
of two gentle curves, keeping it from collapsing when the gallery.
it’s fired, and following the slight gentle curve of the ice
bowl. When the three pieces are put together I want
the whole thing to look slightly puffed out.
To trim the lid, place a sponge or a small disk of clay 6
under the center to keep it from collapsing (7). After
you’ve trimmed the excess clay from the lid, use slip or To trim the lid,
center it, and
magic water to attach a small cone of clay (8). Center
brace it with foam
this small cone and throw it into a knob (9). to keep it from
Trim the other two pieces as needed, put the set collapsing when
you add the knob.
together and dry it slowly. Drying the pieces together
helps keep them fitting together rather than warping.
Since the salad bowl rests on the rim of the ice bowl,
leaving the foot of this inner bowl unsupported, put
a dry sponge under the foot of the salad bowl so it
doesn’t sag and crack while drying. 7

Rather than adding handles, I make sure the rim of

Add slip to the
the salad bowl protrudes from the rim of the ice bowl
center of the lid,
enough to make it easy to grip and pick up. and attach a small
cone of clay to
FINISHING STEPS form the knob
then center it (8).
Glaze fire each piece separately, including the lid, so the Throw the cone
bowls don’t have unglazed rims. This makes the pieces into a knob. Trim
the other two
more attractive when they’re used separately, but it
pieces as needed,
does present some risk that the pieces may warp and assemble the set,
not fit properly together. I try to alleviate this risk by and dry slowly (9).
8 9
making the pieces with a slightly looser fit.

35
 RECIPE

Edamame
Dip
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients:
• 1½ pounds edamame, cooked and shelled
• 1 cup sour cream, yogurt, or Greek yogurt
• 5 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 chipotle chili, chopped
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from can)
• 4–5 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt (less if cheese is very salty)
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
Instructions:
Drain edamame and transfer it to a food processor. Add the
rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Add water to
thin if necessary and adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate
at least one hour. Serve with pita chips or crackers.
To use this set, put your cold salad or dip in the lidded bowl, and
put a generous layer of ice in the base of the ice bowl. Place the
lidded bowl on the ice, and don’t worry if it doesn’t nestle down
onto the rim of the ice bowl right away—when the ice melts, it will
settle down, and some of the ice water will rise up to fill the gap
between the sides of the two bowls helping to insulate the food.

You can also use this set to keep food warm, using hot water
instead of ice, but to keep the food warm for very long you’ll need
to frequently replace the hot water.

36
 Lunch
Faceted
Bowls
by Guillermo Cuellar

Faceting round forms takes practice, but once

you've mastered it, you can be very creative
with the surface.

As a full-time functional potter I try to keep my pots For straight

facets, throw a
affordable by limiting the amount of time invested in
vertical form and
each piece. My primary focus is form, and I often try draw the cheese
to make the pots interesting by altering them right cutter from the
rim down toward
on the wheel. Faceting is a favorite altering technique.
the base.
Dividing the exterior surface of a pot into individual
planes imposes an architectural structure to it—an
exciting element of formal drama, simplicity, and
elegance. Here are a couple of ways I facet bowls,
although the technique would apply to any vertical-
sided form. 1

For diagonal
TOOLS facets, slightly
• A cheese cutter that cuts a thin slab and has turn the pot
a roller that prevents the wire from cutting on the wheel
through the wall of the pot. while cutting
• A curled wire tool or a stretched spring and keeping the
• A Surform rasp for beveling edges cheese cutter
• Standard throwing and trimming tools perpendicular
to the wall of
the pot.

FACETING A BOWL WITH A CHEESE CUTTER

Throw a vertical cylinder with a bowl curved bottom
2
and an evenly thick wall (approximately ½ inch).
A vertical wall makes it easier to cut the facets in
After cutting the
a downward movement without slumping. Leave straight facets,
enough clay on the bottom to trim a foot. use your inside
Make sure the cheese cutter is wet. Wet the outside hand to flare out
the wall to the
wall of the piece with water or thin slip to help the desired bowl
roller slide. It’s best to cut by drawing the cheese shape. Try not to
cutter down from the rim to as close to the base touch the outside.
as you desire (1). It helps to keep the cheese cutter
perpendicular to the wall of the pot so the thickness
of the cut and widths of the facets are even. If you turn
the pot while you cut—easier done on a treadle or kick
3
wheel—you get diagonal facets (2).

37
 After cutting
the diagonal
facets,
continue to I usually start cutting without planning the number
shape the
bowl with of facets, and about ²⁄³–¾ of the way around I use my
your inside thumb and forefinger as calipers to roughly measure
hand while
the remaining uncut wall and estimate how many
keeping
distortion to more cuts will fit. Alternately you can mark the rim or
a minimum. wall to make even cuts.
Once the facets are cut, use your inside hand to flare
out the walls to the bowl shape you want (3, 4). You
can’t touch the outside wall without altering the facets,
4
so go easy. Keep distortion to a minimum by using
ample water and pressing with your fingers flat on the
To facet a bowl
with a curled
wall. (Fingertips show ridges through the wall. Flaring
wire, throw a with a sponge applies torque on the wall so the facets
thick vertical form twist.) Make sure to make the curve of the inside of the
and decide the
number of facet bowl continuous at the point where the base meets the
cuts and widths wall. Stretch the rim carefully first, then flare the belly
you want. and lower section. Stretching the bowl after cutting the
seams diminishes the harshness of the individual facets
and helps to unite them visually.
5
When the piece is leather hard, use a fettling knife or
a Surform rasp to bevel any fragile rim edges. A sponge,
Another option
chamois, or your hands can be used, but take care not
before faceting is to mush up the facets. Trim the foot.
to divide the form
into sections by FACETING A BOWL USING A CURLED WIRE
running a finger
up the inside Throw a vertical cylinder with an evenly thick wall
of the wall at (thicker than you would for the cheese cutter tool).
regular intervals.
Cutting with an unsupported curled wire (as opposed
to a cheese cutter) requires being sensitive to
variations in thickness, especially with pots of narrow
6 diameter where the wall has a tighter curve. Decide
the number of facet cuts and widths you want. Mark
Cut the form from the rim or wall of the bowl to help guide the cut
top to bottom placements (5).
with the curled
wire. Wider panels It may help to divide the form into sections by
are possible running a finger up the inside wall at regular intervals
when the form is and flattening wall sections before cutting with the
slightly squared
before faceting. wire (6). Wider panels are possible this way, and you
avoid creating thin spots at the center of the facets (7).
I enjoy the surprising patterns achieved by drawing
the curled wire sideways or back-and-forth as I cut
7 downward (8). This is really fun! You can pair facets to
relate to or contrast each other—remember, an even
After the pot number of facets requires some planning.
reaches leather
hard, slightly Thin spots from thickness variations will respond
bevel the rim differently to the stretching and can easily tear, so
edge without
go easy until you develop a sense of what your clay
mushing the
facets, then body will accept. If you begin to feel a washboard-like
trim and stamp texture with your inside hand, back off. Again, make
the piece.
sure the rim is stretched out to nearly its final diameter
before flaring out the lower section.
Cut the foot, bevel the rim, and stamp the piece
8
when it’s leather hard.

38
 Lunch
RECIPE

Nelson’s Massaged
Kale Salad
by Guillermo Cuellar

Ingredients:
• 1 large bunch of kale, sliced and stalks removed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup olive oil Instructions:
• salt Use your hands to massage the kale in a large bowl with
• black pepper, freshly ground about ½ the lemon juice, a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.
• 2 teaspoons honey The idea is to wilt and soften the kale so it is tender. This
• 1 cup mango, diced takes only a couple of minutes.

In a separate, small bowl prepare the dressing. With a whisk,

When removing the kale ribs, the aim is to trim
the stems below the leaves and from the center
of the leaf. To do this, lay a leaf upside down on
a cutting board and use a paring knife to cut a V
shape along both sides of the rib, cutting it free
from the leaf.
mix the lemon juice, honey, and freshly ground black pepper
to taste. Continue whisking as you slowly pour the olive oil
into the mixture.
Pour the dressing over the kale, add the chopped mango,
toss, and serve.

39
 Ribbed Oval
Bowls
by Elisa Helland-Hansen

Elisa Helland-Hansen seeks to

create functional forms with a
simple and quiet expression.

Plaster hump For nearly forty years I have been dedicated to

mold with angled
making functional pots for use in everyday life—for
finger holes to
pull the mold up preparing and storing food, for social events, and
and out of the for meals.
clay form.
I seek simplicity in form and a quiet expression.
Subtle traces from the process are visible in my finished
work like finger marks on handles or seams from
joining parts. My work has reached its goal when it is
filled with food.
My interest in utility is closely related to my love
1 of cooking and making food. It feels so fundamental;
every human being has to eat from something every
Cut the slab day. Among my favorite items to make are ovenproof
approximately
½-inch larger than oval bowls of many designs. I find the oval shape is
the cardboard beautiful for serving most any dish.
template. Bevel
the V-shaped ends BENEFITS OF DESIGN
at a 45° angle.
There are several aspects I like about the design
of this bowl: first the pattern created by the coils
wrapped around the form, and second the strength
the coils provide to the exterior both physically and
aesthetically. I enjoy when the light sifts through the
2
ribs at the bottom of the bowl, visually lifting the form
slightly from the table. I also like when I’m serving food
Score and slip
the bevels, place
and the shape of a rounded spoon matches the curve
the slab onto the of the bowl.
mold, then shape
it to the form. HUMP MOLD
My first oval bowl of this kind was made about 15 years
ago. The original plaster hump mold has been broken
and glued back together, but’s still in use.
I used a plastic drainage tube to make my hump
mold, which is 19 inches long, 6½ inches wide, and
4 inches high (1). My hump mold is solid and quite
3
heavy, but I added four angled holes, made from

40
 Lunch
clay coils, to the wet plaster before it stiffened to Press the seams of
the slabs together
make grips for pulling up the hump mold from the
so they conform
clay form. to the shape of
the mold.
FITTING A TEMPLATE
To make a well-fitting template for the mold, start
with a dry mold. Drape a thin sheet of clay over it,
then cut and dart the slab to conform to the shape
of the mold. When the clay has stiffened up a bit,
cut a line through the clay at both ends of the mold 4
up to where the shape flattens out. Have someone
help you lift the slab off the mold and let it unfold to Smooth the join
and compress the
a flat slab on top of cardboard or a similar durable clay, pushing it
material. Draw a line around the slab and cut out the against the mold
shape. This will be the template for making the actual with a rib.
oval bowl.

MAKING THE BOWL

Roll out a ¼-inch-thick slab. I use a heavily grogged
(40%) fireclay, which is suitable for ovenware. You can
use a finely grogged clay, which will reduce shrinkage 5
and counteract warping, if you prefer a smooth surface.
If your mold is smaller, the slab can be thinner. Place Use a wire tool to
cut off any excess
the template on the slab and cut ½ inch outside the clay along the
cardboard along the parallel sides to ensure the clay edge to make the
will cover the mold completely (2). Be sure to cut the rim level, then
smooth the edge.
two V-shaped short ends at 45° angles so they can be
attached later.
Let the slab dry to soft leather hard. It takes a little
practice to learn the exact timing of moving the slab
onto the hump mold. It needs to be stiff enough to lift
up at the end without breaking, but still soft enough 6

to be workable without cracking when stretch over

Extrude long,
the mold. I find it helpful to place a board that’s slightly
even coils and
smaller than the mold onto a banding wheel and place split each coil
the hump mold on top. This way I can rotate the form precisely in
two halves with
and access the rim.
a knife.
Score the beveled V-shaped end cuts of the slab and
add slip. Lift the slab at one end, then fold it over the
mold with the bottom side toward the mold. Adjust the
slab so that it lies symmetrically over the mold (3), then
press the slab down in several movements until the
7
clay is tightly draped around the mold. Press the scored
parts together against the mold (4). Use a flexible metal
Brush thick slip onto the
rib to compress and scrape off excess clay to make the form in sections and press
seam smooth (5). the coils onto the bowl.
Next, cut the rim of the bowl with a wire tool to
create a level edge (6). Moisten the surface and use a
soft rib to smooth the exterior. Let the bowl set up on
the plaster mold for several hours.

COIL DECORATION
Using softer clay (of the same clay body), extrude
round coils that are approximately four-feet long.

41
8
 Press each coil The thickness of the coil should not exceed twice the
firmly to the bowl
thickness of your bowl’s rim. Slice each coil in half
and ensure good
attachment on without distorting the shape (7). Measure the curve
every single one. of your bowl and cut the coils slightly longer than
that measurement.
Brush thick slip onto the middle part of the bowl,
then wrap one sliced coil over the slipped area and
press it firmly onto the shape without distorting the
coil (8). Continue to add new slip and coils at regular
9 intervals until the bowl is covered (9).
Once all the coils are attached, check each one to
Using two flat ensure a secure attachment, especially at the curves,
boards, knock so they won’t pop off during drying or firing. Brush a
them several slip over the whole piece and let it dry to a soft leather
times horizontally
to flatten the coils hard—stiff enough to be removed from the mold
on the bottom. without distorting the shape, but before cracks appear
due to shrinkage.

LEVELING THE BOTTOM

Take the mold off of the banding wheel, set it onto a
flat surface, place a flat board over the bottom coils,
10 and knock it several times with another long board to
flatten the coils on the bottom (10, 11).
The flattened coils
Gently turn the mold over, loosen the edges from
on the bottom of
the pot stabilize the mold and pull the mold up by using the finger
the form and holes (12). Sometimes a crack forms at the curves.
allow it to sit flat.
These can be easily mended, as long as the clay
is still workable, by dripping slip in the crack and
compressing it firmly. Use clay and a rounded rib to seal
up the inside seam of the bowl.

TRIMMING THE RIM

11 Measure the lowest height of your bowl and make a
marking guide by drilling a hole into a square stick at
Loosen the the low height measurement and sliding a needle tool
edge of the rim through the hole. Place the bowl on a flat, level board
slightly from the
that’s slightly wider and longer than the bowl. Place the
plaster to enable
the mold to be board on a banding wheel and mark a horizontal line at
lifted up and this height with the needle tool around the whole bowl
separated from
keeping the stick vertical while spinning the bowl (13).
the clay form.
Use a sharp knife to cut the edge of the bowl
horizontally along the marked line. This will level the
rim. Scrape the rim, then use a soft rib to smooth it,
being careful to avoid distorting the coil pattern. To
12
finish the rim, I use a strip of plastic to soften the edges.

42
 Lunch
To create a colored rim, apply a contrasting slip with Make a horizontal line
around the bowl with
a sponge roller (14). Now you can let the bowl dry. Place a needle tool fitted
something flat on top of the bowl while it’s drying to into a square board.
prevent warping, then bisque fire the bowl. Cut off the rim with a
sharp knife.

GLAZING AND FIRING

I start the glazing process by using wax resist on areas
where I don't want any glaze. That can be both the flat
rim and the bottom of the bowl. Without the wax resist,
I find it difficult to clean off the glaze on the bottom 13
because of the coils.
Next, glaze the interior with a food-safe liner glaze. Smooth the edge
Wipe off any excess glaze on the exterior or the rim. Let of the rim several
times with a rib
the liner dry completely before glazing the exterior. and plastic sheet,
Pour an exterior glaze into a large, plastic tub. Press then roll a colored
the bowl down horizontally into the tub until the slip onto the rim.

glaze reaches the rim (15). Lift the bowl up by pushing

your fingers against the interior walls. Spraying is an
alternative method for exterior glazing of this type of
pot. If you spray the glaze, you won’t need to make or
have such a large volume of glaze. 14
The exterior glaze I use on most of my pots is
a dry slip glaze (1-2-3 Maltby Slip Glaze) that was After glazing the
introduced to me by English potter John Maltby in interior, push the
1977 while I was still a student. It’s applied on bisque bowl down in to
a vat of glaze up
ware and creates the best colors over a white slip to the rim to coat
containing alumina. the exterior.
I glaze fire my oval bowls to cone 9 in a reduction
atmosphere, but the 1-2-3 Maltby Slip Glaze works in
neutral and oxidation atmospheres as well. The glaze is
very sensitive to both thickness and atmosphere and
produces a variety of hues according to the application
15
and firing method.

43
 RECIPE

Quinoa
Salad
by Elisa Helland-Hansen

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 3 cups quinoa seeds Cook 3 cups quinoa seeds according to instructions (makes
• 4 red peppers, roasted, peeled, and finely sliced approximately 6 cups). Drain and cool.

• 1 cucumber, cut in ½ inch cubes

• ½ cup skinned almonds (or other nuts)
• 2 pieces crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• ½ cup virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• cilantro leaves
• a little salt
Make a dressing of olive oil, balsamic and some ginger syrup.
Add, sliced peppers, cubed cucumber, almonds, scallion,
and ginger.
Mix all with the quinoa and sprinkle cilantro on top.
Can be served as a main dish or as side dish to meat or fish.

44
 Lunch
Handbuilt
Textured
Teapots
by Sarah Pike
For Sarah Pike, the teapot
symbolizes getting
together, getting warm and
comfortable, and having a
good chat.

Teapots are one of my favorite things to make. They Assorted

bisque-fired
always have been. These teapots are slab built with
cylinders with
eighteen separate pieces. That’s a lot of pieces to carved texture.
play around with, and playing around with them is
what gives the teapot its personality and makes me
a happy potter. I like all those parts to be evident
too—either sharpened with a rib or defined with
a wooden tool. The seams become the lines that
define a change in plane and become the drawing
that defines the shape of the pot. I also like what
a teapot implies: A social event where you get to 1
share tea with others. A mug is more intimate and
I love mugs too, but a teapot symbolizes getting Use several
cylinders to roll a
together, getting warm and comfortable, and having variety of texture
a good chat. into slabs.
With complicated forms like teapots, I find that
three is the magic number to make at the same time.
It allows one part to set up while I work on another,
but it also allows for play because, with more parts,
I can interchange them between forms to get the
look I want. If I try to make more than three, I lose
engagement with each individual pot and that time
2
and attention to each pot is important to me.

SOFT SLAB BUILDING Cut and drape

the slab over a
I use soft slabs because the finished pot ends up with pipe to get the
a soft quirkiness that appeals to me. Slabs should desired curve.
be soft enough to wedge back up again, but stiff
enough that they won’t collapse. If they’re too stiff, I
get cracking or rigidity in my work. I use a commercial,
finely sieved, mid-range red stoneware. The result is
that the unglazed areas are rich in color due to the
high red-iron content, but satiny soft to the touch
because the clay is so fine. At the beginning of my day
3
I roll out a stack of ¼-inch-thick slabs and smooth out

45
 Join the curved unwanted textures with a soft rib. It’s always more fun
slabs at each end
to make slab work if you have a pile ready for your
and compress the
join well. next step.

TEXTURE
I love texture, the way glaze breaks over it and the feel
of it when I am holding a textured pot. It’s one of the
reasons I transitioned from throwing to handbuilding.
I make my own stamps and texture rollers (1), which
4 lends an idiosyncratic, handmade, quirky appeal and
imbues personality into my work.
Add leaf-shaped My texture rollers are simply ceramic cylinders
slabs to form the
top and join them
with various lines, dots, textures, or stamps pushed
across the middle. into them, then bisque fired. They are super fun,
simple, and addictive to make. My stamps are more
time-consuming as they are meticulously carved out
of leather-hard clay with tiny trimming tools. The
tricky part is deciding which areas will be positive and
negative because the end imprint will be reversed.
Which parts do I want raised for the glaze to break over
5 or imprinted for the glaze to pool into?

Cut a hole in THE BODY: TEXTURE AND SHAPE

the top of the
slabs and add a
Transfer a large slab onto cement board (such as
textured ring for HardieBacker® Cement Board), and roll or stamp in
the collar. texture (2).
Measure and cut two rectangles for each teapot.
The dimensions of the rectangle really affect the
personality of the pot, so I like to play around with
these dimensions. These slabs are around 4½ inches
tall by 10 inches wide. Always over bend a slab to give
6
it that bendy memory and avoid tension at the seams
because slabs like to open up as they dry. For this I
Make lids from
use a large-diameter pipe and simply drape the slab
two small leaves
and a narrow over the curve (3). (Note: I use the slabs immediately,
small cylinder. while they’re still soft. I just use the pipe to create a
bend. If I were to make the curve without the pipe,
the slab would collapse.) Stand the two curved slabs
upright and score and slip the end seams together (4).
Puff out the walls by gently sliding your fingers up the
inside for extra volume.
Cut two leaf shapes to form the top. Score, slip, and
7
compress the joins with a rib or brayer being careful
not to damage the texture on the sides (5).
Shape a variety of
spouts cut from
pentagonal shapes.
THE COLLAR AND LID
I make the collar out of a short and wide cylinder,
squeezed into an oval, sometimes with more texture
or another texture altogether (6). Before joining the
seam, I soften the cut edge by gently rolling a brayer at
a 45° angle along the cylinder’s length. This gives the
rim a finished look. Cut the base of the collar to fit the
undulating top form of the teapot. Add a lid seat with
8
another narrow slab then attach. So many bits!

46
 Lunch
Okay, now for the lid. For this you’ll need leaf shapes Try the spouts
on for size and
again, but this time, little round leaves. Make another
look and choose
small cylinder with the top edge cut at 45° and bottom the best one for
edge softened for that finished look. Join this cylinder each teapot.
to the under side of the little leaf cup and make sure
the lid fits the teapot (7).

THE SPOUT(S)
I have used templates to make spouts, but I really like
to wing these so that I am looking at the personality 9
of the pot I am working on, not the one I designed the
template for. Make a bunch. Play around with fatness Mark where the
spout will attach,
and length. What works with this form, with this texture,
cut holes and join
may not work with another. Play with multiple textures it to the pot.
on the same pot. Look at placement for function.
Imagine the water-level line in the pot and how it will
move as the teapot is tipped. Make sure the spout is
high enough that water won’t come out of it when you
fill the pot, but not too high that you have to almost flip
the pot over to pour the tea out.
To make the spout, cut out a pentagon shape with 10

one corner elongated. With the longest point facing

toward you, fold the two topside edges together Flip pot gently,
cut out a slab for
and join (8). An optional dart cut from the middle of the base, then
the pentagon forms a nice little paunch. After you’ve slip and score
formed several spouts, hold them up to the body each piece.

and determine which one you like best with the

form (9). Mark the outline of the spout at its eventual
attachment place (10), fill in the outlined area with
multiple holes ¼ inch in from the line, then score, slip
and attach the spout.
11
THE BOTTOM AND FEET
At this point the base form should be just stiff enough Attach the base
to the pot and
to flip over, carefully. Use coils inside the form like trim any excess
caulking to strengthen any seams. The bottom of the clay around
teapot is yet another leaf. Mark the outline of the body the exterior.

on a slab, cut it out, then score and slip both edges

and join (11, 12). Step back and decide whether the
teapot needs feet. For footed teapots, I roll the base
so the bottom curves out into a nice belly (13). Doing
this gives the teapot more volume both visually and
12
literally. Let the pot set up a bit, upside down, before
adding little feet—I take time for a tea break, to check
Gently lift and roll
emails, and to feed my Instagram addiction. the pot to create
To make the feet, squish four balls of stiffer clay a line at the base
into little pyramids. Add the feet (14), then flip the pot and to belly out
the form.
over and gently place the teapot back on the cement
board to level it. The cement board will quickly absorb
moisture out of the feet, making them firm enough to
hold their shape.
Next, make a bunch of knobs of different shapes
and sizes, and again, hold them up to the form to see
13
which ones work best. Make the lugs out of short coils

47
 that narrow in the middle and curl them around the
handle of a paintbrush. Place lugs and knobs on the
teapot before attaching to ensure everything works
together (15, 16). Attach components and make any
Flip the pot small refinements such as sharpening a convex seam
and add four
pinched knobs
with a rib or a concave seam with a softly pointed
for feet. Let tool. This highlights and compresses the seams, which
them firm up. prevents cracking.
Clean up any chunky bits and sharpen the spout
14 for better pouring by trimming a sliver of clay from the
lower edge of the spout’s opening.
Once the feet are
firm enough, flip DRY, FIRE, AND GLAZE
the pot over and
play with lugs After the pot dries and has been bisque fired, line it
and knobs. with a food-safe glaze and wipe off any drips from
outside. Let the liner glaze dry. Holding the teapot
from the rim in one hand and covering the opening
of the spout with the other hand, so no glaze pours in,
dunk the teapot into glaze up to rim (17). Add color to
the lugs and the knob to embellish if you wish. Wipe
15
the feet bottoms clean. Simply dunking my pots in
a single glaze allows the form and texture to do all
Once you’ve
found the best
the decorative work; the glaze just accentuates it. My
knobs and lugs glazes are predominantly satin in surface. The high-iron
for each teapot, content in the clay bleeds into the glaze, especially in
attach them both.
the thin areas where the glaze breaks over texture or
sharp edges. The glaze emphasizes the texture and the
satin surface speaks to the softness of the clay in its
moist state. Subtle textures and lines can get lost in the
reflections of shiny glazes. Sometimes I highlight the
knob or lugs with a little extra color, further defining
16
the different parts.
Line the pot
then dunk it in
RECLAIMED WOOD HANDLES WITH STEEL WIRE
glaze up to the I make my handles out of reclaimed hardwood garden
rim. Cover the
tools (18) and 12-gauge steel ceiling-hanger wire. I
spout so no glaze
pours in. cut up the broken wooden handles into various sizes,
finish the ends with a router, drill holes through, then
use a natural tung oil to finish the wood. These wooden
handles feel soft and warm in the hand. For the wire
part, after I feed the steel wire through the hole, I bend
17 it into shape with pliers, measuring the bend points
with a ruler so each side of the handle is symmetrical.
Reclaimed This wire is very stiff and hard to bend, but because it’s
garden tools, designed to hang a ceiling, it’s strong and will hold its
cut, turned, and shape well over time.
drilled. Soon to be
teapot handles.

18

48
 Lunch
RECIPE

You-Build-It Salad Rolls

by Sarah Pike

Ingredients: Instructions:
ROLLS: Cook the bean thread vermicelli noodles, spread them out on a tray
to cool, then cut them in rectangles with a pizza cutter.
• rice paper

HOT PROTEINS:
• 6 prawns, grilled
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced thin, grilled
• 8 spring onions, cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce
Prepare the fillings. Cook onions and garlic until translucent. Add
proteins and heat until bubbly. Add a small amount of water if you
want it saucier, less if you like it thicker. Add some chill paste if you
want it spicy. The remaining fillings can be left crisp and raw. We
highly recommend having at least the vermicelli, carrots, cucumbers,
and herbs. The more ingredients you have, the more combinations
you can play with.

RAW FILLINGS: To prepare the peanut sauce, add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and
whisk until incorporated.
• bean thread vermicelli noodles,
• 3 large carrots, julienned small Place all prepared fillings on the table. Fill a pie plate with warm
• 1–2 cucumbers, julienned chunky water, then soak a rice paper in it for 5 seconds, shake off excess
• 1 handful lettuce or spinach water, and place it on your plate. Add a rectangle of vermicelli and
• 1 handful bean sprouts any combo of fillings, roll it up, dip it in the sauces, and enjoy!
• 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into lengths
Serve with genmaicha green tea.
• 1 handful basil leaves
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 bunch cilantro We started making salad
rolls when our kids were
• ⁄3 cup roasted peanuts
1
small and it continues
to be a family favorite.
PEANUT SAUCE: The kids love rolling up
their own combos. The
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped finished rolls might not
be pretty, but they're fun
• 1 clove of garlic, minced and delicious.

• 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated

• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave syrup
• ¼ cup tamari
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

49
 Paul Eshelman’s
Handled
Soup Bowl
by Hannah Marshall

Paul Eshelman's handled bowls invite use

through a simple cut hole intended to fit
your thumb as you hold the bowl from
the bottom.

Ten minutes after Paul Eshelman’s simple clean pots rest quietly on the
pouring a solid
table ready to serve those who come to eat and drink.
piece of plaster,
use an L-shaped The refined, minimal aesthetic of the wares are derived
trimming tool to from his own handmade plaster models and molds,
form a prototype.
his mid-range red slip and the slip-cast process. This
process is consistently evident in the look and feel of
each final piece.
For his handled soup bowl, Paul creates a finger
hole that is built into the wall of the piece, so while
it remains functional, it also reads as a portal or
1 window into the pot, giving physical and visual
access to the piece. The curved rim is a sleek, warm
Use a Surform sweep, and the curved base is ideal for cradling the
rasp, sanding
mesh, and bowl in the hand.
220-grit wet/
dry sandpaper OBJECT DESIGN
to create a
smooth finish on Paul’s process begins with a series of simple line
the model. drawings that help him define the shape of a piece.
The form is modelled first in plaster so he must have
a clear idea of dimension and shape before he begins
the plaster work. As he draws, he refers to an object of
similar size as the piece he is designing, which gives
2
him a sense of the physical presence the piece will
have. He breaks down the form, thinking about how
Using a square
cottle board set-
the various shapes and curves can be most easily and
up, pour plaster accurately made. He then scales up all dimensions 10%
around the to account for the shrinkage of his casting slip during
bottom half of
the form.
drying and firing.

CREATING A MODEL, THEN A MOLD

In making a model for the handled soup bowl, he
begins by setting up a cottle on the wheel from
3
flexible plastic sheeting (salvaged from an old sign) or

50
 Lunch
aluminum flashing bound by rope. The shaping process After the plaster
sets, remove the
will be subtractive, so a larger starting round of plaster
round plaster
gives him room to true the plaster form and make model from
adjustments in the shaping the model. the square
plaster model.
After mixing, he pours the plaster into the cottle
and allows it to set for about ten minutes, or until
the plaster is the consistency of firm cream cheese.
At this point he removes the cottle and begins to
turn the piece using a slow wheel speed. He begins
with a broad metal putty knife, moves to L-shaped
4
trimming tools (1), then a Surform rasp, sanding
mesh, and finally, as he works to create a smooth
Use a bandsaw
finish on the model, 220-grit wet/dry sandpaper (2) to cut a curve
and a flexible metal rib. The plaster can be worked out of the square
form (5). Cut the
for about 20–30 minutes.
square corners
Throughout shaping, Paul periodically measures off and round
the diameter and height of the model to make sure it the form using
a bandsaw (6).
matches his planned proportions.
After removing the preliminary model from the
wheel, Paul treats it with three coats of mold soap
as a plaster release agent. He then sets up a square
cottle around the upside-down model. He leaves 5 6
approximately 1–1½ inches between the model and
the cottle walls. Next, he pours plaster inside the Fit the cut
plaster ring and
cottle frame, covering only the bottom half of the the preliminary
model, being sure not to cover the top portion of the model together.
model (3). After it sets (4), Paul draws an arc along the
newly poured ring to define a top curve for the piece.
He saws into the plaster ring along this arc using a
band saw (5), then he trims the squared edges into a
half-inch wide ring again using a bandsaw (6). Paul fits
this ring back onto the preliminary model (7). Although
the sweep of the arc is nicely defined, the portion that 7
will become the top edge of the arc is angled strongly.
To alleviate this, Paul adds a clay taper to this edge, Create a waste
making it a level 90° angle. mold that will be
used to make a
At this point, the model is ready to be used to create
master model.
a mold. The profile of the piece is slightly tapered to
allow it to be cast in one piece. Paul uses this model to
create only one mold, which will be a waste mold (8).
After the waste mold is poured and sets, Paul removes
the preliminary model and cleans up the mold. (He
may at this point cast a pot from the mold to see what
the piece looks like as a hollow form.) Then he uses the
8
waste mold (9) to cast a master model using Ultracal 30

51
 Pour Ultracal 30 gypsum cement, which is dense and hard enough to
gypsum cement
to 1 inch above
allow multiple production molds to be made from the
the waste mold. master model. Once the master model is set, Paul must
break the waste mold off of the model. He carefully
saws into the waste mold and wedges two metal putty
knives into the saw cut (10). He then taps a third putty
knife in between these as a wedge. The waste mold will
crack off in several large pieces (11).
Now Paul has a final opportunity to clean up the
9 master model. He uses 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper to
remove any imperfections.
Break the waste Next, he sets up a cottle of plastic sheeting, clay,
mold off of the and rope and sets the master model, again treated
master model with release soap, inside. He mixes the plaster and
using a hammer
and putty knives. pours it into the cottle. As the plaster begins to set, Paul
carefully pushes a ring of drywall mesh all the way to
the bottom of the plaster (what will be the rim of the
mold), which reinforces the mold and gives it a longer
casting life (12).
After the plaster is set and the master is removed,
Paul spends a few minutes cleaning it up and rounding
10
sharp exterior edges so plaster bits won’t chip into the
clay (13). Paul will create several molds from the master
The master model,
made using
to use for casting bowls.
Ultracal 30, can
create several CASTING THE BOWL
plaster molds.
Each batch of slip Paul mixes for casting is slightly
different, so casting times vary from about 45 to 60
minutes. Paul keeps records of the time and uses a
timer to ensure the bowls are all cast to approximately
3
⁄16 inch thick when wet. After dumping excess slip from
the mold and allowing it to dry for about 30 minutes,
11
he trims the rim of the bowl using a shortened plastic
trimming tool, which won’t cut into the mold (14).
Insert drywall
mesh into the When the bowl has dried in the mold for another three
mold to increase hours, it’s firm enough to be removed.
its strength.

CUTTING THE HANDLE

Paul uses a one-inch keyhole drill and a template
to drill a hole in the bowl for a handle (15). With the
template aligned with the arc of the bowl, he drills a
pilot hole into the leather-hard clay. He removes the
template and finishes drilling, then sets the pot aside
12
to fully dry.

52
 Lunch
FINISHING A finished plaster
mold and the
Once dry, Paul fettles the rim of the bowl, trimming off master model
the sharp edges. He then rounds the rim with a wet that was used to
create it.
scrub pad and sponges the entire piece. While it’s still
damp, he polishes the bottom and lower portion of the
bowl with a rag to smooth the areas that will remain
unglazed (16). Particular care is taken to finish the rim
and edges smoothly so they are kind to fingers and lips.
The bowl is now ready to be bisque fired to cone 05.
After bisque firing, Paul uses hot wax to delineate the 13
unglazed portion of the bowl. He then dips the bowl in
a glaze and cleans up the edge. Finally, the bowls are Use a plastic
trimming tool to
glaze fired to cone 4 in oxidation.
remove excess
Paul’s most fundamental intention is to create pots casting slip
that enter the user’s daily living and give dignity to the after the mold
is drained.
human acts of eating and drinking. He envisions people
eating from this bowl at the dinner table, informally at
the office desk, while watching TV, or sitting out on the
deck on a warm evening.

14

Use a template
and keyhole bit to
drill a hole in the
bowl for a handle.

15

Clean up the cast

bowl and polish the
foot with a rag.

16

53
 RECIPE

Winter Vegetable Soup

by Jennifer Harrison

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1 large yellow onion, diced Heat a wide soup pot on medium, add fat of choice, along
• 1 fennel bulb, diced with onions, fennel bulb, fennel seeds, and a little salt and
sauté until translucent.
• 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage (or meat of choice) Add the sausage and the garlic, sauté until the sausage is
• 4 cloves garlic, minced cooked, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces as you do.
• 3–5 carrots, diced
• 1–2 turnips, diced Then add the root vegetables (carrots, turnips, rutabaga)
• 1–2 rutabagas, diced along with herbs that you have (sprig of thyme, parsley, a
bay leaf–one or all would be good) and stir to coat with oil.
• a sprig of thyme, parsley, and/or one bay leaf
Add a cup of bone broth, lower heat, cover, and allow to
• 2 bunches kale, ribs removed and cut into bite-sized pieces simmer for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables soften.
• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans
• 2 quarts bone broth, vegetable stock or water (use less Then add the rest of the stock/broth along with the
or more to reach consistency you prefer) kale, bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer until
• 2–3 tablespoons fat (olive oil, butter, lard) vegetables are soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove herb sprigs if you added them.

This recipe can be used as a guide for whatever

vegetables, meat, or beans you might have on The soup will taste best the next day, but it can be served
hand. It's warming, nourishing, and comforting. and enjoyed immediately.
Photo: John Harrison.

54
 Lunch
Wall-to-Wall
Decorated
Platters
by Colleen McCall

The decoration on Colleen McCall's peony

pattern plate is inspired by vintage textile
prints and cast glassware. Photo: ARC
Photographic Images.

My colorful, hand-painted pottery is decorated from top Secure the model

to the table with
to bottom, inside and out. Rarely is there a surface left
clay, then build
bare or free from pattern or texture. Whether painted, slab walls around
carved, cast, or stamped, I add interest to every angle the perimeter
and reinforce
of my dark brown, stoneware pottery with layers of
with buttresses.
porcelain slip, a bevy of underglaze colors, and white,
breaking tin glaze. Vintage textile prints and cast
glassware are my primary inspiration. I like drawing
upon the familiar to evoke memory and emotion, but it’s
only a touch point for a fresh and unique collaboration.
Initially, I threw round shapes on the wheel and 1
decorated them. The patterns quickly became more
interesting, leaving me to seek out new shapes and Pour liquid plaster
over the model.
alternative construction methods to improve the When it starts to
quality of the overall design. After failing to make truly set up, manipulate
square pots I found a square form to cast in plaster it to mound
up evenly over
and press mold with better success. I soon began the model.
collecting glassware, melamine, and plastic in all
shapes and textures to make molds from. The shape
of my hexagonal mold is somewhere just between a
circle and a square. Being both round and angular, it’s
always exciting to explore its many variations of form
2
and surface.

CREATING A PLASTER PRESS MOLD When the

plaster has set
For this hexagonal mold I used a thin, non-porous up, remove the
plastic take-out dish, which could be cast as a one-part model and clean
the mold.
mold. Prototypes can also be made by combining
objects to achieve new shapes. For example, starting
with a wide square plate placed face down on the table
and stacking an upside-down shallow bowl on top of
the plate creates a pasta bowl shape with an ample rim
for decoration.
To prepare an object for casting, add wet clay to the
3
object’s inner rim to secure it to the work surface and

55
 Drape a slab over to prevent the liquid plaster from seeping under the
the mold and
object when it’s poured. Next, with the dish inverted
gently fit it into
the space. and the clay rim secured to a flat surface, build up
short, thick, clay walls around the thin plastic edge
of the disposable dish to contain the plaster as it’s
poured (1). When creating a one-part mold with a non-
porous object, mold soap is generally not necessary.
After the prototype is secured, mix the plaster using a
ratio of 6 pounds of plaster to 2 quarts of water, adding
4 the plaster to the water. Let the unmixed contents slake
undisturbed for at least three minutes to hydrate the
Use a rib to plaster, then slowly mix it using a Jiffy mixer or similar
compress the clay,
and to even out for 3 minutes to initiate the chemical setting process.
the surface. Just as the plaster is beginning to thicken, pour it
over the prototype. Pour when liquid to prevent the
formation of air bubbles on the surface of the model.
As the plaster thickens, but before it sets, you can
manipulate it to mound evenly over the form (2). The
plaster heats up as it sets.
Once the plaster has cooled fully, remove the clay
5
walls, smooth down any rough edges with a green
kitchen scouring pad, and wipe down the mold with
To create a
deeper bowl,
a damp sponge (3). Allow the mold to completely dry
add slab sides before using it.
and reinforce all
joins using soft, PREPPING THE CLAY AND FILLING THE MOLD
thin coils.
I stack wedge my clay for slab rolling as I find it reduces
warping by aligning the clay platelets. Slice a chunk of
clay into two thin pieces, press each one flat, then slam
one half on top of the other, pressing it flat again. Slice
and repeat 6–8 times until the clay feels more fluid.
6
Gradually flatten with a rolling pin, flipping the clay
over and turning it 90° with each pass until it reaches
Add a layer of slip
to the interior
its final thickness of ¼ inch. Compress the slab with a
surface while the metal rib to further align the clay particles.
bowl is still in the Use the slab while it’s soft to fill the mold, easing the
mold. Repeat this,
adding a total
ribbed surface face down into the interior (4). Gather
of three layers the edges slightly to help the clay fill the mold without
of slip. stretching too much. Press the clay against the mold,
and add wet clay to backfilling any areas that become
thin. It may take a few attempts filling the mold before
you figure out the nuances of the form and process.
7
Trim off the excess clay around the rim using a plastic
tool (metal tools could chip or gouge the plaster) and
After removing the bowl
from the mold you can use a stiff rubber rib to compress the rim, the clay on
alter the shape by cutting the top side of the slab, and to even out and smooth
out sections freehand or
the surface (5).
adding a coil foot.

VARIATIONS OF FORM
For a deeper bowl shape, build short slab walls around
the perimeter of the bowl. When doing this, be sure
to reinforce any seams with small coils on the interior
of the bowl to prevent cracking (6). For a sturdier and
more elegant bowl, add a coil or flattened band to the
8

56
 Lunch
top edge to thicken and define the rim. The basket
bowl has a slight swoop at the rim where a single coil
has been attached to the rim with slightly more clay in
the corners for extra height.
At this point the bowl is ready for its first coat of
porcelain slip. A total of three coats should be applied Carve surface
texture using loop
while the clay is still supported by the mold (7). Wait for
tools and trim the
the slip to dry between coats. rim edge using a
When the slip-painted clay has firmed up, remove small rasp tool.
it from the mold by sandwiching a board on top and 9
carefully flipping upside down. While upside down, use
gentle but firm pressure to score and slip on a foot ring Cut out the
shapes in the
or foot nubbins. motif and use
To create a basket effect, extract cut outs from the them as stencils
corners of the form with a thin blade after the bowl to transfer
the patterns.
is removed from the mold. Smooth the edges of the
cuts (8). Carving or exterior painting is best done now
with the piece firmly inverted (9).

LEARNING HOW TO COMBINE PATTERNS

My pattern book is sorted into five sections to organize 10
the spatial dynamics of a particular pattern. Motifs such
as animals or single flowers are the first section. A motif Hand paint the
lightest parts of
functions as a unit that can either be used alone as a
the motif, here
focal point or can be repeated in various ways to create the peony, stem,
a pattern. and stamen.
Section two, overall patterns, is most abundant
since many fabrics are printed to be used in multiple
directions. These patterns are random and don’t adhere
to any one orientation. They work well on any shape.
The third section, vertical patterns, is limited in use
to upright forms such as vases and mugs or square and 11
rectangular shapes that have a top and a bottom. As an
example, wallpaper tends to be vertically oriented. Apply a layer of
wax resist over
What I call ground patterns, collected in the fourth the patterns to
section of my book, are those that are more basic and protect them,
subdued. They act as a filler or create an interesting then apply an
overall layer of
background when used with a focal point motif. underglaze for
The fifth and final section contains borders or the background.
scrolling patterns that can trim a form or frame an
overall design.
When combining patterns I look for similar
12
elements of shape, scale, and line. I can always unify
patterns with complimentary color combinations. I
Add filler
also tend to mix styles and historical genres within motifs to the
a piece or in an arrangement of dishware, like bold background.
Art Deco lines softened by an Ikat (a textile dying Carve through the
wax, underglaze
process) ground with Iznik pomegranates surrounded and slip layers
by calico. I draw each form once and photocopy it to define the
multiple times to play with dividing the form into outlines of
the foreground.
zones for decorating. I can then play with adding
patterns together. When I settle on a combination I
may draw it once again and copy it multiple times to
13
try color combinations.

57
 After the bisque TRANSFERRING MOTIFS
firing, lightly
sand the surface I use paper stencils to transfer patterns to the form (10).
using wet/dry Occasionally, I enlarge or reduce their scale to fit the
sandpaper to
remove sharp
form better. Trace the template with light pressure
burrs from the using a dull pencil or ball-tipped sgraffito tool. This
sgraffito process. leaves an impression of the pattern in the clay.

HANDPAINTING EFFICIENTLY
When applying underglazes to create the patterns, I use
14
wax resist thinned with water to paint more efficiently in
layers. Apply wax over light areas of color to protect them
Once the bisque
plate is dry, touch when painting over with darker colors or to block the
up any bare spots edges of motifs to make it easier to quickly fill in a solid
from the sanding
background color. The peony and wheat pattern begins
process, then add
glaze to areas of with hand painting the stamen and pink petals (11). The
the motifs. brown leaf dots are added with a fine-needled glaze
applicator. When dry, the entire peony is brushed with
wax resist. I allow the wax to harden before painting
the background color (12). Using three coats of color
15
provides a more saturated, solid color. Using a graphite
pencil, I then sketch the stem of the wheat in alternating
Apply two thin directions throughout the ground. I paint the wheat
layers of clear kernels last in a slightly darker color than the chartreuse.
glaze over the Any time I incorporate a transparent glaze color into the
whole surface
on the top and motif, it lessens the painting time but also adds a new
bottom of the dimension to the design.
plate, except
for the feet. You SGRAFFITO TIPS
can also use a
different glaze My favorite sgraffito tool is a tight cornered ribbon tool.
on the bottom of I find it grabs the clay more surely, allowing me to vary
the plate.
16 the pressure, which alters the line thickness (13). I keep
a variety of sgraffito tools on hand depending on the
line quality I prefer.

As you begin to carve through the layers of

slip, underglaze, and wax, the remains will
pile up. Simply dump them out into your
glaze and clay recycle bin and continue
carving. Don’t brush or blow them off as
they may mar the surface and create excess
dust. Photo: ARC Photographic Images.
WET SANDING BISQUEWARE
Wet sanding bisqueware removes sharp burrs created
by the carving. To wet sand bisqueware, use lots of
water to keep the dust to a minimum. I work over
a bowl of water with 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper
alternating between sanding and sponging to remove
dust from the sgraffito crevices (14). Be careful not to
sand off the underglaze color. Mistakes can be easily
fixed by applying more underglaze to the thoroughly
cleaned bisque. Caution: Always wear a dust mask
when doing any sanding.

GLAZING
The first stage of glazing is to apply a transparent glaze
to the leaf and stems of the peonies with either a brush
or glaze applicator squeeze bottle (15). Finally, the
entire interior is brush coated with two thin layers of
transparent clear glaze (16).

58
 Lunch
RECIPE

Lighter Pulled Pork

Sandwiches
by Colleen McCall

Ingredients:
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), cut into 4 pieces
• ¼ cup light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, stir together tomatoes, sugar, garlic,
mustard, and ½ cup water; season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; add pork, and simmer, covered, until tender,
18–20 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate to cool. Simmer
sauce over medium, uncovered, until reduced by half, about
20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make slaw: In a bowl, whisk together
mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon vinegar, celery seed, and 1
tablespoon water; season with salt and pepper. Add
cabbage, and toss to coat.

• ¼ head small green cabbage, shredded

Shred pork with 2 forks, and return to sauce; stir in 1
• 4 whole-wheat rolls, split teaspoon of vinegar. Serve pork on rolls, topped with slaw.
Makes 4 servings.

Most versions of this dish are made with pork

shoulder—we went with tenderloin for less
fat. Plenty of cabbage slaw on top brings the
sandwich into balance.

59
60
 CHAPTER THREE

Snack and Tea

61
 Loose-Leaf
Teapots
by Clay Cunningham

Clay Cunningham
decorates his earthenware
teapots with a majolica
glaze, a transparent glaze,
and underglazes

Throw a round, Over the last year, I’ve spent a great deal of time at The
belly-shaped pot.
Tea Smith in Omaha, Nebraska. It’s here where I read or
Create a gallery
for the infuser to sketch, occasionally write, and enjoy endless varieties
sit in. of loose-leaf teas from around the world. Loose-leaf, or
whole-leaf teas, keep intact all of the essential oils that
make teas flavorful and aromatic. They offer a much
richer experience of tea than tea bags, which are often
made of tea dust or fannings, age quickly, and lose much
of the original zest that makes for a great cup of tea.
While enjoying my tea, I began to ponder the
1 problems inherent in creating a teapot meant for
serving loose-leaf teas. Usually when making a teapot,
Compress, refine, I simply cut a large hole where the spout will be added.
and smooth the
shape. Measure This is all well and good if a tea bag is used to corral the
the gallery for tea, but with loose-leaf, all of the leaves would either
the infuser. collect in the spout, cutting off flow, or would wiggle
their way through and end up in my tea cup.
I spoke with the shop owner, Tim Smith, about
the subtleties and nuances of a great teapot and we
decided that I should make some loose-leaf versions
that include an infuser to be used in the shop.

2 THROWING THE BODY

One of my most deeply held tenets in the studio is
Throw a cup for
the infuser. Leave
to begin with the end in mind. In keeping with that
extra clay at the mantra, I chose earthenware as my clay body for
rim to make a creating these teapots. Its high-iron content helps a
gallery for the lid.
pre-warmed teapot hold its heat much longer than a
stoneware or porcelain teapot.
Begin by using a three-pound ball of clay and throw
a cylinder. Lift and refine the wall to an ideal thickness
of ¼ inch and leave extra thickness at the top ½ inch
to create the gallery for the infuser. Before creating
the gallery, belly out the teapot by pressing outward
3
from inside the pot while supporting the wall with the

62
 Snack and Tea
opposite hand on the outside. When doing this, it’s Measure the
infuser’s gallery
important not to apply pressure to the lip of the teapot where the lid
as that will make the opening too wide. will sit.
To create the gallery, place your hands just below
the lip, about ½ inch from the top, as if you were going
to pull the clay taller. Instead of lifting the wall, use your
fingers as supports for the clay as you press your left
thumb straight down the middle of the lip, separating
it into lower and higher halves (1). Immediately take a
measurement of the gallery opening with calipers (2). 4

THROWING THE INFUSER Throw a very

shallow bowl
The two biggest concerns to consider when making to be the lid.
the infuser are that it fits snugly in the teapot’s gallery, Measure it to fit
and that the gallery on the infuser is deep enough to the infuser.
accommodate a well-fitting and secure lid.
To create the infuser, open and shape a one-pound
ball of clay into a cup shape. Leave a little extra clay at
the top to create both the lip that will sit in the teapot’s
gallery, and a gallery built into the infuser for the lid to
sit on, getting the sizing right for this part of the infuser 5

takes some careful measuring and a little finesse.

Throw a hollow,
Create the gallery (3) and take caliper measurements
bottomless cone
of the outside top edge where it will fit into the teapot shape for the
and where the lid will sit in the infuser (4). spout, then curve
it with a pencil.
LID
Throw the lid as you would a small shallow bowl. The
diameter of the lid should be the same size as the
gallery on the infuser (5). Use a ¾-pound ball of clay,
making the lid as wide as the gallery on the infuser and
only about ¾ of an inch tall. Keeping the curve shallow 6

helps the lid to have just the right arch so as to visually

Trim the bottom
continue the curve in the form of the pot.
of the teapot
body. Compress
SPOUT and smooth the
Create the spout with a ¾-pound ball of clay opened surface with a rib.

into a bottomless cone shape, with the wide point at

the bottom and the slender end at the top. Shaping
both hands into the ‘pinching’ position, collar the clay
to resemble an upside-down funnel. A long, flamboyant
spout is great for a purely decorative teapot, but a
7
frequently used pot is better with a quiet, understated
spout. Additionally, a larger spout means more weight.
Trim the infuser
Since teapots have many added parts (spout, lid, and the lid and
handle, infuser), and are picked up and poured often, a check them for a
lighter weight is better. good fit, then add
a handle.
Let the spout dry for a few minutes; just enough
for the glistening surface to dull. In order to create
an organic curve, slide a pencil into the spout while
cupping the outside and carefully coax a slight
curve (6). The trick to achieving a curve is to create
multiple small bends in many places as you pull the
8
pencil out, rather than one big bend in one place.

63
 Let the spout dry a little more until slightly firm to
the touch.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

After all the pieces are leather hard, it’s time to trim the
bottom of the teapot, the infuser, and the spout to give
them all a graceful curve. Refine the surfaces with a
rubber rib to create a smooth surface (7).
Because the lid is inset, it needs a handle. I create a
9 leaf-shaped handle that pairs well with my decoration.
Set the handle aside until it slightly stiffens and then
Use a needle tool score, add slip, and attach the handle onto the lid (8).
to create holes
To create the holes in the infuser so the water can
in the infuser.
Smooth the clay circulate through the tea leaves, use a needle tool or
with a chamois (9). a small drill bit to pierce the wall and the bottom. Use
Cut off the spout.
a chamois to smooth up any rough edges around the
Lightly pinch the
edges to soften holes (9).
the transition to Use an X-Acto knife to cut the spout at an angle,
the pot. Before
taking off a majority of the upper half. I prefer to
attaching, check
the fit and trim cut with the blade perpendicular to the clay, slicing
as needed (10). 10 around the wall, instead of cutting straight through.
This ensures that the spout holds its shape and
Trace around the doesn’t collapse.
spout with a knife
then cut out a Hold the freshly cut spout up to the teapot body
hole, score and and position it so that the bottom of the spout is high
slip the spout and enough on the pot so that when entirely filled, the
body, then attach
and smooth tea won’t spill out of the spout while at rest (10). Trace
the joint. around the spout with your knife so you know where
to connect the spout to the teapot. Before adding the
spout, be sure to cut an opening for the tea to exit the
pot. Because the tea leaves will be contained in the
11
infuser, the opening can be of any shape or size. Attach
the spout by scoring the joining surfaces and coat both
Pull a handle to
about 12 inches.
sides with a hearty amount of slip (11). Smooth the
Leave a little extra seam using a chamois.
clay at the ends.
Drape it over a GET A HANDLE
cardboard tube
until it can hold There are endless ways to make handles. I prefer to
its shape. pull mine from a two-pound ball of well-wedged clay.
Begin by forming the ball of clay into a cone shape
using the heel of your hands. Using a bucket of water
over an area you do not mind getting messy, such as
12
a sink, wet both your hand and the clay and get ready
to pull. With your hand held in an okay sign around
Measure the
handle for a
the cone, lightly pull down on the clay, coaxing it
proper fit—it slowly into a long thin strap, leaving a little extra
must be tall clay at the top and bottom of the strap to provide a
enough for the
infuser to be
little extra surface area when attaching the handle to
removed and the teapot. Drape the strap handle over a cylindrical
inserted. Score, form until it can hold its shape (12). Note: Be sure
slip, and attach.
the handle is tall enough to fit the placement and
removal of the infuser (13). Attach the handle then
let the entire piece dry slowly and bisque fire it to
13
cone 06.

64
 Snack and Tea
FIRING AND DECORATION Coat the interior
and exterior with
I use Andersen Majolica to glaze my teapots because a white majolica
it’s opaque, resistant to stains, and the cool white color glaze, then glaze
the lid.
beautifully compliments the orange clay body. Glaze
the interior by keeping your thumb over the spout,
swirling the glaze around the inside, and then releasing
the glaze out of the spout. Next, pour glaze over the
outside so that the circular edges of the glaze lead the
viewer’s eye around the form of the pot (14). Dip the
14
lid as well, then clean off the bottom edge where it will
touch the kiln shelf. Leave the entire infuser unglazed
Use paper stencils
to ensure proper flow of the water through the tea and a pencil to
leaves when in use. trace a surface
decoration
After allowing the glaze to dry for 24 hours, use a
pattern on
pencil and paper stencils to add decoration (15). The the glaze.
graphite burns away in the glaze firing.
AMACO Velvet underglazes work wonderfully on
top of Andersen Majolica glaze. Apply them with a
brush (16), and don’t forget to extend the decoration
around the pot, such as on the lid, handle, or even 15
inside the vessel.
Brush a second, bright, transparent glaze Add underglaze
onto the pot’s form to add an extra layer to the dots to the body,
decoration—I’m using Icy Blue Glaze, adapted from handle, and lid,
following the
Pete Pinnell’s Easy Clear. Frame the newly glazed area pencil lines.
with additional underglaze decoration (17). Glaze fire
the pot to cone 04.
Try your new creation with some fresh loose-leaf tea
to experience what true tea is all about. Enjoy!

16

Add a transparent
colored glaze
over the majolica
glaze and any
underglaze
decoration
if needed.
All photos:
Jordanne Jensen.

17

This teapot has a separate,

wheel-thrown infuser for
brewing loose-leaf tea.

65
 RECIPE

Cool Breeze Loose-Leaf Tea

and Summer Salad
by Clay Cunningham

Ingredients: Ingredients:
COOL BREEZE LOOSE LEAF TEA SUMMER SALAD
• 16 ounces water • 1 watermelon (seedless)
• 1 tablespoon loose-leaf tea • 1 cucumber
• 1 teaspoon sugar, lemon twist, etc. (optional) • 1 bunch radishes
• ½ red onion, sliced

Instructions: • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• ¼ cup water
Bring water to a boil. While heating, place
• 1 tablespoon sugar
tea into tea infuser and place inside
of teapot. When water reaches the
preferred temperature, remove from
heat and pour into your infuser, slow
and steady.
Instructions:
Place the lid on the teapot and let the Chop and slice ingredients to bite size. Place in
tea do its magic. Steep time (the length a sealed container with vinegar, water, and sugar.
of time you allow the leaves to remain in Toss, refrigerate for 20 minutes or more, and serve on
the tea) is a personal choice depending on handmade pottery.
taste and will change as your relationship with
tea evolves—on average, 2–3 minutes will suffice.
Remove the infuser, replace the lid, and pour a
delicious beverage. Enjoy!

Infuser Tips: You can adjust the height of your infuser

depending on the type of tea you are
using. Most teas only need to steep
for 2–5 minutes. Certain teas, such as
Oolong and Puerh, will progress in
flavor as the tea is steeped, some up
to 20 minutes, offering a different
experience each time the teapot is
poured. Therefore, the teapots I make for
Oolong and Puerh teas have taller infusers,
ensuring steeping all the way until the last cup.

Tea Type Water Temp. Visual Cues of Ideal Temperature

White or Green Tea 170º F (77º C) Fish Eyes: first big bubbles form. It’s ready!
Oolong or Black Tea 200º F (92º C) String of Pearls: bubbles rising and sticking to pan. Go!
Puerh Tea 212º F (100º C) Dragon Eyes: rolling boil. Pour Away!

66
 Snack and Tea
Honey Jar
by Sumi von Dassow

Two variations of Sumi von Dassow's

honey pot with varying styles of lids.
Both are made with stoneware and fired
to cone 6 in a reduction atmosphere.

If your daily ritual involves spreading honey on your Throw a vase

shape, create a
toast or stirring it into your tea, then perhaps the
flared rim, then
next pot you need to make is a honey pot. Honey is define the neck
classically served with a wooden honey dipper, a utensil with a soft rib.
that allows you to drizzle honey over your toast with
some degree of control. Since honey is sticky, you need
to be able to leave the dipper in the pot—rather than
taking it out and setting it aside between uses—but the
pot must have a lid to avoid attracting insects. Thus the
defining characteristic of a honey pot is an opening in
the lid to accommodate the handle of the dipper. 1

THE RIGHT APPROACH Measure just

One approach is to throw a small covered jar and inside the lip
with double-
simply cut a hole in the lid, but the fun of making ended calipers.
a honey pot is finding a creative way to make the
opening. I like to use a fingertip to reshape the lip of
the pot and the edge of the lid to create what looks like
a little open mouth to receive the dipper.
On a bat, start with 1½–2 pounds of clay for the pot
and throw a wide-bellied form, collaring in the upper
portion to give it a neck and a flaring lip, similar to
a basic vase or pitcher form. Use a soft rubber rib to 2
define the neck; with the rib pressing in from outside,
use a finger inside, above the rim to push out just Create a groove
slightly (1). The lid is going to be thrown right-side-up, with your pinky
and it will set into the flaring lip of the pot. To measure fingers, open up
the top, and form
for the lid, set your calipers just inside the flared rim (2). the knob.
Set the form aside (while still attached to the bat) and
throw the lid immediately.

OFF-THE-HUMP LID
Since the lid will take a very small amount of clay, it’s
easiest to throw it off the hump. Once you get used
to using only part of the clay on the wheel, you’ll find
3
that throwing off the hump is easier than wedging and

67
 Shape the knob and
form the lid to fit the
jar and your hands.
Make sure it fits
inside your caliper
measurement.
4
Create a dip in the
rim by placing two
fingers on the out-
side of the rim and
pulling the lip out
between them (5).
Shape the lid in
the opposite way:
use two fingers of
your left hand to
support the rim
while you push up
between them (6). 5 6
Create a sharp
groove at the
base of the lid.
Wrap a cutting
wire around the
groove to cut the
lid off the hump.
7 of the vase, and draw one finger of your right hand
When the lid
and jar rim have
stiffened, place
the lid on the pot
and tweak it to
make sure they fit
together nicely.
8 lid on the jar and make sure it settles into place and
If you can’t turn
the lid upside
down on the rim
to trim it, center
it on a coil to
accommodate the
reshaped rim.
9
centering very small amounts of clay, and saves you
time as well. Generally I’ll make a few honey pots and
then throw all the lids from a 2 or 3-pound hump.
To throw the lid, roughly center a mound of clay—
the whole mound doesn’t have to be perfectly centered,
only the top part that you’re going to use. For a small
honey-pot lid, you’ll only need a few ounces of clay. Use
your pinky fingers to create a shallow groove toward
the top of the mound to separate the appropriate
amount of clay for the lid. As you throw the lid, ignore
the rest of the mass of clay, as if the groove is the
surface of the wheel head. Center the clay above the
groove and, keeping your pinkies in the groove, open
the center with your thumbs. If you’ve never thrown off
the hump, you’ll be wondering how you can be sure
to open up to the correct depth. Here’s the secret: if
you keep the sides of your pinkies in that groove and
open up with your thumbs, you won’t go too deep. Your
thumbs just aren’t long enough or flexible enough.
Separate your thumb tips as they drill down, so that
a small spike of clay is left behind in the center of the
lid (3). Shape this bit of clay to form the knob. Once the
knob is shaped, pull out the rest of the clay into a wide,
shallow bowl form (4). The rim should fit right inside the
caliper measurement.
DIP FOR THE DIPPER
You’ll need to alter the rim of the vase form, and make
a similar but opposite shape in the rim of the lid. Place
two fingers of your left hand on the outside of the lip
between the fingers of your left hand to pull a section
of the lip down (5). Then do the opposite on the lid; pull
a section up (6).
To cut the lid off the hump, use a wood or metal
tool to further deepen the groove under the lid (7),
then wrap your cutting wire into this groove and pull it
through. Remove it from the hump with dry fingers.
When the lid is placed on the pot, this will create
an opening just right for a dipper. As soon as the two
pieces have stiffened up enough to handle, put the
the opening is adequate for the handle of a dipper (8).
Tweak the rim of either piece as necessary while the
clay is still soft enough.
TRIMMING
If the lid came off a bit heavy, turn it upside down in the
mouth of the jar, center the jar on the wheel head, and
trim off the excess. Alternatively, center the lid upside
down on the wheel head, then use a coil of clay under
the lip to accommodate the lifted section and level the
lid for trimming (9).

68
 Snack and Tea
RECIPE

Honey Syrup
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients: Instructions:
• ½ cup honey Mix honey into hot water; warm gently in a pot on low heat
• ½ cup hot water until honey is fully dissolved. You can add cinnamon, lemon
juice, or other flavorings as desired. Keeps in the refrigerator
without crystallizing for weeks.

Beyond the simple and delicious honey drizzled on toast for a snack or into warm tea, another good
summer-time use is to stir it into cold drinks. Honey won’t dissolve in cold water, so the trick is to make a
honey syrup. Honey syrups can also be poured over pancakes, drizzled on top of a cake, or mixed into yogurt.

69
 Lidded
Tea Cup
by Rachel Donner

Rachel Donner's lidded teacups and

saucers are made with mid-range
porcelain and a variety of colorful
underglazes. Each set is fired to cone 5.

After throwing Using the potter’s wheel, I create clean, simple

the teacup, throw
forms to showcase saturated surface decorations.
a bowl-shaped
form for the lid I create visual and physical layering using multiple
to fit it. Then split surface decoration techniques paired with a runny
the rim to create
translucent glaze. This layering plays off of the
a flange.
subtle distortion of two-dimensional shapes on a
three-dimensional object. Making multiple items
for one piece, such as a lidded teacup and saucer, is
when decoration becomes the most exciting and
challenging for me as a maker.
1
THROWING: CUP, LID, SAUCER
Next throw a Start by throwing a teacup that’s wider at the bottom
shallow saucer
with a slight and tapered toward the rim, using 1 pound of clay
curve and trim (see 3). Measure the inside of the teacup rim with
a well in it to fit calipers in preparation for the lid.
the bottom of
the teacup. Next, throw the lid upside down using about 3⁄4
pound of clay. Bring the clay into a centered mound
that is taller than it is wide. Open the center and with a
curve shaped like the inside of a bowl to give it some
height, bring the walls to about ¼ inch thick. Taking
care to maintain a thick rim while pulling the walls and
2
shaping the inside, then split the rim, creating a flange
to fit inside the lip of the teacup (1).
After trimming,
smooth the
Lastly, throw a saucer using about 2 pounds of clay.
entire piece with Give the form a slight curve, but not too much as it will
a soft rubber make trimming the inset for the teacup more difficult (2).
rib to prepare
the surface
for decoration.
TRIMMING AND FIT
Trim a desired profile and foot for the teacup. Use a soft
rubber rib to burnish the clay as it spins on the wheel
so it’s smooth and ready for surface decoration (3).
Check the lid fit and make sure it has a little wiggle
room in its fit to account for the thickness of the glaze.
3
Trim the lid, securing it flange-side down on the wheel.

70
 Snack and Tea
Trim away excess clay while defining the form of the lid Throw a small,
solid knob onto
to reflect the form of the teacup.
the top of the lid.
Next, trim the inset for the teacup in the saucer
before trimming the foot of the saucer. Measure the
foot of the teacup with calipers, set the saucer on the
wheel head slightly off center then secure it with three
chunks of soft clay. I place the foot well off center to
allow more of the design to show when the teacup
rests on the saucer, and to leave room to set a little
snack on the saucer along with the cup. The asymmetry 4
also lends itself to the overall composition. Trim an
inset according to your caliper measurements and Test various color
smooth the edges with a rib. Double-check the fit by combinations
setting the teacup into the new inset before flipping of glazes
and underglazes.
the saucer over to trim the foot.

THROWING A KNOB
Center and secure the trimmed lid on the wheel, then
slip, score, and attach a small ball of clay to the top
center of the lid. Using a small amount of water, center
the small ball, then wet your fingers and pull and
5
squeeze to form a solid knob shape (4).

DECORATING: COLOR CHOICES Soak the stencils

until they’re
I make my color choices based on how materials saturated
interact with each other and what I envision my and ready
for application.
finished work to look like. I’ve done many underglaze
and glaze combination tests to help in planning more
elaborate palettes (5). Discovering what patterns work
on various forms comes from a sense of playfulness
and lots of experimentation.
To begin, decide on the division of space between
the multiple parts of the set. This includes the teacup 6
handle, the knob, the bottom of the saucer, the lid,
and the teacup body. Don’t neglect a surface simply Apply the stencils
and make sure they’re
because it’s not seen when the piece is sitting idle.
secure by patting
The cohesion between all three pieces, and their them down with a
parts, comes from a repetition of elements and not damp sponge or
your fingers.
necessarily a duplication of pattern. Use a different yet
relatable pattern for each component.

PAPER STENCILS
Paper stencils can be made from cheap printer paper.
I use different sized circular paper punches purchased
from the scrapbooking section at craft stores. For stripes,
I use a paper cutter or a ruler and cut different widths
and lengths. You can cut out any shape you want, but
sometimes extremely complex or large shapes can be
difficult to wrap around the surface of a pot.
When placing larger stencils onto round forms, you
7
will have excess paper as the shape wraps around the

71
 Alternate which pot. You can fold this excess into a V shape to get it out
pieces you’re
of the way, but this often distorts the shape of your
working on
and which are stencil. Alternatively, consider using multiple small
drying between stencils to create the whole blocked off area.
underglaze
coats and
decoration stages.
BACKGROUND LAYER
Wipe down each piece with a damp sponge to ensure
the surfaces are smooth and clean. Drop your paper
stencils into a dish of tepid water (6). They only need a
8 small amount of time to become saturated—you’ll know
this when the paper turns a darker tint than when it’s
Don’t forget to dry. Pluck a stencil from the water and pull it between
add decoration two fingers to squeegee off excess water. Apply the
to the bottoms stencil to the leather-hard surface of the teacup. The
to create hidden
details that stencil can be repositioned before it starts to really stick
surprise and to the clay. Put it in its final position and pat it down
engage users. with a damp sponge (7), or your fingertip. Continue this
process all over the surface until your design is in place.
Take a look at each stencil connection over difficult areas
such as rims or deep curves to ensure that they’re flush
against the clay. Press them back down with a damp
9
sponge when necessary.
Brush on a generous first coat of underglaze. Take
Add an accent
layer using
care to brush in every direction, as the edges of the
a new color paper may cause you to miss spots otherwise. Once
and continue the first coat has lost its shine, move on to the second
to alternate
among pieces
and third coats. Three layers will provide an opaque
for efficiency background of underglaze. As these coats are drying,
and cohesion in switch to applying stencils to the saucer or lid and
the set.
begin adding their background color (8).
Make sure that the underglaze has dried so it won’t
smudge before peeling the stencils off using the tip of
10 an X-Acto blade. Note: paper won’t always burn out if
it’s encased in underglaze.
Once the underglaze is dry to the Add decoration to the bottom of the saucer as well.
touch, trim away any excess that got
Hidden details like this can set your work apart and
onto the foot-ring while decorating.
surprise the people who use it (9).

ACCENT LAYER
Accents of stripes or spots added in a different color
help to add depth and variation to the surface. Apply
more paper stencils using the same method as on
the background layer to add the accent layer (10).
When placing the accents, it isn’t necessary to worry
about a visual imbalance as the final decoration layer
of underglaze inlay or mishima can be used to tie the
entire composition together.

MISHIMA LAYER
Before moving on, clean up each piece, including the
11
teacup foot, to make the edges crisp (11). Next, apply

72
 Snack and Tea
wax resist, covering the outside of the lid, along with Coat all decorated
surfaces in wax,
the entire top and inside of the foot ring of the saucer, then use an
and the teacup from foot to lip (still without a handle). X-Acto blade to
When applying cold wax, use a generous amount and carve lines into
the clay through
brush in all directions to get into the raised edges of
the dry wax.
the underglaze and create one consistent coat.
After the wax dries, add mishima inlay patterns. Use
an X-Acto blade to incise thin line designs through
the wax and into the clay (12). This is the final chance
to create balance in the surface decoration. After the 12
lines are finished, brush underglaze into the lines (13).
Use a sponge to gently wipe away all excess beads of Create mishima
underglaze that pooled on the surface of the wax. inlay by filling
the lines with
TEACUP HANDLE underglaze.
Remove any
At some point during the surface decorating period, excess with a
take a moment to pull a handle for the teacup and sponge, then
touch up
allow it to set up to leather hard. bare spots.
With both the teacup and the handle at the leather-
hard stage, trace the outline of the handle’s connection
points onto the cup. Score through the wax in those
13
areas to ensure a strong attachment, apply slip to each
part and attach the handle to the cup.
Attach the handle
Allow the handle to set up on the pot, then clean up to the teacup,
the surfaces around the handle so they’re smooth. Coat coat it with
the handle with wax, let it dry, and add mishima inlay wax, and add a
corresponding
lines to integrate it into the entire composition of the inlaid mishima
lidded teacup and saucer (14). pattern to its
outer surface.
GLAZING AND FIRING
Bisque fire your pieces. Prior to glazing, wet sand the
feet in the areas where the clay will remain exposed.
Also sand any sharp edges of clay from the mishima 14
and remove all wax ash by sanding and wiping. Clean
off any dust and sandpaper residue, then dip the pieces
into glaze—I use Jeff Campana’s Clear Base glaze and
add copper carbonate for a turquoise, Praseodymium
Yellow Mason stain for a bright yellow, or Best Black
Mason stain for a rich black. Clean off the feet with a
sponge and fire the three pieces separately to your
maturing temperature.

The completed cup and saucer, showing

how the pattern on all three pieces is
related yet distinct.

73
 RECIPE

Chai Tea
by HP Bloomer

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1 cinnamon stick To make the chai mix, combine all
• 3 star anise ingredients in a spice grinder or
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed food processor, blend, and use a tea
strainer. Store the excess chai mixture in
• 4–5 peppercorns, whole
a jar, plastic bag, or a tea tin. Total servings per
• 2–3 cloves, whole batch: approximately 16.
• 2–3 tablespoons cardamom
• 1½–2-inch piece ginger root To make the tea, steep 1½–2 tablespoons or one heaping
• pinch of crushed red pepper tablespoon per cup of tea. Start with equal parts hot water
• 1–2 tablespoon(s) black tea and milk (I recommend 4–6 ounces of each), but add the
milk after the hot water has done its steeping magic, then
add honey to taste.
If you wish, you can fill your own tea bags, which often
can be found for purchase at the grocery store.

74
 Snack and Tea
Ahjoshi Hanbok
Canisters
by Mea Rhee

Mea Rhee's Ahjoshi Hanbok are wheel-

thrown with a dark stoneware, covered with
a white stoneware slip, a black underglaze,
glaze, and fired to cone 6.

I find so much inspiration and pride in the deep pottery Use a large wooden
rib to shape a tall
traditions within my heritage. Korean culture also
cylinder for the
provides many other beautiful visual elements, which body of the canister
I love to reinterpret as contemporary pottery forms. and to smooth
the surface.
Ahjoshi hanbok translates to “Korean gentleman’s
traditional garment.” The outfit consists of a loosely
flowing tunic, loose pants, a sash around the waist,
and a distinctively-shaped hat (shown at right). The
hanbok is known for its simple lines and flattering
proportions. The roominess of the garment is designed
for ease of movement, and to be comfortable while 1
sitting on the floor. The style of the men’s hanbok has
remained relatively unchanged for centuries. Western Use calipers to
measure the
clothing began to replace the use of the hanbok size of the lid.
toward the end of the 19th century. These days, this Then throw the
garment is considered formal, and is reserved for lid right-side up
and smooth the
ceremonial occasions. surface with a rib.
My pottery version of an ahjoshi hanbok is a
canister. The hat just screams “lid” to a potter. The rest
of the design followed. The canister body is a tapered
cylinder with a wide, stable bottom. White slip is
brushed down the sides to create the impression of
2
flowing fabric. A minimal sash-like mark is underglazed
around the middle.
Use the caliper
measurement
THROWING THE BODY/GARMENT (set to 1½ inches
Begin with 3½ pounds of clay to make the body of wider in diameter
than the canister
the canister. On average, that is, as ahjoshis come in rim) to ensure
all shapes and sizes. After centering, open up a flat the lid is the
floor that is about 1 inch thick. Stop to measure the right size.
thickness of the floor with a needle tool, to make sure
there’s enough clay to work with when it comes time
to trim. After establishing the thick floor, throw the
remaining clay into an eight-inch-tall cylinder. To finish
3
the cylinder, use a large wooden rib with a straight

75
 Trim excess
clay out of the
canister’s bottom,
leaving behind a
tall foot ring.
4 The rest of the lid, for now, is solid clay. Use the caliper
Use a sharp
blade to make
rectangular cut-
outs to the front
and back of the
foot ring.
5
Use the canister
body as a
trimming chuck
for the lid.
Trim the solid
underside of the
lid and create
a flange.
6
Prop the canister
right-side up on
a narrow chuck,
then brush
white slip onto
the canister’s
body (7). Brush
on a minimal sash
detail with black
underglaze. Coat
the interior with a
liner glaze (8).
7 8
76
edge. The rib helps shape the cylinder into a slightly
tapered form, and to smooth the surface (1). Once
done, use calipers to measure the top diameter of the
cylinder for the lid, which will overhang the body by
roughly ¾ inch on all sides.
THROWING THE LID/HAT
With two pounds of clay, throw the lid right side up,
so you can shape the hat form out of wet clay, using
ribs and the motion of the wheel to give life to the
shape (2). The top portion is a small, hollow cylinder.
measurement from the cylinder to make sure the rim of
the lid is the right width (3).
TRIMMING
When the parts are leather hard, they’re ready to trim.
Trim out all of the excess clay from the bottom of the
canister body, leaving a deep foot ring (4). Then use
an X-Acto knife to remove rectangular cutouts on the
front and back of the foot ring. This establishes the
pot as a biped form and thus anthropomorphizes the
design (5).
Use calipers to measure the diameter of the inside
edge of the body’s rim, then transfer that measurement
to the bottom of the lid. The lid is still a very thick piece
of clay, so use a needle tool to measure the thickness
in key spots: where the flange will be and the very
center where it’s the thickest. You want to trim away
the right amount of clay, not too much or too little.
After trimming, the lid thickness should be close to the
thickness of the canister’s walls.
The canister body makes an ideal chuck to support
the lid upside-down for trimming. Using your needle-
tool measurements as a guide while also visualizing the
shape of the top of the lid, trim out the bottom of the
lid, leaving behind a flange (6). Flip the lid over and test
fit it with the canister body several times to make sure
the flange is the right size. To me, the right fit should
have a little wiggle room to it at this stage. These are
two different sized pieces and they will shrink slightly
differently as they dry and fire. If the fit is perfect at this
stage, it may disappoint you later. It’s better to establish
a fit now that will accommodate either piece shrinking
a little more than the other.
SURFACE DECORATION/
GARMENT EMBELLISHMENT
As I mentioned earlier, the canister body is covered
with brushstrokes of white slip. Prop the canister up
on a narrow chuck, which allows your brush to make
 Snack and Tea
an uninterrupted swoop off of the bottom edge of the Dip the bottom
half, then dip
pot (7). Set the chuck on top of a banding wheel, so
the top half of
you can spin the pot incrementally after each brush the exterior to
stroke of slip. When everything is bone dry, use black overlap two glaze
dips creating
underglaze and a tiny brush to paint on the garment
a waistline on
sash (8). Again, use a banding wheel to aide with this the pot.
process. Bisque fire the pots together (the lid placed on
the canister) to cone 04.

GLAZING
9
The glazing process begins by dipping the foot ring
of the canister body and the rim in melted wax. I Add subtle
use liquid cold wax, applied with a brush, to wax the texture to the
concave surfaces on the underside of the lid. I glaze exterior by
splattering on
the interior of the canister body with a glossy, off-white layers of glazes
liner glaze, by pouring in then pouring out. Next, I glaze to create shadow
the outside of the canister body in a light gray, semi- and depth.

matte glaze. I dip the bottom half, then dip the top
half, aiming to place the overlap of the two dips near
the middle of the painted garment sash (9). This is to
further suggest a waistline-like area for the pot. Finally, I
10
dip the lid in a dark gray, matte glaze.
After the pieces have been dipped in glaze, the
The final glazing
remaining glazing steps are all designed to add subtle touch involves
texture and depth to the surfaces. I have a few favorite flinging loose
tools for this: sprayers, splatterers, and brushes. The brush strokes
of a subtle
same three glazes that I’ve mentioned before get used contrasting glaze.
again, to layer over the dipped glazes via spraying and
splattering. I spray the dark gray glaze over the light
gray canister body, creating soft shadows of dark gray.
I splatter the glossy liner glaze over the dark gray lid,
using a splatter tool (10).
The final glazing step is to use a deer-tail hair brush 11
to make long, loose brush strokes of dark gray glaze
onto the canister body. The correct verb here is fling. I
fling the glaze off of the brush and onto the pot with
quick wrist movements (11). These brush strokes add
vertical movement, further suggesting the swishing
of the hanbok’s flowing fabric. Finally, fire the pots
together to cone 6.
The finished canister functions perfectly
as a cookie jar. Some of you are probably
wondering, “does she make an ahjumma
hanbok” (the female version)? I haven’t fully
figured it out yet, but I’m working on it! The
ahjumma doesn’t wear a hat, therefore this
design is shaping up to be a vase.

77
 RECIPE

Spice
Cookies
by Mea Rhee

Ingredients:
• ¾ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• turbinado sugar, for topping
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, cream together
the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and molasses, then
beat until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, five-spice powder,
ginger, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula
until thoroughly incorporated. The dough should be stiff
and somewhat dry.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Dip the tops of the balls
in turbinado sugar. Place the balls 2 inches apart on the
prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 3

dozen cookies.

Once your cookies are baked,

store the remainder in your new,
handmade ahjoshi hanbok jars.

78
 Snack and Tea
Thrown and
Decorated
Teapot
by Doug Peltzman

Doug Peltzman alters the surface of

his teapot with various modified ribs,
before inlaying it with black slip.

The teapot form has always been the most challenging Throw and form
the body. Leave a
and enjoyable pot for me to make. It gives the maker
thick rim to create
and user so many things to look at and interact with. the flange for
The challenge essentially is to make all of the parts the lid.
somehow work, both physically and aesthetically. The
spout, handle, body, foot, lid, knob, and surface provide
infinite possibilities for play. I’ve happily struggled
with those possibilities for almost ten years, and
looking back, my teapot investigations have informed
everything I’ve made in clay.
1
TEAPOT BODY
Begin by thoroughly wedging the clay, even if it’s been Using a modified
rib, create
processed through a pug mill. For each teapot, prepare horizontal
two balls of a throwing clay, one ball that is 1½ pounds decorative rings.
(for the spout and lid) and another that is 3 pounds
(for the body). Note: I use a Grolleg porcelain—since
a smooth clean clay body is essential to my process,
because impurities obstruct the fluidity of the surface
decoration. Center the 3-pound ball using slip-like
slurry rather than water, which is ideal for throwing
with porcelain, as it adds less water to the clay, helping
2
maintain strength and plasticity. Form a cylinder,
define the floor of the teapot with a sponge, and then
Using another
compress it with a rib. Leave about a half inch of clay at modified rib,
the bottom to allow for trimming a deep foot. remove any
Throw the walls upward until they are about an 1⁄8 throwing marks.
Clean up the rim
of an inch thick, leaving a thicker mass of clay at the and foot.
rim for the lid flange. Form the volume of the teapot
and remove throwing lines using a flexible metal rib.
Compress from the inside by applying pressure into the
rib held on the outside, this simultaneously shapes the
teapot and removes unwanted throwing lines.
Begin to form the gallery/flange that the lid will
3
sit in. Use your left index finger to apply downward

79
 Start the spout pressure to the inner half of the rim area, and your left
by throwing a
middle finger to provide resistance, hence squeezing
3–4 inch collared,
bottomless out the flange (1).
cylinder off Next, add decorative rings to the pot. This is a good
the hump.
time to decide how you want to break up the form; in
this case it will be three rings. I use a modified rib with
a half circle ground out, and apply equal pressure from
the inside and the outside to create horizontal rings (2).
Using another custom-shaped metal rib, remove marks
made from applying the rings and clean up the rim and
foot area (3).
4 Use the tip of a modified butter knife to refine the
gallery, which creates a clean rounded space for the lid
Apply decorative to sit into. Then use a small piece of plastic or chamois
rings, and add
and a cosmetic sponge to compress and clean up the
a kink to the
spout by lightly flange and the foot.
touching the tip. Lastly, take a measurement of the inside of the flange
with calipers. Cut the pot off the wheel, and allow the
body to dry evenly until it’s ready for trimming.

SPOUT AND LID

Throw both the lid and the spout off the hump from
the same 1½ pound ball of clay (4). Start the spout by
throwing a 3–4 inch collared cylinder about an 1⁄8 of
5 an inch thick. Swell out the bottom and slowly collar
into a cone shape. Allow enough space to get a finger
Place the teapot in the spout. Once formed, repeat the steps for making
body into a chuck
the rings on the body. After the rings are applied, bend
with pieces of cut
foam to cushion the tip by inserting a wooden tool that is smaller than
the pot. a finger into the spout and pulling gently downward.
Lightly touch the tip of the spout so it holds its form
when pressure is applied (5). Cut the spout off the
hump and set aside to stiffen up.
With the remaining clay, make the lid. Throw the
lid upside down in the shape of a small dish. Use your
calipers to measure the lid so it conforms to the flange
on the body. Consider the profile of the teapot body,
6 and how it transitions with the profile of the lid.
While waiting for the thrown parts to stiffen, pull
Trim the lid and the handles for the lid and body, and pull a few extras
apply a handle or
to get a desired fit. Bend the handle for the lid into a
knob. Use clay to
fill in where the circle shape. Allow these to stiffen evenly with the rest
handle attaches of the parts.
to the lid.
TRIMMING
Place the teapot body into a chuck centered on a foam
bat, and use additional pieces of cut foam to center
and cushion the pot upside down in the chuck (6).
This setup allows the piece to be trimmed without
having to fasten it to the bat. Once fully centered, trim
7 out the foot and shape the outside of the pot until all

80
 Snack and Tea
of the excess clay has been removed and the body is Use a drill bit to
manually make
consistently about an eighth of an inch thick.
holes in the area
Next, trim the lid on the foam bat, applying pressure the spout will
so it doesn’t move. Follow the inside shape and trim a cover. Score and
slip the two parts
ring at the top, so you can later attach the knob. Check
before joining.
and make sure the lid fits snuggly, it’s better to be a
little tight then loose, you can trim it to fit as needed.

CONSTRUCTION
Score and slip the handle to the lid—use a small piece
of clay to fill in the circle where the handle attaches to
create a fluid connection (7). 8
Next, cut the spout at an angle to fit the body, I use
a knife and a Surform rasp to get the fit just right. Make Attach the spout
to the teapot
sure the tip of the spout is close to the height of the
body and secure
body so the teapot can be fully filled with tea. Place the the join with a
spout on the body and outline its placement. Use a drill soft coil of clay.
bit to manually drill holes in the body to allow for flow
and tea infusion. Score, slip, and attach the spout to the
teapot body (8). Add a small coil to smooth the transition
from the spout to the body and to secure the join (9).
Next, determine the position of the handle, and
outline its placement. Prepare the pulled handle prior
to attachment by adding and smoothing coils to the
top and bottom. This adds mass to the connection 9
areas and allows for a tapered ergonomic handle.
Similar to the spout, add a coil or two to define Separate the
piece into
the negative space and create a smooth transition sections by
between the two parts. With a rubber tipped tool and incising lines
cosmetic sponge, clean up connections and blemishes using a ruler and
a needle tool.
made during construction.

DECORATION
My decorating technique requires incised lines inlaid
with a black slip. When the teapot becomes leather
hard, brush wax on the entire piece. Note: The added
moisture from the wax can soften the piece, so be
10
careful when handling. Once the wax dries, the piece
is ready to be incised with lines, patterns, or drawings. I
Use a small brush
divide my piece into equal vertical sections using a ruler to inlay black slip
and a needle tool and incise horizontal lines by using into all the incised
the contours of the horizontal clay rings as a guide (10). lines. Allow the
piece to slowly
Now that the piece has been broken up into sections, I dry, then bisque
start by filling in every other square with a pattern. fire it.
When all of the incisions are complete, begin to
inlay black slip. Using a small brush, carefully paint slip
into each line. You’ll find that because of the wax layer
on the clay, the slip beads right into the incision (11).
The wax also helps with the clean up. Use a lightly
dampened sponge to remove any excess black slip.
11
The wax creates a barrier and doesn’t allow the

81
 After firing, apply
liquid latex to
mask off specific
areas for multiple
glaze application.
sponge to remove clay or let the black slip muddy up
the white porcelain.
The last step in the greenware stage is to apply
texture if desired. I use the teeth of a cut-up hacksaw
blade to apply texture to all of the areas that aren’t
incised and inlaid.

FINISHING
Bisque fire the teapot to at least cone 04, to ensure
12 the clay body isn’t too porous and doesn’t absorb too
much glaze, wash the piece to remove dust and allow
Once the latex it to fully dry.
dries, apply the To mask off areas for applying multiple glazes, I use
first coat of glaze. liquid latex. The latex is ammonia based, so use it in
After it dries, wax
those areas, then a well-ventilated area. Tip: To prolong the life of your
remove the latex. brushes, designate a few to use with latex only. The
latex is quite thick and fairly controllable to brush (12).
If you get some on the wrong area, wait for it to dry and
peel it up. Once all the latex has dried, you can glaze
the inside of the teapot.
To glaze the outside, plug up the spout with a small
13
piece of clay so glaze does not flood the inside of the
teapot. Hold the teapot from the foot and submerge it
Dip the teapot
into the second
into the bucket of glaze. Repeat the same steps for the
glaze. The glaze lid, leaving the bottom edge where it will rest on the
will only adhere kiln shelf unglazed. Once the glaze has dried, apply a
to areas where
the latex had
coat of wax over the glazed areas to ensure the second
been. Wipe off glaze coat doesn’t adhere to or mix with the first. When
excess glaze drips. the wax is dry, you can peel off the latex (13). Apply a
second coat of a different colored glaze (14). The glaze
will only stick to the areas where you removed the
latex. Beads of glaze may stick to the waxed layer of
14 glaze; just use a clean, lightly damp sponge to wipe off
the excess prior to firing.
Teapot and cup set. When preparing to fire porcelain, apply wax mixed
Teapot, 8¼ in. (21 cm)
with a bit of alumina to the foot and lid so they do not
in height, wheel-thrown
porcelain, fired to cone 8 stick to the shelf during the firing. Fire the piece to the
in oxidation. recommended temperature for your clay and glaze.

82
 Snack and Tea
RECIPE

Super Moist
Banana Bread
by Doug Peltzman

Ingredients: Instructions:
• ½ cup butter Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan/baker.
• 3 eggs Start by mashing up the bananas in a bowl, then add the
• 1 cup bananas (2 to 4 over ripe bananas) rest of the ingredients and mix well with a mixer.
• ¼ cup milk Pour the mixture into a pan/baker.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Bake for 60 minutes, maybe less depending on the thickness
• 2 cups flour of your loaf.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Serve with my favorite tea,

genmaicha, and enjoy!

83
84
 CHAPTER FOUR
Happy Hour

85
 Olive Trays
by Sumi von Dassow

Olives don't always need to be served

in a bowl, try making your own
variation of Sumi von Dassow's long,
narrow olive trays.

Lay the extrusion An olive tray is a canoe-shaped dish that can be used
flat between
for olives or other small appetizers. After a few tries
dowels and
pull a cutting with slabs, I settled on an extruded tube, cut in half
wire along the and pinched together at the ends. And since it can be
sticks to bisect
both challenging and boring to handbuild a perfectly
the extrusion.
straight form in clay, I make my olive trays S-shaped.
I use a hexagonal extruder die with a round inside
piece, so the bottom of the olive tray is flat but the
inside is rounded (no corners inside means it’s easy
to clean) and pack the barrel full of soft clay. I extrude
about 14 inches of clay and cut it off. I lay the extrusion
1 down on a ware board between two 1-inch dowel rods
or 1×1-inch sticks that are about 18 inches long. The
Cut the ends sticks should be exactly half the height of the extrusion
straight, curve the
trays as desired
so they line up with the corners of the hexagon. I use
(they will want to my cutting wire to slice it in half lengthwise, pulling
curve naturally), toward myself (1). I try to cut it exactly in half, right
and pinch the
ends together.
along the corner of the hexagon. In fact, I try to cut
along the weak corner where the Z-bracket held the
center piece into the die. This will help prevent the
extrusion from splitting along this seam as you are
working on it. Cutting is faster and cleaner with a
cutting wire than with a knife; also, wet clay cut with
a sharp blade tends to stick back together again. It’s
2 easier to cut and shape these if you let the clay set up a
bit after extruding it.
Score and join the
I peel the two halves apart and form each one
ends then smooth
the joins and the into an S-shape. Then I cut the ends even and pinch
long cut edges. them together (2). After sponging the cut edges
and smoothing the ends where they were pinched
together (3), I’m done. I use stoneware clay and glaze
them with colors that I imagine would complement
olives. And of course an olive tray can be used for
plenty of things other than olives. Mine end up about
an 1½ wide, so there are lots of small finger foods that
can fit in them including dolmades (stuffed grape
leaves) because they can be a lot of work to make and
3
you might as well show them off in a special dish!

86
 Happy Hour
RECIPE

Dolmades
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1 jar grape leaves (one pint), 35 to 50 leaves Saute onion in ¼ cup of olive oil until soft; stir in nuts, raisins,
• 2 cups cooked rice parsley, and rice. Add salt and pepper, cinnamon, allspice, or
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus ½ cup other seasonings to taste, if desired.

• 1 large onion, chopped

Unroll a bundle of grape leaves from the jar and rinse off
• ⁄3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1
the brine. Lay one leaf down, vein side up. Cut off the stem if
• ⁄3 cup currants or raisins
1
it’s tough.
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• juice of one lemon Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the leaf and fold
• seasoning to taste: salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, etc. in the sides of the leaf, then roll loosely from the stem end.

When all the filling is used up, place any extra leaves in the
bottom of a heavy pot and arrange the filled leaves on top,
seam sides down, packing tightly, and layering if necessary.
Pour ½ cup olive oil over all, then lemon juice and a cup
of water.

Cover the leaves with a plate to keep them down, bring the
pot to a boil, then cover it and turn the heat to a simmer.

Cook about 30 minutes, adding water if necessary.

Let the dolmades cool in the pot, then chill and serve.

87
 Footed Slab
Plate
by Liz Zlot Summerfield

Liz Zlot Summerfield's handbuilt

slab plates are versatile in use, and
offer an open canvas to play with a
variety of surface treatments.

Create a master The weakest link in a slab plate (consisting of only a slab
pattern, stencil,
and a foot) is the foot. It’s often uneven, off center, and
and foot ring
out of paper. unconvincing. A common technique is to add a coil,
Trace and cut the place the plate on a potter’s wheel and throw it onto the
master pattern
slab. This often leaves a bump where the coils are joined
and the stencil
on a slab. Use and it has a tendency to crack. The fix to these issues is to
the stencil to create a foot ring and apply it as one cohesive piece.
mark the foot
ring placement.
CONSTRUCTING THE PLATE AND THE FOOT
Starting out, consider keeping the plate shape simple:
1 try a square, circle, or rectangle. Draw and cut out the
shape of your plate on paper and make two copies of
Attach the foot this shape. Save one to cut out the plate shape, and
ring and refine its
form. Use a small on the other draw a foot ring—this may take some
roller on the foot experimenting as the size of the foot ring will alter the
ring to eliminate look and stance of the plate. Cut out the foot ring by
any unevenness
and help create a folding the paper in half, then cutting along your drawn
solid connection lines. Once the paper foot is cut out, you’ll be left with a
between the foot stencil to help center the foot ring on the slab.
and the plate
Roll out a slab large enough to trace around one
plate template and one foot-ring template. For smaller
plates, I roll to a thickness of about 3⁄8–½ inch. This
2
thickness alleviates warping during the drying and
firing processes. After rolling your slabs, it’s important to
Place your fingers
under the plate
run a rubber rib along the surface of both sides of the
and your thumbs slab. This compresses the clay particles and removes any
on top and gently canvas texture from the working surface.
press down in the
center of the slab
Trace the patterns with a needle tool before cutting
to shape the plate. them out with a knife. Hold the knife perpendicular to
Rotate the plate the slab and cut in one even motion (1).
and gently lift all
four sides using
your fingers.
APPLYING THE FOOT
Place the stencil onto the cut out slab and trace the
interior ring with your needle tool. This traced line
3
will act as a guide as to where to place the foot ring

88
 Happy Hour
and keep it centered (see 1). Since both the clay slab
and foot ring are the same consistency and very wet,
you will only need water to attach the foot ring to the
slab. Brush water onto the slab and put the foot ring in
place using the traced lines for guidance. Gently apply
pressure with your thumb and index finger to affix the
foot ring to the slab. Refine the finished foot ring to
follow your aesthetic. Avoid using any additional water
as you refine it and smooth just with your fingers. A
rubber-tipped tool is useful in cleaning and blending
the connection between the slab and the foot ring.
The final step in applying the foot ring is to use a small
4
roller to eliminate unevenness (2). Leave the plate
upside down until it’s ready to be flipped and formed.
Create a yogurt-like
consistency slip from
SHAPING THE PLATE your clay body to
Success in handbuilding functional forms is about create a raised line on
the surface of the plate
knowing the correct timing to touch the clay. When the
with a slip trailer. Allow
plate reaches soft leather hard, flip it over onto its foot the lines to dry (4).
and place it onto a small board. Next, place the board Apply 1–2 coats of
underglaze with a soft
on a banding wheel. Place your fingers under the plate
moppy brush. After the
and your thumbs on top of the plate and gently press underglaze dries, use
down in the center (3)—you’ll feel the foot ring under a metal rib and gently
scrape the underglaze
your thumbs. Press against the foot ring to create more
off the raised slip-
depth in the plate. Use your fingers to gently lift the trailed lines to expose
sides of the plate. Slowly work your way around the 5
the red clay (5).
plate by spinning the banding wheel. Finally, look at
the edges of the plate from eye level and make sure Carve subtractive
there is an even curve on all four sides. Gently cover the lines using a
sgraffito tool or
plate with plastic until it becomes stiff leather hard and
sharp pointed
appropriate for surface decoration. tool. Here I’m
echoing the
SLIP-TRAILING AND CARVING SURFACES shape of the plate
and creating a
When the plate reaches leather hard, it’s perfect to slip frame around
trail, carve, and apply underglaze. To create a raised the slip-trailed
surface, but not a change in color, I slake down my clay surface decoration.

body and create a slip with a yogurt-like consistency

for slip trail application (4). The size of the tip and the
consistency of the slip determines the line quality. After
“drawing” with the slip, allow the lines to dry before 6
brushing the entire plate with 1–2 coats of white
underglaze. Once the underglaze is dry to the touch, take Add accent colors
by applying
a metal rib and gently scrape it off the raised slip-trailed underglaze using
surface (5). This exposes the red clay and accentuates a slip trailer or
the slip-trailed drawing. To contrast the raised surface, brush. After the
plate has been
carve accent lines using a sgraffito tool (6). Apply colored bisqued, apply
underglaze using a slip trailer or a brush for a small 1–2 thin coats of
amount of accent color (7). Allow the plate to become glaze with a soft,
moppy brush,
bone dry under thin plastic to eliminate warping. then glaze fire
the plate.
APPLYING THE GLAZE
Clean the surface of the plate before glazing, then
apply 1–2 coats of glaze with a soft moppy brush. Glaze
7
fire the piece to temperature.

89
 RECIPE

Roasted Strawberry
Bruschetta
by Liz Zlot Summerfield

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 2 cups strawberries sliced Preheat oven to 350°F.
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 loaf French bread sliced thin Slice strawberries into a bowl and gently mix in the
balsamic vinegar. Spread strawberries onto a baking sheet
• olive oil (enough to coat bread)
and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• 1 cup goat cheese (preferably room temperature)
• ½ cup fresh basil chopped Slice bread into thin pieces, coat with olive oil, and broil on
• salt and pepper each side until toasted and crisp. Spread goat cheese onto
hot bread and top with roasted berries.

I love this recipe because I am able to source

my garden for most of the ingredients. It’s Garnish with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh basil.
mildly sweet, tangy, and savory all in one bite! Serve immediately.

90
 Happy Hour
Colored Clay
Slip-Cast
Cups
by Peter Pincus

Peter Pincus creates the patterns on his

work with colored slips, a plaster mold,
and a master plan.

As my artistic goals matured and evolved, so did my Slip is ready when

it spreads across
processes. I never planned to be a slip-caster, but there
finger without
came a time when my ideas for surface composition exposing clumps
grew beyond the scope of what I could do with bisque of Mason stain.
ware, painter’s tape, glaze, and wax resist. Through a
great deal of experimentation in the studio, I found
that only casting porcelain using plaster molds offered
the precision I was after. So I developed a hybrid
throwing and slip casting process that worked in the
way I needed it to. What had been initially a step in an
awkward direction—full of plaster disasters and ugly 1
forms—eventually became a comfortable process that
completely transformed my work. Brush the
first layer of
I aspire to make crisp porcelain forms with lines and casting slip on
panels of bright color, impeccably executed, and free plaster mold.
from glaze flaws. The process I’ve developed achieves
those aspirations.

COLORED SLIP PREPARATION

Begin with a porcelain casting slip and commercial
stain (e.g. Mason stains). The porcelain slip responds
well to colorant additions and makes everything bright.
2
Mix 45 grams of dry stain to 590 grams wet casting
slip. Place stain on top of the slip and then pour a
Cut lines into
tablespoon of water on top of the stain immediately the leather-
before mixing to help de-clump the stain. The slip is hard casting
ready for use when it spreads consistently between slip with a sharp
X-Acto knife.
your fingers without revealing any concentrated
pockets of color (1). It’s best to wear gloves when
checking the colored slip.

BRUSHING AND CUTTING

Using a 1½-inch Royal & Langnickel Series 788 Hake
brush (available at art supply stores), brush casting slip
3
on the plaster mold (2). Thicker is better, because

91
 Casting slip easily if applied sparingly, the brush sticks to the plaster and
peels off the mold
leaves behind a pitted surface that’s very difficult to
at the leather-
hard stage. remove. Rotate the piece around to avoid slip pooling
in one area, which creates inconsistency in thickness.
When the slip is leather hard (about 30–60 seconds)
gently cut lines through it with a sharp knife point (3).
Note: Excessive pressure will cut deep into the mold,
making it difficult to sand out later. Then, simply peel
the unwanted slip up from the mold (4) and wipe away
any remnants with a sponge.

4
LAYERING
Repeat the above steps, this time using colored slips, as
Apply a second many times as necessary. With each cut and removal of
coat of casting sections of unwanted slip and successive application
slip. This time it is
a value of gray. of a different colored slip, a new layer forms on the
exposed plaster and on top of the previous layer of slip
(5, 6). When finished, the final layer sits on top of the
rest of the colored slips, partially or mostly obscuring
some of them.
The entire process, from creating and cutting away
layers of color to casting white slip on top of these
layers needs to happen all in one work session. The
longest I’ve been able to work on creating the colored
5 pattern is 3 hours, though most compositions take
between 45 minutes and 1½ hours. Most cups take
Cutting into about an hour to complete. What’s challenging about
leather-hard slip this process is that since you’re working inside the
to add the 9th slip
mold, it’s impossible to see what’s being produced
layer, which will
be a light blue. because each new layer hides the previous one. It’s
helpful to draw a blueprint of the composition on a
separate piece of paper and refer to it while layering
each colored slip (7). Remember, you are working inside
the mold, therefore any compositional structure shows
in reverse on the final product.

CASTING
6
When finished, you’ll have a lumpy, multi-colored
veneer of leather-hard porcelain approximately
A blueprint of the
1
⁄16–1⁄8-inch thick coating each casting surface. Using a
basic composition plastic knife, scrape all colored porcelain from the sides,
helps to keep bottom, top, and back of the mold sections, then clean
the process of
applying colored
them with a sponge (8). Strap the mold together and
slips from getting fill it with casting slip using the same recipe or base
too confusing. slip used to create the colored slips. Wet casting slip
re-hydrates the veneer of colored slip, causing the two
to fuse together. My cups generally cast for 20 minutes
while larger molds take an hour (times vary depending
on the slip recipe used, the size, thickness, and dryness
of the plaster mold, and the desired thickness of the
cast). When the desired wall thickness is achieved, pour
7
out the excess casting slip.

92
 Happy Hour
GREENWARE Clean excess clay
from the sides,
Within two hours, the piece detaches from the mold, top, bottom, and
taking the veneer of colored slip with it, as well as all back of each
section, then
X-Acto scratches and divots from the plaster (9). When assemble the
the piece is bone dry, lightly scrape the surface with a mold to cast
metal rib and use steel wool or other kitchen scrubbing a final white
slip interior.
pad to round over all sharp edges. Don’t expect a
finished product at this time, just a slightly less nicked
up piece of greenware. Bisque fire the piece.

POST-BISQUE
After bisque firing, the piece is strong enough for wet 8
sanding. Submerge it in water until it’s completely
saturated. Tape a dampened piece of wet/dry silicon Demold the cup
after an hour of
carbide sandpaper to a flat surface, and rub the foot drying. Clean the
of the piece across the sandpaper to smooth and surface with a
polish the bottom. Working on a wet form with damp metal rib, allow
the piece to
sandpaper prevents dust from being created. If you dry fully, then
do create any dust while sanding, be sure to wear the bisque fire.
appropriate dust mask to protect yourself. Sand away
all surface imperfections from lip to foot with 320-grit
wet/dry sandpaper (10). Using a fine-grit sandpaper
allows for a smoother and more polished surface. If
your surface is heavily marred, work from a coarser
grit (180) first, then move to an intermediate grit (220), 9
and finish with 320-grit or finer sandpaper. Rinse the
piece off when finished and allow it to dry completely. Sand all pits,
divots, craters,
TAPE, GLAZE, AND WAX RESIST and incised lines
off the surface
To create a piece that is only partially glazed, which with wet/dry
accentuates the colored slip patterns in different sandpaper and
water. Clean and
ways, you’ll need to glaze the inside first, then section soften the lip.
off the exterior so that parts of it resist the glaze. Pour
a liner glaze into the interior of the form then pour
out the excess, and apply a glaze inside the foot ring
if you have one. When the glaze is dry, brush wax
resist on the foot ring and under the foot and clean all
excess glaze drips. 10
When the wax is completely dry, use painter’s tape
to section off one half of the outside of the piece. For After sanding,
this piece, I’ve chosen to tape off along the vertical rinse and dry
facets. Holding the form upside down, pour clear the cup. Pour
first panel of
glaze over the form, starting at the bottom, moving glaze. When dry,
up one piece of tape, across the foot, down the brush wax resist
second piece of tape. Immediately repeat the process over the glaze,
let dry, then
in reverse (11). finish glazing.
When the glaze is dry, apply wax resist over the
glazed area and remove the painter’s tape. Allow the
wax to harden for an hour (using a fan helps). Repeat
the glazing process on the second side of the piece.
Sponge any additional glaze off the waxed surface
11
and you’re done!

93
 RECIPE

G&T
by Holly Goring

Ingredients:
• 4 to 5 craft tonic-water ice cubes
• 3 ounces London dry gin
• 4 ounces craft tonic water
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions:
To make the tonic water ice cubes, simply fill an empty ice-cube
tray with your favorite craft tonic water, and let the cubes freeze.
Covered well, the cubes will remain fresh tasting in the freezer for
at least a few weeks.

To make the cocktail, place the ice cubes in a tall, narrow,

chilled glass (the cubes should come up
near the top.)

Add the gin, then the tonic water, then

the lime juice, and stir well.

Garnish with a fresh lime wedge and

serve immediately.

94
 Happy Hour
Sipping
Service
by Mike Jabbur

Mike Jabbur's Liquor Service includes

wheel-thrown porcelain cups and a
handbuilt earthenware serving caddy.

Making a set is always a complicated, challenging task. Compress and

smooth the
You must consider the relationships among various
cylinder then
elements of a single pot, relationships between pots, make a spiral on
the finished presentation, and the processes and the bottom half.
materials that best convey the idea of the set. I enjoy
this task; it allows me to orchestrate function and
consider my pots in a sculptural sense. While every
pot has a sculptural presence, working with multiple
components challenges me in a unique way that often
leads to less obvious compositional solutions.
1
THROWING THE POURER
When centering clay on the wheel, I always cone the Stretch the form
from the inside
clay to allow for even water distribution and a more until it is near the
centered ball of clay—centering throughout the entire point of collapse.
ball of clay, rather than just centering the outside of
the clay. Pots that will have a trimmed foot are always
opened with a bowl-shaped bottom, creating an
inverted arch that provides support for the finished
piece during the firing process. After opening the
clay, push the thick wall and rim into a cone shape,
preemptively countering the centrifugal force that
2
occurs when throwing on the wheel. With each pull,
raise the clay, straightening the walls. Because I stretch
Cut the rim with
my forms from the inside, I prefer making the basic an up-and-down
shape (prior to altering) more of a cooling tower form motion using a
rather than a straight-walled cylinder. cheese slicer.
After pulling the cylinder, rib the wall, first with a
wooden rib, then with two different ribs. I do one pass
with a rubber rib on the inside and a flexible steel rib on
the outside, and then one or two more passes with one
rubber rib on the inside and one on the outside. This
process allows me to compress any throwing rings and
to create a tight, skin-like surface on the outside of the
3
form, a surface that I find ideal for dramatic stretching.

95
 Small trimming Once you have a smooth surface, create a band at
tools help create
crisp, clean lines
the bottom of the form, then use a soft rib to make
and transitions. a severe spiral that will gradually become subtler
through the stretching process (1). I find that throwing
lines and rib marks on the same piece often compete
with one another, and I generally prefer one or the
other (and in the case of my work, I prefer the mark
of the rib). As you stretch from the inside, follow the
pattern of the rib mark while remaining aware of the
4
overall composition and gesture of the form (2). For
this pourer, cut the rim with a cheese slicer to create a
Score the inside
of the pot, attach
dramatic, meandering line (3), then soften and round
a coil of clay to the cut with a sponge and chamois.
create a flange.
TRIMMING AND ASSEMBLING
Trim the pot once it’s leather hard (4). I trim nearly
every pot I make on a bisque-fired chuck with a leather-
hard coil of clay on the top rim. After centering and
securing the chuck and pot, apply downward pressure
while trimming to keep the pot sealed to the chuck.
5
Because I always leave a section of the pot unglazed, I
Stretch a slab top
create clean lines when trimming, which gives me crisp
into a shallow edges to follow when waxing and glazing.
bowl shape After articulating the foot ring and matching the
and add it to
the flange. curve of the inside of the foot ring to the outside wall
to assure even wall thickness, I cut three pieces from
the foot to echo the gesture and movement of the
rest of the pot. The three cuts create a tripod of sorts,
providing movement at the bottom of the pot while
maintaining stability. Flatten the foot slightly with the
6 edge of a fettling knife, then polish with a soft rib.
Next, I compress and blend a coil to the inside of
Attach one end the clay wall, (5). This addition allows me to add a bowl-
of the handle shaped slab top, creating an enclosed form (6). Use a
to the top, pull
and attach the slightly moist sponge to compress and blend the seam
other end. between the slab top and the pourer. Excess water at
this point encourages cracking as the pot dries.
I usually pull handles directly from the pot (7). With
this technique, I can visualize the proportions better
than when pulling the handle first, then attaching it.
Score the top and bottom points of attachment to
7 make sure there is a strong connection that will resist
separation due to the porcelain’s high shrinkage rate.
Stretch the back
Next, throw and attach the spout. I like to attach
of the spout using
a blunt tool (8). spouts when they are still fairly wet so I can shape
Cut the spout them to match the contour of the pot. Use a rib to
from the hump at
shape and compress, then make a small dent with the
an angle with a
wire tool (9). edge of a wooden rib and stretch from the inside with
a blunt tool on the opposing side to create a gesture
in the spout that relates to the rest of the pot (8). Push
the spout back in the middle (on the dented side).
Then, supporting the middle, push the top of the spout
8 9
forward to create an S-curve that you find both visually

96
 Happy Hour
and functionally successful. Use a make-up type Score the clay and
carefully attach
sponge to remove fingerprints and to shape the clay
the spout to
without otherwise denting or distorting it. the pourer.
After cutting a hole in the pot for the liquid to pass
through, wire the spout off at an angle (9) and remove
extra clay from the inside. Clean the cut edge with a
fettling knife and then use a soft rib to roll and smooth
the edge. Hold the spout up to the pourer, trace the
edge with a needle tool, and cut away excess clay from
the hole to about ¼ inch inside the traced line. After 10

scoring both surfaces and applying some Magic Water,

attach the spout (10). Score the
knob and the
inside bottom
of the stopper
Tip: Good scoring and a little bit of Magic Water then attach.
(3 grams soda ash, 9½ grams sodium silicate, 1
gallon water), applied with a dropper, are ideal
for making all attachments with porcelain.

To make the stopper, throw a small, steep-sided

11
bowl shape off the hump. Cut the rim then smooth it
in the same manner as the rim of the pourer. Shape the
Add a small lug
outside with a soft rib before cutting the stopper off to the back of
the hump using a needle tool. the stopper to
Alter a coil for the knob using the edge of your lock it in place
during use.
thumb, and cut the top at an angle with a sharp
knife. Score the end of the knob and the interior of
the stopper then attach them together (11). Bend
the knob into an S-curve. Add a small lug of clay to
the back of the stopper to prevent it from falling out
when pouring (12). Cut a hole in the top of pourer to
12
accept the stopper, soften the edge using a little water,
and cut a notch from the back of the hole to make room
Notch the back
for the lug (13). Apply a couple of strategically placed of the hole to
slip dots to visually key the two parts together (14). accommodate
the lug.
When throwing the shot glasses for this set, I always
use small, individual balls of clay rather than throwing
off the hump, to prevent S cracks.

FIRING THE VESSELS

I bisque fire my porcelain to cone 06 and glaze fire
to a flattened cone 9/soft cone 10 in a reduction 13
atmosphere. I leave some surfaces—such as the spout,
knob, and handle—unglazed. I sand these unglazed Apply two slip
surfaces at the bisque stage with drywall and fine-grit dots to visually
sandpaper, then again after the glaze firing with wet/ key the pourer
and stopper
dry sandpaper. together. Photos:
Penina Meisels.

14

97
 RECIPE

Mojito
by Mike Jabbur

Ingredients: Instructions:
MOJITO SIMPLE SYRUP
• 1 lime Bring 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar just to a boil.
• fresh mint (about 10 leaves) Reduce heat and stir about 1 minute to dissolve all of the
• 1 ounce simple syrup (or to taste) sugar. Cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator in
an airtight container. Keeps at least 1 month.
• 2 ounces white rum
• club soda MOJITO
• sprig of mint (garnish)
Add the juice of ½ a lime, fresh mint leaves, and simple syrup
SIMPLE SYRUP to a cocktail glass. Muddle until the leaves begin to break up
and the liquid turns pale green.
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar Fill the glass with ice and add the rum. Gently stir, or empty
the contents into a cocktail shaker, then back into the
cocktail glass.
I don’t like overly sweet cocktails, so I leave out
the simple syrup when I make one for myself.
Add as much or as little syrup as you desire. Squeeze the remaining half lime into the glass, and drop in the
½ lime. Top off with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.

98
 Happy Hour
Elegant
Goblet
by Yoshi Fujii

Yoshi Fujii’s wheel-thrown goblets are

glazed with soft celadon colors that
emphasize his intricately carved patterns.

In 2010, I participated in the 12-week residency Throw a

stem using a
exchange program at Tainan National University
kidney-shaped
of the Arts in Taiwan through Baltimore Clayworks. wooden rib.
During the time I spent there and the short visit
to my home in Japan, I experienced many great
conversations and connections with old and new
friends that revolved around sharing various drinks.
Based on this experience, I decided to focus on both
creating drinking vessels as I practiced my skills and on
collecting patterns and motifs for surface decorations
during the residency. This continues to be the interest 1

and inspiration in my current studio practice.

Use a wooden
EVERYDAY ELEGANCE knife to make a
cutting line for
Drinking cups are high-use items that people get the stem.
attached to. I use my yunomi for almost every drink
at home; from milk or orange juice in the morning
and coffee in the afternoon to wine or scotch at night.
I hope my work is chosen to be part of someone’s
everyday life, like enjoying 15 minutes with a cup of
coffee or tea on quiet morning while everyone else
is asleep or relaxing with a drink after a long day of
2
hard work. Recently, I have received more requests for
the goblets I make. People select them both as a gift
Use a wooden
for weddings or other special events and for simply knife to trim
making daily rituals special. down the
bottom of the
THROWING THE STEM AND CUP tumbler/body.

First, I throw the stem of a goblet off the hump, like

I am making a small bowl with a tall, flared foot.
Compressing with the round end of a wooden rib helps
the curve to be consistent in size and form (1). I create
a groove with a wooden knife tool at the bottom of the
stem and cut it off of the hump using a cut-off wire (2).
3
While the stem is drying, I throw the body of a goblet

99
 Trim the leather- on a bat. For a goblet, I begin with 1¼ pounds of clay
hard stem
and throw to 5¾ inches in height (so it shrinks down to
to create an
hourglass shape. the target size of 5½ inches when leather hard). I trim
and clean the tumbler as much as possible while it’s
still freshly thrown on a bat (3). It’s important to erase
the outside throwing lines with a straight-edged rib,
so there is no visual distraction when I draw and carve
designs on the surface.
While the body dries, I trim the stem into an
hourglass shape (4) suggesting a pedestal for this
4
drinking vessel. The center axis of the stem is thick, so I
trim it hollow to take away some of the extra weight (5).
Trim the inside
of the top of
the stem to ASSEMBLING THE GOBLET
reduce thickness
When I assemble the body and stem together, I carefully
and weight.
select the perfect matches. Even though the parts are all
measured, thrown, and trimmed in the same way, each
piece is still slightly different. The body is placed back
on to the wheel upside down, then the corresponding
edges of the cup or tumbler bottom and the stem are
slipped and scored, centered, and compressed well (6).
5 I poke a hole in the bottom of the stem with a needle
tool to vent the hollowed-out area during the firing and
Score and add disguise the mark with my stamp (7).
slip to the two
parts, attach, I usually make only five to six of the same form,
then compress like these goblets at one time. I can throw more but
the connection. throwing more pots means that I also have to carve
that many pots before they get too dry, and that
is difficult to manage. To preserve the strength of
my hands and fingers after long hours of carving,
unfortunately I have to limit the number of pots I make
at a time.
6
DRAWING PATTERNS
Poke a hole Once the pot becomes leather hard, I draw patterns
into the stem and motifs on the surface. After placing the pot on a
to vent the
hollow area then
flat surface, a guiding vertical line is drawn between
sign or stamp the rim and bottom using a soft 8B drawing pencil and
the bottom. a clear flexible ruler. Starting at the guide line, the rim
is then divided into twelve sections using a decorating
disk (8), and the bottom of the body is also measured
into twelve with compass dividers (9).
Here is when more complicated design work starts.
First I draw the vertical lines connecting the points at
7
the rim and foot to separate the surface into six planes.

100
 Happy Hour
Next, starting from the rim of the goblet, I measure Mark the rim
with a decorating
the distance between two of the lines (usually 1 inch)
disk to divide
using the dividers. Keeping this measurement, I make the surface
a mark that is this distance down from the rim on into six sections.
the vertical line. I place my dividers on this new mark,
measure between two of the vertical lines again, (the
measurement becomes slightly narrower) then use
the first mark I made on the vertical line as the starting
point and mark off this new distance further down
the line. I repeat this process, measuring the distance
8
between the vertical lines at the last mark made, then
continuing to mark off the corresponding lengths
Mark the sections
down the vertical line until I reach the middle of the along the
goblet. Changing the size of the horizontal spacing by bottom using a
small increments creates a scale shift in the divisions compass. Connect
the marks.
and subsequently in the patterns that I create based
on the divisions. The scale of the repeating elements
decreases as the diameter of the cup decreases.
Continue to measure the incrementally smaller
divisions between the vertical lines (10) and marking
this distance on the vertical line, starting at the rim and
working down, and finishing when the dividers meet 9
the bottom of the cup (11). Once one section has been
marked off, transfer the marks to the other vertical Measure the width
between the
lines. This method for measuring is usually pretty close vertical lines. Mark
each time, but even if this drawing process is slightly this measurement
off, I can adjust the distance as I connect the marks on the vertical
line, then repeat
diagonally for diamond or weaving patterns (12) or the process (10).
with concentric circles for waves. For diamond patterns, The measurement
once I reach the middle, I alternate the decorating between the
vertical lines
panels to create open areas for variety (see 12). decreases toward
the stem. Make the
CARVING AND FINISHING last mark just above
10 11
the stem (11).
After I draw patterns on the surface, the piece is
generally at the hard to leather-hard stage and it’s Connect the
time to carve! Using small triangle-shaped trimming marks on the
vertical lines
tools, I patiently carve out the surface one line at a time with a pencil
tracing the lines that I drew. Some straight lines, such as and a flexible
the window shapes, are carved without lines by using ruler to guide
your carving.
the width of the tool as a guide (13). The diamond
pattern is carved away to create a recess starting at
the bottom point to about the vertical middle of each
diamond, creating visual and physical depth (14). After
the entire surface is finished, carved edges are gently
12
wiped down to eliminate any harsh edges. I use a

101
 Carve recessed damp, wedge-shaped cosmetic sponge because it’s
windows out
of the space
extremely soft and smooth and doesn’t leave streaks
between the like a throwing sponge (15).
diagonal patterns Once the carved lines have been softened, I go
(13). Use a small
back and touch up the pattern for a second time
trimming tool
to carve the until it achieves a desirable clarity of line and depth.
diamond pattern Depending on the design and patterns, additional
defined by
detailed carving and slip decoration are added
the lines (14).
afterward (16). The secondary carving is done with a
needle tool or the carving tool, but afterward I don’t
13 14
smooth it with the cosmetic sponge, as I want to
preserve the sharper edge. At this point, I may add dots
Smooth the edges
of the carved and lines with a slip-trailing bottle filled with porcelain
areas using a wet slip to add visual three-dimensionality and tactile
cosmetic sponge.
communication back on to the surface (17). I prefer to
use a narrow tip and soft slip to have a delicate line
quality and better control.
After the pot is bisque fired to cone 06, I wipe down
the entire form with a wet sponge to clean up all
dust and unwanted marks then let it dry completely.
Celadon glaze is applied in layers by dipping to create
15 the depth into the crevices. To finish, the pot is fired in a
gas kiln to cone 10 in a reduction atmosphere.
Refine the
carved edges
and add detailed
carvings using a
small triangular
trimming tool.

16

Apply slip using

a slip-trailing
bottle to add
raised texture
after the carving
is complete.

17

102
 Happy Hour
RECIPE

Cucumber
Lime Gimlet
by Yoshi Fujii

Ingredients: Instructions:
CUCUMBER GIN CUCUMBER GIN
• 2½ cups cucumber, peeled and diced Steep cucumber in gin, cover and chill for 8 hours to 4 days.
• 4½ cups gin, covered and chilled Strain and store indefinitely in the refrigerator.

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP MINT SIMPLE SYRUP

Heat sugar and water over medium-high heat, stirring until
• 1 cup sugar
dissolved. Add mint leaves and remove from heat. Cover
• 1 cup water and steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain and discard mint.
• 1 cup mint leaves Refrigerate up to 2 months.

CUCUMBER LIME GIMLET CUCUMBER LIME GIMLET

• 4½ cups cucumber gin (or 2 ounces)
• 2¼ cups fresh lime juice (or 1 ounce)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons mint simple syrup (or ½ ounce)
• lime wedges, for garnish
• fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
In a 2-quart pitcher, stir gin, lime juice, and syrup. Refrigerate.
To serve, pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake
vigorously, and divide among ice-filled 10-ounce glasses.
(For a single drink, mix in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and
shake.) Garnish each with lime wedge and mint.

Yoshi Fujii's tall hand-carved

goblets are perfect for
enjoying cocktails, which
are traditionally served in
Collins-style glasses.

103
 Shot
Glass Set
by Brice Dyer

Brice Dyer's handbuilt shot-glass set is made

with several colors of low-fire clay influenced
by the geography he sees around him when
out rock climbing.

Roll out several Celebrating special occasions is something my family

coils of each type
has always valued. During these times my mother
of clay body,
varying the width would set the table with a fancy tablecloth, candles,
and length of and most notably, one of the many sets of specialty
the coils.
china reserved for an extravagant dinner. It’s this idea
of using objects only for deserving occasions—as well
as my interest in rock climbing—that has influenced
my layered-clay shot set. Although very different than
a set of special holiday dinnerware, the layered shot
1 set is intended to be used when people are gathered
together and enjoyed with company.
Roll out a thin slab
and add a few SHOT CUP PREP
coils to variegate
When setting out to make a layered shot set, I begin
the surface. Use a
circle cutter to cut with the shot cups. The first step is to roll out coils
out the bottoms of each type of clay body (I use four commercial
of the cups.
clay bodies including: Aardvark Terra Red, Flint
Hills Black, Aardvark Cassius Basaltic, and Laguna
Electric Brown) (1). When rolling out the coils, make
them different thicknesses to ensure variation in the
2
finished cups. Next, roll out a thin slab and roll in a few
coils and patches of other clay bodies to variegate
Add the circle and the slab’s surface. Taking a circle cutter that matches
several coils to the the diameter of the inside of my press mold, I cut out
dry press mold, several circles from the slab (2) and set them with the
then smooth and
compress the coils. These will become the bottoms of the shot cups.
cup (3). Remove it
from the mold (4). PRESS MOLDING THE SHOT CUPS
Starting with a plaster mold of a short, tapered cylinder,
take one of the circle slabs and place it in the bottom of
the mold. Next, use your fingertips to compress the slab
down, working from the center all the way around to
3 4
the outside where the clay meets the wall of the mold.

104
 Happy Hour
Two things I consider when pressing the coils to Add organic
materials and clay
form the wall of the shot cup: one is to ensure that the
coils to another
walls are a uniform thickness; second, I want to make slab, which will
the cups sturdy so they can stand up to the abuse that form the top of
the tray.
shot glasses sometimes endure. The composition of
the coils is also very important, from size of coil, type of
clay, to the direction that they are placed in the mold.
It’s nice to have both horizontal and vertical lines to
give the cup variation. Working the coils together with
5
your thumb inside of the cup from bottom to top as
you go creates a smooth interior. Once the clay walls
Sandwich the slab
reach the top of the mold place one final coil around between tarpaper
the top of the glass to create the rim (3). This is the and a thick piece
of foam, then
first thing your eyes see and your lips touch, so having
roll it through
a smooth, consistent rim is very important. Once this the slab roller to
is completed it should only take a few minutes until compress it.
the shot glass is ready to pop out of the mold (4).
Repeat these four steps to make each cup. You may
need to wait for the mold to dry in between pressings
depending on the thickness of the mold and how wet 6
the clay is.
The slab, added
LAYERED SLAB PREP coils of clay,
and organic
Making the tray form is my favorite part of creating material have
this set. There is a lot of freedom to experiment with been compressed
and the slab is
different templates, clay compositions, and finishing
now ready to
techniques. To begin, roll out two slabs: one slab stiffen up.
around ½ inch thick for the top of the tray, the other
around ¼ inch thick for the bottom. Each slab needs to
be around the same length and width, roughly 22×8
7
inches. Tip: I use tar paper instead of canvas to roll out
my slabs so that it doesn’t leave canvas marks that
Roll out a third
need to be smoothed out later. The ¼-inch slab can slab and mark it
be set aside and the top ½-inch slab can be decorated to fit as the top
of the tray. Use
with the other clay bodies (5).
the side of a ware
You can accentuate the length of the slab by board to slowly
placing coils on top of it that run long ways across the tear the edges
along the marks.
slab. I also add organic materials such as grasses, pine
needles, small twigs, etc., that impress texture into
the slab. Next, set tar paper on top of the slab, then
place a piece of foam on top of the tar paper. I use 8
3-inch-thick foam that allows me to apply pressure to
compress the decorative coils and organic materials, Plot out circles
where the shot
but not so much that I completely combine the two
glasses will sit,
or overly stretch out the slab. In order to roll the slab, then use a circle
tar paper, and foam through the slab roller, I raise the cutter to cut out
the top of the tray.
roller up until it’s easy to feed all three through (6). It’s
always a good idea to start with light pressure, then 9
apply more pressure with the roller
if needed. Roll the slab until
you have a small seam all the
way around the coils that’s

105
 Score and slip the pronounced enough to hold underglaze after being
top and bottom
bisque fired (7). Set the slabs aside to stiffen up.
tray pieces
thoroughly, then
compress the two LAYERED TRAY CONSTRUCTION
slabs together.
Once the slabs are soft leather hard, place them face
down and use a needle tool to cut a shallow line, only
¹⁄8 -inch deep, around the outside in the shape of a tray
(comfortable enough to fit four shot cups), on each
one. After you’ve traced the tray form on both slabs,
10
place the slabs along the edge of a ware board and use
the score line to slowly tear the clay until you have the
Use your fingers
to give the tray entire tray shape torn out (8). This technique results in
some visual lift by a rough edge that references the geological influences
raising the edges
in my work.
of the slab.
Next, take the ½-inch-thick slab and, using the
circle cutter, line up and cut out four circles for the shot
glasses to sit in (9). Score and slip the top and bottom
slabs and press them together (10). Once the slabs are
attached, give the tray some personality and shape by
11 lifting up the edges and working your way around the
entire tray with your fingers (11). Finally, fit your four
Place the cups shot glasses into the circles and make any adjustments
in the tray and
so they sit level in the tray (12). After the pieces are
make any final
adjustments bone dry, bisque fire them.
before letting
the entire piece GLAZING AND FINISHING
dry together.
Finally, I coat the tray and cups with AMACO Jet Black
underglaze. Wipe away the excess with a sponge
so the underglaze will stay in the texture and small
creases around the coils on the tray and shot cups (13).
12
Using four clay bodies combined with the underglaze
accents, creates color shifts mimicking rock surfaces.
Cover the tray and
cup exteriors with Allow the pieces to dry overnight, then dip them in a
a generous coat satin wash (14). After letting them dry another day, line
of underglaze
the interiors of the cups with black glossy glaze and
to ensure that
it gets into all glaze fire the set (15).
of the cracks Once the set has been fired and unloaded they’re
and creases.
ready to be enjoyed with friends and family to
celebrate a special occasion.

13

Dip the exterior

of the cup in a
satin wash to give
a warm look and
smooth feel (14).
Line the interiors
of the cups with
a food-safe glaze
and wipe away
any drips (15).

14 15

106
 Happy Hour
RECIPE

Boulevardier
by Brice Dyer

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1½ ounces bourbon Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, stir with ice, strain into
• 1 ounce Campari (a bitter apéritif ) a chilled glass, and garnish with an orange peel.
• 1 ounce sweet red vermouth

For a variation on the Boulevardier, simply switch out the bourbon for your
choice of a dry London-style gin to make a traditional Italian negroni.

107
 Whiskey
Bottles
and Cups
by Matt Schiemann

Matt Schiemann fires his wheel-

thrown stoneware whiskey jugs and
cups in wood kiln to cone 13, giving
them a natural ash glaze surface.

Throw a cone The whiskey bottle is a form that has interested me for
shape then belly
a while. It’s exciting and rewarding to create a form that
it out. Use a rib
to compress and is used in the celebration and toasting of life’s greatest
refine the curve. events. Knowing that the piece you just created will be
a part of these memories, and an integral part of the
celebration, can give one a sense of meaning in this field.
My bottles are wood fired in a train kiln with a
natural-ash glaze. Their voluptuous forms are perfect
for a wood-firing and all the color you see in the final
form comes solely from the clay reacting to the ash
1 and atmosphere of the kiln. As the flame moves around
the piece, ash collects then melts down the curves of
Collar in the form. the bottle.
Use a rib to refine
the shape of
the neck. CREATING A BASE SHAPE
Start off by centering about 3½ pounds of clay into a
tall cone shape. Starting with a cone allows the curves
of the bottle (narrow base, wide belly, narrow top) to
be formed more naturally—it’s easier to make a thrown
piece wider than it is to narrow it back in. With the cone
shape, the wide belly can easily be pushed out, while
the top remains narrow. The earlier you can set yourself
2
up to create these natural curves, the better.

Push excess clay FORMING THE CURVES

down from the
form. Fold a small Once the cone shape has been thrown to your desired
amount up to height, start to belly out the cylinder. The bellying
create a foot.
begins gradually at the bottom and becomes more
pronounced in the middle, and is created by using one
hand on the inside and compressing and refining the
curve using a metal rib held against the outside in your
other hand (1). It’s important to not let the top get any
wider than it was when the cylinder was first thrown. A
wide top will make it more difficult to collar in the neck
3
in the next step.

108
 Happy Hour
Collar in the neck with both hands encircling the
cylinder. As you do this, the neck will thicken and need
to be re-thrown to get more height and to thin out the
wall. Use a curved rib to make a fluid and continuous
curve from the belly to the neck (2).
Use a stiff-bristle
DEFINING THE FOOT brush to apply
texture. Texture
Using a wooden rib with a 90° angle, push down the will help ash catch
extra clay at the bottom of the cylinder. The clay will on the surface.
4
begin to spread out on the wheel. Cut away the excess
clay from the wide circle, leaving about 1⁄8 inch of clay
on the wheel around the bottle. Finally, slide the rib Attach a small coil
to the neck for the
under the clay to create a slight bevel for visual lift, lip ledge for the
then use a sponge to soften the edge of the foot into bottle capper.
the side of the bottle (3).

ADDING TEXTURE
It’s easiest to add surface texture while the clay is still
wet. I create texture using a dry, stiff-bristle brush. Brush
lines vertically up the bottle, starting from the bottom
and working to the top around the whole pot (4). 5

MAKE A LEDGE FOR A LID Throw the small

coil similar to
I use a coil attached to the neck of the bottle as a base throwing a plate.
for the lid. Let the pot dry until it’s leather hard and
re-center it on the wheel. Next, roll out a coil that is
approximately 3⁄8 inch thick and about three inches long.
To attach the coil, score and slip both the bottle and
the coil, then gently press the coil into the neck of the
bottle (5). To add more space for the lid to rest on, throw
the coil outward, creating a ledge shape. This ledge
shape is formed by using the tips of your fingers to pull 6

outward on the coil as if you were throwing a small

Throw the lid off
plate (6). As soon as the ledge for the lid is attached and
the hump to the
thrown, take a measurement with your calipers. same diameter as
It’s much easier to throw the lid off the hump and the lip ledge.
upside down, as you are working with a small amount
of clay. Wedge and center approximately one pound of
clay. Throw a small cylinder about two inches high and
at the same diameter as your caliper measurements (7).
Cut it off the hump, let it dry to leather hard, then center
the lid right side up on the wheel to be trimmed. When
7
trimming the top of the lid, try to create a continuous
shape and mimic the curves of the bottle (8).
Trim the lid to
Once finished trimming, remove the lid from the mimic the curves
wheel and score the roof on the inside of the lid. These of the bottle. Use
score marks will be used to attach a cork stopper to the a leather-hard,
cone-shaped
glaze-fired piece. chuck to protect
the rim and
ADDING A LOOPED HANDLE elevate the lid.
The handle is a combination of handbuilt and pulled
off the form. Start with a coil about 1 inch thick and 2½
inches long. Roll the coil out so that it’s slightly tapered
8
in width from one end to the other. Now, hold the thick

109
 Roll a coil into end of the coil between your thumb and index finger
a carrot shape.
with the raw end facing up. Tap the end of the thick
Attach the thick
end to just side of the coil to create a concave shape. This concave
below the neck shape helps add suction when attaching the end of the
and gently pull
handle to the bottle and when pulling the handle.
the handle.
I pinch my coil into a basic handle shape before
attaching it to the bottle and pulling it. The handle is
attached upside down about 2 inches below the lip
with the thicker end of the handle attached at the
9 bottom and then curled up and over to form the rest of
the handle. Be sure to score and slip both attachment
Curl the handle areas. Smooth all the areas around the attachment then
under the lip
ledge and hold the bottle upside down and pull and form the
attach it to the handle until you’ve reached a comfortable thickness (9).
bottle so it’s The pulled handle should be about 3½ inches long. Turn
nearly touching
the bottom the bottle right side up and curl the pulled and tapered
attachment and part of the handle into the bottle so that it fits under
smooth the area. the lip edge and the end is nearly touching the bottom
attachment. It’s important in this step to pay attention
to the negative space created by the curl and to try to
10
achieve a good balance of proportions. If necessary to
achieve this, cut off any excess length in the handle.
Using your inside
hand, press out
Using a sponge, smooth all areas of the attachment
gently against making a seamless fit between bottle and handle, being
the flexible rib careful to not overwork the areas (10).
in your outside
hand to form the A GOOD BOTTLE NEEDS A GOOD CUP
curved belly.
The accompanying whiskey cup has an hourglass
shape: wide belly, narrow waist, and slightly opened
back up at the top. I find this shape works well for
bourbon as it allows the whiskey to swirl in the cup and
11
the aroma to fill the drinker’s nose.
Begin by centering 1 pound of clay and pulling it
Widen the cup
out at the top
into a 4½-inch tall cylinder. Cut away the extra clay at
to finish the the bottom of the cylinder to make it easier to form a
hourglass shape. low belly on this small shape. Using your inside hand,
press gently against a flexible rib in your outside hand
to form the curved belly (11). As you’re forming the
belly, curl the rib up and over the curve to create the
narrow waist. Once the bottom of the hourglass shape
is proportionate, use the same technique to widen the
cup out at the top (12).
12
TRIMMING AND REFINING
Mark a line in the
foot ring as a guide
When the clay is leather hard, trim away the excess and
for the width of form the outside of the foot ring. Pay attention to the
the foot then trim curve of the body and create a seamless line from the
away the clay on
the inside of the
belly through the foot to the bottom of the cup. Mark
foot ring (13). a line in the foot ring as a guide for the width of the
Refine the foot foot while trimming away the clay on the inside of the
by smoothing
all edges and
foot ring (13). There should be a correlation between
trim marks with the thickness of the lip and the thickness of the foot.
a dry finger or To finish the foot, smooth all edges with a dry finger or
rubber rib (14). 13 14
rubber rib while the cup is still on the wheel (14).

110

RECIPE
Fall Forward
by Matt Schiemann
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon
• 1 ounce peach nectar
• 1 ounce brown-sugar simple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• Filthy brand black cherries
Happy Hour
Instructions:
BROWN-SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP
To make the brown-sugar simple syrup, combine 1 cup
of brown sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan
and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until all the sugar
has dissolved. Let cool. Pour into an air-tight container
and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
COCKTAIL
Combine all ingredients, except the cherries, in a shaker.
Add ice and shake. Strain over ice into your favorite
ceramic cup, mug, or yunomi, and garnish with an
orange peel, Filthy brand black cherries, and a charred
cinnamon stick.
111
111
 Calla Lily
Wine Stem
by Marion Peters Angelica

Marion Peters Angelica handbuilds with soft

slabs to give her forms a sense of movement
and a feeling of softness even after they’re
fired. Photo: Peter Lee.

Make patterns for When making a slab for this project, compression is an
the base, stem,
essential step in preparation. Both the design of the cup
support collar
and cup using tag form and the stem require curving the clay significantly.
board or old file The better compressed your slab is, the less likely it is
folders, then cut
that it will crack. Roll your slab to between 3⁄16–¼ inch
the shapes from
a slab. thick and, using a medium-hard plastic rib, compress
the slab in all directions on both sides. Cover the slab
with plastic so the edges don’t dry unevenly.
There are three components of the wine stem that
are made before assembling the piece. The order in
1 which these are made is important. Make the base
first, the stem second, and the cup last. This order gives
Cut a circular hole the most set-up time to the support components that
in the base where
the two edges will need to be firmer when you assemble the wine stem.
meet as a seam It’s still important to place each component under
using the metal plastic as it is finished to keep the moisture content
tubing. Bevel
each edge. Score as similar as possible so that cracks don’t form due to
and slip the uneven drying.
beveled edges,
curve the cone, MAKING PARTS USING PAPER PATTERNS
and press along
the seam to The pattern pieces I use for this form are made of tag
tighten it securely. board or old file folders (1). This thicker paper allows a
2
knife to cut cleanly around the pattern. The cup is made
using a fan-shaped template designed so that the
Make a 10-inch
long, ³⁄16 -inch
bottom opening is 1³⁄8 - inch in diameter. A separate,
diameter coil, circular template of the same diameter covers the hole
shape it around and creates the bottom of the cup. I use a semi-circular
the template,
score and slip the
pattern to create the conical base, and it’s designed so
base, and set it that the finished diameter of the flared bottom is 4¼
onto the coil. inches. The stem comes from a free-form leaf or petal-
shaped pattern. Finally, a half-circle or rainbow-shaped
pattern gives me a support flange that strengthens the
joint between the stem and the conical base.
Place the patterns on your slab, and use a fettling
3
knife to cut them out. As you work with each clay

112
 Happy Hour
piece, compress all cut edges with your finger. This is Create texture on
the exterior of the
important because cracks start on edges of pieces and stem with texture
compression heals any micro-cracks that may have rollers, corrugated
formed as you made the initial cuts. paper or fabric.
Once you have all of the parts cut out, assemble
the base cone. Start by beveling the seams. Beveled
seams work particularly well for this project because
they create a lot of contact area for a strong seam and
they have enough “give” so that when you stretch or
belly out pieces, they still hold well. To create a bevel
on a soft-slab piece, I position a 1-inch, ½-inch, or ³⁄16 - 4
inch dowel parallel to the edge, and gently and firmly
roll it against the edge I want beveled. The size of the
dowel depends on the scale of the piece I’m beveling. Curve the
rounded side of
It creates a very nice 45° angle and further compresses the stem piece
the clay. Then I flip the clay piece over and bevel the over the straight
edge that will line up with the first one to form the side until the
bevels overlap,
seam, creating a complementary bevel. This beveling add slip, and
process should be repeated on the various parts that tack together.
make up the cup, whenever seams need to be joined.

BASE
Use a length of ½-inch-diameter-metal tubing to cut
a hole in the base where the two edges will meet as 5
a seam. Bevel each edge of the seam with the ½-inch
dowel. Remember to flip the piece over to make the
The large curve in
second bevel. Score and slip the beveled edges, curve
the cup pattern
the slab into a cone, and tighten the seam securely (2). is the lip and is
To create a finished look to the bottom of the base thinned with a
pony roller. The
and add a foot, make a 10-inch-long, ³⁄16 -inch diameter
seam edges are
coil. Shape the coil into a circle on a paper guide (3⁄16 beveled with a
inch in diameter) and join the two ends. Score and 1-inch dowel.
slip the underside of the cone, then set it firmly on the
coil (3). Set the completed base aside under plastic.

STEM
Assemble the stem next. Create texture on the exterior 6
of the stem pieces with texture rollers, corrugated
paper, or fabric (4). Bevel the lower half of the straight
Score and slip
side of the stem with your finger on the textured side the bevels on
of the piece and bevel the lower third of the rounded the cup form
side on the non-textured side this same way. Score and gently roll
the slab around
both bevels. Using the ½-inch diameter dowel as the chinois to
shown, gently curve the rounded side of the stem piece form a cone. Tack
over the straight side until the bevels overlap, add slip, the seam. Using
the bulbous end
and tack together (5). of the chinois,
Keeping the ½-inch dowel in place, turn the stem belly out the
upright and tighten the seam with your finger using interior of the cup
form, stopping
the dowel for resistance. Gently stretch and curve the well below the lip
stem to take the shape of a calla lily or leaf. When done, to prevent cracks.
7
place the stem on foam and wrap it all in plastic.

113
 Score, slip, CUP
then wiggle
the base and Now you’re ready to form the cup. The large curve in
stem together the cup pattern is the lip (6). In order to make this a nice,
until there is a
tight joint.
thin, tapered edge that’s comfortable to drink from,
press the rounded end of a pony roller into the lip as
you roll it, following the contour of the slab. Bevel the
straight sides (seam edges) with the 1-inch dowel.
The side of the cup lip that has been thinned goes
on the interior of the cup. Score and slip the beveled
edges and gently roll the slab around a chinois pestle
(a conical cooking tool with a bulbous handle, see 7) to
8
form a cone. Tack the seam together. With the chinois
pestle still inside the cone form to support the shape,
Bevel, score, and
slip the ends of stand it up on the tapered end and hold the pestle
the flange. against the inside of the seam. Press the seam together
with your finger from the outside, ensuring a good join.
Remove the pestle from the cup and, using the
bulbous end, work and stretch the interior until it is
softly bellied out (7). As you push out with the pestle,
support the other side of the clay with your hand.
Don’t go all the way to the lip of the cup when bellying
it. Score, slip, and attach the small circular slab to the
bottom of the cup to seal it. Gently round the edge of
the lip and set the cup aside, wrapped in plastic.
9
STEM TO BASE
Wrap the flange
around the stem
Assemble the stem and base next. Score the top of the
in a conical shape. base and the interior surface at the bottom of the stem.
Line up the flange Slip both surfaces. Gently but firmly wiggle the base
seam with the
seam on the base.
and stem together until there is a tight joint (8). Orient
the base so that the seam is at the back of the stem
piece. Bevel the ends of the support flange (9) and then
add it to the base and stem (10). The support flange
both hides the joint and gives extra support to the
stem. Tip: Don’t wrap the flange too tightly as it may
crack as it dries and shrinks.
Let this structure set up to soft leather hard. It
10
should be firm enough so that it can hold the weight
of the cup, but don’t let it get so hard that it can’t be
Score the cup and
stem, add slip and moved or bent a little.
gently and firmly
push the cup into ADD THE CUP
the opening in Test how the cup and stem fit before beginning to
the stem.
score them. Score around the base of the cup and
around the interior of the stem where the base will
touch it (11). Add the cup and then adjust the entire
piece to assure that the cup is level. Place a round
level on top of a light piece of tag board that covers
the lip of the cup and adjust the cup/stem to be
sure the cup is level (12). This can also be done by
11
eye by placing the piece on a banding wheel and

114
 Happy Hour
gently adjusting the wine stem so it looks level from Place a piece
of tag board
all angles. Wrap the piece tightly with slightly moist
or cardboard
newspaper under the piece or put it in a damp box to on top of
let the components’ moisture content even out. Dry the rim, then
place a round
slowly and avoid any drafts.
level on top to
I often plan a cleaning project or make this work in make sure the
a series so I don’t get impatient and rush things. When cup is level.
All photos:
I work on multiple pieces at once, by the time I have
Peter Lee.
made the third set of components for the wine stems,
the first base/stem is set up enough to add the cup.
This can vary based on the humidity in the studio.
12
DRYING
Place the wine stem on slightly moist newspaper sheets If you want to make them reminiscent of the plant
and wrap well with plastic. Let the wine stem sit for a on which they are based, you can dip the stem in
few days before removing the moist newspaper. Then, one color and the cup in another. I suggest a bit of
rewrap the wine stem in plastic. Dry the piece slowly and the stem color be used on the rim of the cup to tie
away from drafts. the piece together.
By applying these key principles and following
GLAZING the step-by-step directions, you will be able to
Because the form itself is complex, the glazing need successfully create your own wine stems. Cheers,
not be. These wine stems look elegant in a single glaze. lachayim, and yasas!

RECIPE
Glüg (glogg) is a Scandinavian

Ann-Charlotte’s Glüg
mulled-wine winter drink
served during the holidays.

by Marion Peters Angelica

Ingredients:
• ½ cup vodka
• 5 cm cube of ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 15 cloves
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• rind of ¹⁄³ of an orange
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 bottle red wine (any kind)

Instructions:
Soak the ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom
seeds, and orange rind in vodka, and let steep for 36
hours or more.

Warm a bottle of red wine and add the infused vodka and
1 cup of brown sugar.

115
116
CHAPTER FIVE
Dinner

117
 Lidded
Boxes
by Martha Grover

Martha Grover’s porcelain lidded

boxes can be used as both butter
dishes and for serving soups and
small casseroles.

Cut the bottom When working on a lidded form like this, I make all
at a bevel and
of the parts at the same time so that when assembly
establish four
raised feet. of the piece begins, everything is at the same
consistency—just before the leather-hard stage.
Both the lid and the body are bottomless cylinders,
ribbed free of throwing lines and excess slurry. The
body has straight walls and a lid seat about ¾ to 1
inch below the rim. The lid’s walls have a slight taper,
wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The
wider rim of this part sits on the seat inside of the
1 body of the box; therefore, the exterior diameter
should be about ¼ inch smaller than the interior
Slip and score diameter of the body.
both parts and
use registration The slabs used to complete the body and lid are
marks to realign. hand “thrown” to ¼ inch thickness and ribbed to
compress and smooth both surfaces.

THROWN SLAB
To thin a slab without using a rolling pin, you can
start with a ball of clay, flatten it with the palm of
your hand and then, lifting it with both hands, toss it
at an angle on an absorbent table surface, or canvas
2
covered table. Repeat this process, rotating the slab as
you go to thin it to the desired consistency.
Use a soft brush
to smooth and
join the seams.
ASSEMBLING THE BODY
With the body of the form upside down on a banding
wheel, make four indicator marks on the edge that
bisect the length and width of the piece. Use these
indicators to cut an undulating scallop pattern,
establishing four feet on the bottom of the form (1).
The cuts are made at a 45° bevel and curve up to
½-inch from the bottom edge at their apex. The angle
will slope down from the interior edge to the exterior.
3
This bevel is important because it allows the slab

118
 Dinner
bottom to make a gentle curve and transition more Cut a bottom
slab wider than
smoothly than if the edge was cut flat.
the body. Make
Make a slab for the bottom that is approximately decorative points
¾ inch wider than the body. Center the slab on the over the feet.
upside down body and press it down gently using a
rib directly over the walls. This makes an impression of
the walls on the slab, showing where to slip and score.
Make a small register mark on the body and the slab
so it’s easier to realign the parts. Then, remove the
slab and apply a generous layer of joining slip on the
slab and the body and score both surfaces. I find that
I get a better join when using slip first then scoring 4
because it drives the slip further into the clay parts.
Using the registration marks made earlier, realign the Compress and
taper the edge of
slab on top of the upside down body (2). Then, rib the the bottom slab.
slab directly over the body wall to join the parts.
Working with the body right side up on the
banding wheel, use a moistened, soft, nylon-bristle
brush to smooth out the interior and exterior seams
and completely join the two parts (3).
Next, cut the bottom slab into a shape that accents
the scallop pattern of the feet. Start by making an
indicator dot on the slab directly in front of the
middle of each foot. This mark will help establish
where to cut for the decorative trim on the bottom 5

slab. Trim the slab ¼ inch wider than the body of the
Gently fold over
form and make a decorative point at each of the four
the bottom slab
indicator dots in front of the feet (4). It is important and join it to
not to cut the slab to its final size before this step, the body (6). Cut
the decorative
because it often will stretch and not fit correctly when
rim shape using
attached. indicator marks
Then, smooth out the edge of the cut slab with above the feet (7).
a moist sponge and compress and shape it into a
tapered feather edge by applying slight pressure with
a moistened thumb and forefinger (5). Use your index
finger to gently and slowly roll the slab over to join it
with the wall of the body. Roll the slab over in stages,
6
being careful not to push it all the way over in one
move because it will buckle and ripple (6).
Finally, move on to shape the top lip of the body
into a scalloped edge. Working right side up on the
banding wheel, make new indicator marks on the rim
directly above each foot and four additional marks on
the rim bisecting the piece along its length and width.
Cut out the rim scallops using the indicator marks to
define the high and low points of the cut (7). These
cuts are shallow—3⁄8 inch below the rim—and should
be straight with no bevel. Use your fingers and a moist
sponge to compress the rim and smooth and round
out the lip. Moistening the lip makes the clay more
pliable and less prone to cracking. Finish the rim by

7
119
 Smooth and running a moistened finger along the lip to roll it over
round off the rim,
while supporting the outside of the walls with your
then flute the lip
using both hands. other hand (8).

ASSEMBLING THE LID

Start by placing the thrown lid part, wide side down,
onto the lid seat of the base. Adjust the shape of the
oval if necessary to match the base. Then, repeat the
steps above to define the shape of the lid (9). Note
the upward angle of the knife, and attach the slab
on top of the lid. Make indicator marks on the slab,
8 lid, and body to help with proper alignment later.
Repeat the slab attaching process. Cut the lid slab to
Cut the decorative the appropriate size, including the decorative points,
rim shape at a
bevel to soften
smooth out the cut edges and fold over the slab to
the transition. join it to the lid (10).
I finish the lid with a small interior bump made by
pressing on the underside of the lid with my finger.
I do this to add visual volume to the lid and to fill up
the negative space under the handle.

ATTACHING THE HANDLE

Make the handle for the lidded container from
four parts—a large, hourglass-shaped base handle;
9 two accent straps, and a teardrop shaped ball. The
consistency of the handles pulled earlier should be
Add a slab to
the same as the body parts—flexible but not so soft
the lid and push
out a bump on as to show fingerprints. Start by attaching the main
the underside. handle to the lid, and establish the handle’s curve.
Then, place the accent strips on top of the main
handle to establish their location. Cut off the excess
length of the straps so that they are about 3⁄8 inch
longer than the midpoint of the main handle. Smooth
and round out the cut ends of the accent straps and
roll each end up into a curl. Slip, then score, and attach
the straps one side at a time to maintain their correct
alignment on the main handle (11). To complete the
10
handle, insert a small teardrop shaped ball between
the accent curls.
Attach the handle
parts and shape
Dry the base and the top pieces together until
the interior curve. they begin to change color, then separate the parts
Photo: Joshua until both are completely dry. Bisque and glaze fire
David Rysted.
both parts together.

11

120
 Dinner
RECIPE

Creamy Potato, Leek,

and Broccoli Soup
by Martha Grover

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1 cup chopped bacon (can omit if making vegetarian) In a large dutch oven or heavy soup pot, render the bacon.
• 4 cups water Once the bacon is cooked, remove from oil and drain
• 5 large potatoes, diced (reserve for garnish), leaving the rendered oil in the pot.
(If making vegetarian, just start with 2 tablespoons of oil.)
• 1 tablespoon chicken or vegetable bouillon
• 2 large leeks, chopped Cook the onions, leeks, and celery until soft, about 15
• 1 large onion, chopped minutes on medium heat, stirring often.
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• ¼ cup butter Meanwhile, bring the water, bouillon, and diced potatoes to
• ½ cup flour a boil in a separate pot. Cook for 15 minutes while the leek
mixture cooks.
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large broccoli crown, stem peeled and chopped, Add the butter to the leek mixture and let it melt. Add the
florets cut to bite size (keep separated)
flour and stir for 2 minutes until the leek mixture is well
• 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese coated. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. A thick
• salt and pepper, to taste paste will form.

Slowly add the potatoes and cooking liquid to the pot and
stir well. If the soup seems too thick, add more milk.
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Makes 8–10 servings
Add the chopped broccoli stems and continue to cook for
5 minutes, until broccoli is bright green and just tender
(longer if you prefer softer broccoli, I like it a bit firm).

Once the potatoes are soft enough for a fork to easily go

through, add them to the broccoli florets.

Just before serving, add

the cheese and stir
well until melted.
Be sure to turn off
the heat, as the cheese
will easily stick to the
bottom of the pot.

Add salt and freshly

cracked pepper to taste.

Garnish with green onions,

sour cream, and reserved bacon
bits if desired.

121
 Comfort
Food Bowls
by Didem Mert

Didem Mert's Blue Babe bowls are made

from stoneware and decorated with
terra sigillata, underglaze, washes, and
glaze. Each one is fired to cone 5.

Pound out the I began cooking around age eight, when my mother
clay into a slab
started a job that required her to work second and
then roll it out to
¼ inch thickness. third shifts. It was during this time that I started
experimenting with food. My family emigrated from
Turkey to the US several years before I was born. I grew
up immersed in traditional Turkish cuisine. My father is
a woodworker, so when I was not learning about food
and cooking, I was in his woodshop discovering the
functionality of designed cabinetry.
Once I moved out of my parents’ house I began
1 to cook even more. My meals ran the gamut from
steamed mussels with a cilantro butter dipping sauce,
Trace and cut to the typical college staple of Easy Mac with an
the slab to fit
a bowl-shaped added zing of garlic, hot sauce, and broccoli. My eyes
slump mold. were opened to a new language once I incorporated
handmade pots with these meals. Each dish, snack, or
condiment could have its own specific pot.
My stacked bowl forms began while I was studying
ceramics at Northern Kentucky University. I’ve always
been interested in soft curves in form, but I began
tweaking them with the addition of harsh angles and
lines. Using handmade bisque molds, I work within
2
the constraints of an oval form. This makes a clean
undulation on the rim of the pot, which, depending on
Use a rib to
compress the slab
the angle, can help retain warmth while also showing
into the mold. off the food.
Mark the half-way
point on the BEGIN WITH THE BASE
slab and trace an
oval from point Begin with a 2-pound rectangular piece of clay. I roll
to point. out my slabs using a tip I learned from Jerilyn Virden.
She takes two pinch pots, attaches them together
to create a smooth, hollow sphere, then fires it to
vitrification. Then she uses this sphere to pound out her
clay into different formations (1), rather than using her
3
fist, which can lead to pain in your hands and wrists.

122
 Dinner
Once the slab is about ¾ inch thick, use a rolling pin to Apply a small
amount of water
smooth away the texture and thin to ¼ inch thick.
to the rim, then
Cut the slab using a needle tool or an X-Acto blade add a coil to the
held against the rim of a bowl-shaped bisque mold as edge, leaving
a bit of the
a guide (2). Place the slab into your bisque mold, using
slab overhanging.
it as a slump mold and begin to work the clay into the
bottom using a flexible rib. Once the slab conforms
to the interior of the mold, compress the clay. Using
a straight edge, mark the halfway point within the
mold (3). Draw a curved line from point to point on
each side to make an oval.
Note: I use these two points to mark out the ovaled 4
base of the bowl. I don’t like to use templates because
each time I make them, I’m able to create stacking Compress the
interior of the coil
bowls that have their own personality and flair. into the slab and
trim the rim at
ADD WALLS AND AN ANGLED RIM a bevel.

Cut away the excess slab from the traced oval and
attach a coil around the edge. Leave an 1⁄8 -inch
overhang of the slab where you attach the coil (4).
Compress the interior edges of the coil into the slab.
Using a metal rib, bring up the excess slab overhang
into the coil. Keeping your hands and fingers at an
angle toward the interior of the bowl, pinch the walls
up until they are ¼ inch thick. Trim the pinched rim 5

with a needle tool or an X-Acto knife, but keep the

Smooth out any
undulation created by the oval. When cutting the rim,
sharp edges on
angle your tool so that you create a beveled edge (5). the bowl’s interior
Let the bowl set up to leather hard. and exterior.
Photos: Lydia
Use your fingers to clean up the rim to remove any
Bungart-Morrison.
sharp edges (6). At this point you can remove the bowl
from the mold and smooth out the exterior edge where
the coil was attached to the slab, as this can also be sharp.

FINISHING SURFACES
Apply a thick, white slip to the interior of the bowl when
it’s at a late leather-hard stage. I like to create intentional
6
directional brush marks with the slip, this will be visible
after the next step. The brush marks will add rough-
Apply white slip then a
hewn texture as the terra sigillata layer is added. food-safe glaze to the
Once the bowl is bone dry, apply various colored interior, and terra sigillata
terra sigillatas to the exterior (7). To add pops of color, and underglazes to
the exterior.
I use underglazes over the terra sigillata. Bisque fire to
cone 08.
Next, brush on food-safe liner glazes, then brush a
soda ash/borax wash on top of the terra sigillata. The
wash fluxes slightly on top of the terra sigillata and
adds subtle variation in surface. I use a ratio of 1 part
soda ash, 1 part borax, and 7 parts water (by volume).
Boil your water and add the soda ash and borax to fully
7
dissolve the raw materials. Fire once more to cone 5.

123
 RECIPE

Thai Coconut
Curry Soup
by Didem Mert

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 2 cans coconut cream (13.66 ounce cans) Add coconut cream and curry paste into a stockpot (A).
• 2–3 teaspoons of red Thai curry paste (depending on Add the shrimp and cilantro and simmer for five minutes
your spice level preference) until the shrimp is cooked (B). To preserve the texture of the
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined shrimp remove them from the stock and set them to the
side until the soup is almost done, then add them back in.
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
• 10 stalks asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
Steam the asparagus in a separate small pot (C). Combine
• 1 package white mushrooms the carrot, ginger, lemongrass paste, fish sauce, mushrooms,
• 2 carrots, shredded and chicken broth (D) into the stockpot. Simmer for ten
• 2 teaspoons ginger, grated minutes (E).
• 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste
In a separate pot cook the rice noodles until they are tender,
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
strain them from the water, and add them to your ovaled bowl.
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ box rice noodles Add the shrimp back into the stock pot and pour the soup
• 1 package of bean sprouts (for garnish) over the plated rice noodles. Garnish with bean sprouts and
cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Lydia Bungart-Morrison
and I have paired up to
create the M&M Clay &
Food Porn Project. Lydia
is a photographer and
cook. Lydia plates the
meals in my handmade
pots and photographs
the finished product. This
is her Thai coconut curry
soup. It’s comforting,
yet packs a punch using
curry spices.
A B C

D E

124
 Dinner
Taco Night
Taco Trays
by Mark Cole

Mark Cole's taco server can be made

longer for sharing at parties, or made
shorter for a personal, at-home plate.

Although the positive psychological benefits of Use slabs that are

measured and
feeling comfort are subjective, most people are able to
evenly cut and
identify a nourishing meal they hold dear. Among the form into a curve
numerous emotional benefits of comfort foods, they or cradle over a
large dowel using
remind us of a sense of place, of home, and of security.
a rib.
Recognizing this, I realize that if I’m indeed what I eat,
then during my formative years, much of my growing
physical structure benefitted greatly from crunchy
delicious tacos. As far back as I can remember there was
taco night. When I moved away from home I continued
this tradition, which was an easy and inexpensive all- 1
in-one meal to be enjoyed individually or communally.
As I began to realize its importance to me, and the Score and slip the
exterior edges of
possibilities it presented, I wanted to elevate the the forms, pinch
experience. Developed with this in mind, the Taco Night them together
Taco Tray is a mobile cradling apparatus, which enables to form the main
portion of the tray.
the preparation, transport, and consumption of tacos.

PREPARING SLABS
The Taco Night Taco Tray construction process relies
on leather-hard slabs. The whole process can be done
with minimal tools. I mainly use a rolling pin, a round,
2
fat dowel, a fettling knife, a ruler, a scoring tool, and a
series of smoothing ribs. I roll slabs out the day before I
Mark and measure
construct the trays and let them stiffen so that the next the sides of the
day I’m able to complete the whole tray. The steps in tray and cut them
the process allow enough time to work on a few trays taller than the
cradle forms to
at a time without having to stop and cover anything overhang on the
in plastic. bottom, creating
a foot.
CONSTRUCTING THE TRAY
The slabs I use are 3⁄8 inch in thickness. For the
taco holders cut out rectangles from a larger slab
measuring 3¾×7½ inches. Using a fat, round dowel
3
as a form, create U-shaped holders (1) and let them

125
 After scoring and rest upside down as you cut out the sides of the tray.
slipping the sides
Cut out the sides after measuring the height of the
to match the
curves of each U-shaped holders and adding a 3⁄8 -inch edge, creating
cradle, paddle a 2-inch wide slab. The extra 3⁄8 inch will form a foot
each side to make
running the length of the tray. The length of the sides
a firm attachment.
depends entirely on how many tacos you like, and
how many holders you are incorporating into your
tray. To determine the length, measure the holders
and add 1½-inch for the handles. Then use your height
and length measurements to cut out the slabs and
4 round off the corners on each side. Setting these aside
to stiffen, begin to work on attaching the holders
Add a coil to together. Score and slip the top edge of the U-shaped
each seam for holders, pinch them together, arranging each section
a better join
and to smooth
so that the U-shapes are formed evenly (2). Stand the
the transitions holders on end, score and slip the edges, and make a
between print of the wet clay onto each side to have the correct
the slabs.
pattern to score and slip to connect the sides (3). Using
a paddle to ensure a firm connection, join each side
with the holders (4). Reinforce each seam with a small
coil. Use very wet clay coils and smooth them into the
tray (5). When completing the rest of the tray, rest the
5 bottoms of the U-shaped holders on foam to avoid
putting pressure on the feet. Add the overhanging,
Add an overhang built-in handles to each side and reinforce these
to the edges to connections with a soft clay coil (6).
create a handle. Once the whole tray is together, it needs a thorough
Reinforce it with
and a coil on ribbing. First, use a wooden rib to ensure that the
the underside. walls, sides, and handles are square and flat. Next, use
small rubber ribs to smooth the rounded corners, the
feet, and the holders. Finally use a chamois for a final
smoothing. In reality, it takes as much time to smooth
the tray as is does to construct it, but when you are
handling the final tray, its sleek contours will be an
unmistakably welcome place to cradle your crunchy
6
delicious tacos (7).
Smooth the
finished tray with
a series of ribs to
ensure clean lines
and contours.

126

RECIPE
Tacos
by Mark Cole
Ingredients:
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1–3 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• taco seasoning
• ½ cup water
• taco shell, hard or soft, corn or flour
• 1 pound (choose one or a combination) of: ground
meat, shredded meat, grilled meat, fish, tofu crumbles,
pinto beans, black beans, extra firm tofu, rice, etc.
• choice of toppings: shredded cheese, shredded
lettuce, chopped tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, hot
sauce, salsa, sour cream or greek yogurt, chopped
spinach, bell peppers, avocado slices, cilantro, black
olives, lime, cabbage slaw, pickled onions, guacamole,
pico de gallo, etc.
Dinner
Instructions:
Chop one onion and sauté on medium-low heat in a
large cast-iron skillet with oil until the onion is tender and
translucent.
Add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for two
more minutes.
Add main taco sustenance and taco seasoning to the pan
and cook thoroughly.
Simmer with ½-cup of water until the liquid has evaporated
or absorbed.
Meanwhile, briefly warm your taco shells in a 250°F oven
then transfer them to the Taco Night Taco Tray.
Place taco mixture in shells and top with desired toppings.
127
 Upcycled
Utensils
by Kristin Pavelka

Kristin Pavelka’s utensils pair

vintage components with
ceramic handles of her own
design, and provide a perfect
complement to her serving
platters and bowls.

Choose a few of I felt like I was in a creative rut with my work and
your collected
although the pots I was making were fine pots, I felt
utensils to design
new handles for. a bit guilty adding to the accumulation of “stuff” on
our earth. After all, once the pot is fired, it’s here for a
very long time. So, in an effort to produce a functional
ceramic object that was more “earth friendly,” I started
tinkering around with combining vintage kitchen
tools with my “candy-coated” earthenware handles.
This project was great because it combined my love of
thrifting, vintage objects, and ceramics while being a
1 little more “green.” As a bonus, the kitchen tools are a
fun addition to the daily cooking routine and make for
Remove the wonderful conversation starters!
handles and soak
the metal parts in
white vinegar for SOURCING AND CLEANING
½ hour. All the metal components of the kitchen tools are
upcycled from mainly vintage kitchen utensils and
gadgets that I’ve happened upon in my treasure
hunts. I pick up spatulas, whisks, spoons, meat forks,
pastry blenders, beaters, scoops, ladles, you name it, I
probably have it in my stash. I am especially drawn to
the old pieces from the 1930s–1950s, the ones with the
2
painted wooden handles and interesting patterned
blades. I think the quality of the metal is nicer than
Scrub the
surfaces with
that of new utensils, and I like the rich patina that has
synthetic steel developed on the pieces over the years with use, much
wool to remove like a well-loved pot. If I stumble upon a utensil with
stubborn residue.
a handle in nice condition, I won’t replace the handle.
I use only pieces with cracked, damaged or hideously
ugly handles, therefore staying true to the spirit of
upcycling—if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores are the best
places to score utensils at a reasonable price. Vintage
shops are more expensive as are eBay and Etsy, but worth
3
searching if you like the aesthetic of an earlier time. With

128
 Dinner
some digging, you may still come across inexpensive Create paper
patterns of the
pieces. Auctions, Craigslist, and recycling websites are hit
handle shape, and
or miss with such items, but I see them now and again, cut them out of a
sometimes for free! clay slab.
Once you’ve accumulated a little collection of
utensil goodness, choose a few to start with (1), and
detach the handle so that the entire metal piece can
easily be cleaned. Some handles come off readily,
others take a bit of muscle. For a plastic handle, try
freezing the tool and then, wearing eye protection, 4

crack the handle off with pliers or a hammer.

Alternately, wearing a respirator with cartridges rated Push out on the
inside of each
for fumes, torch it in a well-ventilated area until it is soft pod-shaped slab
and able to release. If the shaft is long, sometimes I cut to create volume.
the metal piece off at the handle rather than struggle
with removing it. If I’m lucky, the handles are wooden
or already cracked and easily pulled off with a pair of
pliers, broken down with a hammer, or cut off with a
saw. A hacksaw is useful for cutting thick gauge metal
and tin snips or a wire cutter works well for thick wire.
5
Next you’ll want to clean the metal parts. Yes, patina
can be nice, but lots of rust or gunked-on grease and
Press the two
food is not. To remove rust and residue, soak the metal halves together
parts in white vinegar for a half hour (2) and then scrub around the
with a bit of steel wool (3). The synthetic steel wool curved edges.

I use doesn’t mar the surface and removes only the

grunge and rust. If the residue doesn’t release after the
first scrub, soak a bit longer and scrub again.

DESIGN WORK
Once the metal is clean, design a new handle. I think 6
about the length that I want the tool to be and the size
of the handle in relationship to the size of the blade. Pinch the edges
As you design, think about whether there is a design together with your
fingertips, trapping
element from the metal component that could be air within.
brought into the handle. Slotted spoons and spatulas
demand for some patterning on the handle that either
echoes or contrasts the pierced designs, or balances
the larger, metal component end visually. The surface
design must be considered in the physical handle
design to help determine proportion and size. I usually
sketch a design on paper, and hold it up to the utensil 7
to visualize proportions before committing, as well as
creating a paper pattern for an accurate transfer of the Use a small brayer
to compress
shape onto the clay (4).
the seams while
leaving the
FORMING HANDLES join visible.

I enjoy the hollow pod shape as a handle because it

feels nice in the hand, it’s symmetrical, there’s an animal
quality to it, like that of a turtle shell, lending itself to
some fun decorating decisions. The pods are comprised
of two slabs, about a quarter inch in thickness, that
8
are pushed out from the inside to create a curved

129
 Attach a disk to volume (5), then pressed together around the curved
the end of the
edges (6), and pinched together with my fingertips,
handle where
the metal utensil trapping air within (7). As the clay is very soft, no slip
will connect. is needed for the joint. I use a small printing brayer
to compress the seams (8), but leave the evidence of
the joint visible to create a nice dividing line. A small
disc is joined to the end of the handle where the
metal element will be attached after firing (9). Using
a wooden kidney rib, I press along the seam to create
9 a more uniform and defined line (10). The handle is
curved by pulling down on the ends with one hand
Press along the and up on the middle with the other hand (11). Then it
seam where the
two halves were is left to set up to leather hard.
joined using a With an appropriately sized drill bit (I used a ³⁄8-
wooden kidney inch bit), create an opening for the connection to the
rib to define
the line. metal piece (12) (allowing for shrinkage), that will
accommodate the metal shaft of the tool. I compress
and taper the edge of the hole with a soft rubber-
tipped shaping or cleanup tool (13). This opening is
checked throughout the drying process and tweaked
10
as necessary. Once the handle is dry, it is dipped in
red terra sigillata. I don’t burnish my sig. It develops
Curve the handle
by pulling down
a nice sheen on its own and is fairly tight when fired.
on the ends with Slip is applied with a soft brush on the underside (14).
one hand and up I lightly draw my pattern on the dry slip with a soft
on the top middle
with the other.
pencil and then create sgraffito drawings through
the slip with a blunt needle tool. Check the hole once

11 Determining Shrinkage

Create an To out the shrinkage rate of your clay, cut out a 10-cm
opening in the long, rectangular ruler shape out of a slab of clay that’s the
leather-hard same thickness as the clay you plan to use for your project
handle through and sandwich it between two sheets of newsprint then
the circular disc two sheets of drywall to allow it to dry flat. Measure this
of clay on the end ruler after a glaze firing to find out the final length. To find
using a drill bit. out the shrinkage of your clay in percentage form, follow
these steps.

1) Subtract the new length of your clay ruler from 10 to

get the amount of shrinkage.
2) Subtract the amount of shrinkage from 100 (your
12 original length is considered to be 100%) to get the
change factor.
3) Divide the amount of shrinkage by this factor.
Compress and 4) Multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage.
taper the edge
of the hole with For example:
a soft rubber- A 10-cm bar shrank 8.8 cm after the glaze firing.
tipped tool (13).
Dip the dry The shrinkage rate for this clay would be calculated
handle in terra as follows:
sigillata and
apply slip to the 1) 10−8.8=1.2 cm (total shrinkage)
underside with a 2) 100-1.2=98.8
soft brush (14). 3) 1.2÷98.8=0.012
4) 0.012×100=12%
13 14

130
 Dinner
more to make sure the shaft of the tool fits while also Check the fit and
proportions of the
leaving some wiggle room for shrinkage. Bisque and
metal component
glaze fire to your liking. I always leave one area of the end after the
utensil unglazed so that the handle can be positioned glaze firing.
on the kiln shelf without the need for stilts. As the
forms are long and slender, an internal firing prop may
be required for your form, so plan ahead as you design,
and build a custom prop or stilt to fire along with your
handle in the bisque and glaze firing.
15
UNITING THE OLD AND THE NEW
Once the completed handle is out of the glaze firing, Shorten the
stem or shaft
check to make sure the metal component still fits (15). of the utensil
Fine tuning with a Dremel grinding bit on the hole may to maintain the
help the fit, otherwise the metal can also be filed to fit. right balance or
proportion using
If necessary, shorten the stem or shaft of the utensil pliers if necessary
to maintain the right balance and proportions (16). I (16). Prop up the
look for a sense of proportion that is pleasing to my handle and pour
in casting resin
eye that creates a good feel in the hand. I am drawn until the handle is
toward slightly awkward proportions that lend humor about ¾ full (17).
16 17
to the piece. A super fat handle alongside a thin blade
or line fits that bill. Filling the ceramic handle with resin
Insert the utensil
gives the piece a nice heft and weight in the handle, shaft into the
almost like the user is giving the utensil a handshake. handle, and
If you find that a lot of tweaking is necessary to get prop it up so
the handle and
the utensil end into the handle, it might be easier to implement are
make another handle with the appropriate hole-sizing in alignment.
revisions. Save the first handle for a future utensil.
To secure the metal in place, I use a casting resin
inside the handle (Castin’ Craft Clear Liquid Plastic
Casting Resin). I’ve also used silicone aquarium sealant,
but when visible, it’s a little too cloudy and a little
too flexible. The casting resin is labeled as being food
safe. Handmade objects require a little more care, so
I would opt to hand wash these utensils over using
a dishwasher.
Prepare the resin according to the directions, and be
sure to follow safety tips listed on the package. Mixing
in a well-ventilated area, I fill my hollow handle about
18
¾ full using a disposable paper container (17) and then
insert the metal shaft. I prop it so both the handle and
implement are in alignment and facing the appropriate
direction (18). Once the resin has cured (as stated in the
manufacturer’s directions), I do a final fill in with a bit
more resin. Allow the final pour to cure, and enjoy your
upcycled kitchen tool at the next potluck!

From top to bottom, Kristin Pavelka’s

strainer, vegetable chopper, and ice
cream scoop, ready for use.

131
 RECIPE

Kristin’s
Favorite Pasta
by Kristin Pavelka

Ingredients: Instructions:
PASTA Chop garlic scapes into ½-inch pieces and puree with oil,
• 1 pound pasta, boiled in salt water to al dente parmesan, nuts, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat oil on medium heat. Saute tomatoes (sun dried or
• ½–¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes or ½–1 cup fresh
fresh) until they are soft. Add butter, melt. Add wine, then
tomatoes, chopped
reduce by half. Add pesto and heat through. Add pasta and
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
coat. Add pine nuts. Serve and top with Parmesan.
• ¼ cup white wine
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts Spiralized zucchini may be used in place of some or all
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated of the pasta. Saute the zucchini in oil, black pepper, and a
• ¼ cup garlic scape pesto pinch of salt for a couple of minutes until it is glistening and
starting to become translucent.
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
Make sauce as written above and add to zucchini. I cut
• 1 pound garlic scapes, chopped
through the zucchini strands two or three times so that the
• 1 cup oil (olive or walnut)
“noodles” aren’t so long.
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• ¾ cup toasted nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, or pecans)
Garlic scape pesto freezes well and is great
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice on sandwiches, fish, chicken, and pasta!
• salt and pepper, to taste

132
 Dinner
Slumped and Altered
Serving Dishes
by Nancy Gallagher

Nancy Gallagher simplifies the mold-making

process by skipping the plaster and using light-
weight foam instead to create intriguing shapes
for serving dishes.

By nature, we potters are a utilitarian lot. We are makers, To cut your foam,
make several
users, and re-users. Making the tools we use in our passes with a new
craft seems like a natural extension of that utilitarian blade instead
outlook. As far as tools go, while I enjoy DIY projects, I’m of trying just
one cut.
admittedly a terrible carpenter. And so, in an attempt
to keep my old barn studio a bit warmer in the winter
months, I turned to foam insulation panels, which are
inexpensive and easily cut with a utility knife. As I was
eyeing the leftover scraps, I wondered how they would
work as slump molds. As it turns out, they’re lightweight,
convenient to store, and take the boring square-shaped
slab, and elevate it with movement and form.
You can find the foam insulation sheets at most
home stores. They come in different thicknesses; I’ve
found the ½-inch thick sheets work best. Anything less
than that and the foam isn’t thick enough to withstand 1

the weight of a clay slab, and any more than that is too
thick to cut through with a utility knife. Roll a slab with a
thickness of ³⁄8–1⁄2
inch larger than
CONSIDERING SHAPE AND CUTTING FOAM your template and
compress both
Draw your templates on newsprint first. If you want
sides well with a
your form to be symmetrical, folding the paper in half stiff rib.
length-wise and width-wise before cutting helps in
that respect. When designing my templates, I always
keep in mind the size of my kiln shelf.
When tracing your templates onto the foam
to prepare the cut, the size of your template will
determine the size of your piece of foam. Larger pots
will require more room around the edges of your cut-
out, as you’ll need more support for heavier slabs.
Use a new blade in your utility knife. While the foam
is very easy to cut, several cuts through with lighter
pressure work better than trying to cut it all in one
2
pass (1). Straight edges cut easily with a metal ruler,

133
 After flipping your while tight curves may work better with a sawing up-
sandwiched foam
and-down motion of the blade. Avoid sharp straight
and slab over,
slowly encourage angles, as they tend to tear your slab. Don’t discard the
slumping with a piece you cut out. It can be used for pressing into a slab
soft rubber rib.
over a soft foam cushion, to make a shallow serving tray.

PREPPING SLABS
Depending on the depth you want for your finished
form, the clay may need to stretch quite a bit, so I
generally roll a slab with a thickness of 3⁄8–½ inch
to start. I roll my slabs between two parallel sticks
3 to ensure consistency (2). Flip it from the canvas to
a ware board, then rib both sides of the slab in all
Make sure your directions for good compression. My favorite tool for
foam slump
molds are well this is a silicone rib found in baking sections of your
supported with local discount store. They’re large, inexpensive, and are
kiln post or designed for scraping bowls and cake decorating. They
something similar.
cover a large area at once and compress the slab well.

SLUMPING THE SLAB

Next, place your foam mold over your slab and board,
put one hand under the board, one hand on top of
your cut-foam mold, and flip the whole thing over
sandwich-style. Put the whole sandwich flat on a table
4 and remove the top ware board. Use kiln posts or
something similar as props, laying them lengthwise
Throw two
under each side of your foam board, elevating the
separate rings of
clay; one small for board 2 inches and supporting all sides (see 4). The
the foot, and one foam will sag if the sides aren’t supported.
large for the sides
Taking a soft rubber rib, slowly coax the slab to
of the platter.
slump by pushing gently around the perimeter of the
form, then side to side, then front to back, creating
a continuous, soft curve (3). If you have trouble
discerning the outline of your shape, keep one hand
underneath as a feeler, while the other hand is on
top, tracing the outline with your rib. This should be a
gradual process, slowly working the slab until it’s the
5
depth you want. You can, at this point, trim off a bit
of the clay around the shape, however, leave at least
Temporarily
position the foot
an inch all around to accommodate any additional
ring in order to slumping and/or shrinkage (4).
mark placement
before scoring THROWING A FOOT
and slipping.
Next, throw two open rings of clay on the wheel; one
small for the foot, and one large for the sides of the
platter (5). Throw both rings to have a slightly wider
base. Make sure to taper the base, inside and out, so as
to leave a small skirt of clay at the base to use as your
attachment. Depending on timing, you may have to
cover the rings with plastic. You want both rings soft
6
leather hard when attaching them to the pot. At the

134
 Dinner
time of attachment, they should be still quite pliable, Firmly attach the
large ring to the
but no longer sticky to the touch.
sides to the pot,
then smooth and
ATTACHING PARTS compress it with
a rib.
When the slab in the foam mold is leather hard, flip
it out onto a bat or banding wheel, trim the edges to
about a ¼ inch wide, and make sure the back is fully
smooth by compressing it with a rubber rib. So as not
to distort the edges of your slumped slab, fold a clean
studio towel to support it underneath, inside the edges,
while placing it on a banding wheel.
Removing the smaller ring from the bat, gently 7
place and form it to the desired shape (6). Trace lightly
around the foot, remove, score, slip, and put it back into After refining
the transition
place. With a rubber rib, press firmly around the base of between the
the foot, compressing the clay, and adhering the foot bottom and sides,
to the base. Make sure to place your pot on a board at compress and
refine the rim
eye-level before going further to make sure your foot is with a flexible
level and flush to the surface. rubber rib.
Once the pot is turned over, reshape the towel
to a doughnut shape encircling your foot ring and
supporting the outer edges of your pot. Score and
slip the edge of the pot and make one vertical cut in
the larger ring to shape it to the sides of the pot (7).
Firmly attaching the flared base of the sides to the 8

pot, first, pinching it down between your thumb and

forefinger, then rib it again to compress it. Rib from Allow the form to
slowly dry under
the upper sides of the pot, down toward the bottom, plastic for 2–3
to emphasize a continuous curve, and so there is no days, then under
visible demarcation between the bottom and sides. vented plastic
until it’s dry.
To add a bit more movement to the pot, take a Bisque fire it.
Surform tool and shave down each side toward the
middle of the pot. This gives the ends extra lift and
brings a lightness to the form. Finally, compress the rim
to give it a rounded smooth finish (8). 9

DRYING Brush a terra sigillata on

the exterior. Decorate
Let the form dry very slowly. I wrap these completely in the interior with slip,
plastic for 2–3 days, then, to finish drying, I put a small clear glaze mixed with
vent hole in the middle of the plastic, so it dries from AMACO Velvets, and
die-cut stencils.
the inside out. This allows more even drying, avoiding
any cracking (9).

FINAL THOUGHTS
Joining together like, or even dissimilar shapes into
one vessel can create entirely new shapes altogether. A
single teardrop can be duplicated and joined together
to produce a twin serving bowl, or even doubled again
for a quatrefoil-shaped platter. Making your own foam
molds can free you from the confines of the square slab,
bringing new pots to your repertoire in the process.

135
 RECIPE

Cornbread
Chorizo Stuffing
by Nancy Gallagher

Ingredients:
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 loaf unsweetened cornbread (about 10 cups)
• ¹⁄³ cup pecans, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 pound chorizo sausage, casing removed
• 1 cup shallots, chopped (about 8)
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 2 leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only
• 1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and
roughly diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced finely
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
The night before roughly cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes.
Spread out on 2 metal-rimmed baking sheets along with
pecans and toast for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden and
pecans are fragrant. Let cool, then place in large bowl.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil to medium-high heat,
then cook the chorizo until browned for about 10 minutes,
breaking it up into small pieces while stirring. Remove the
chorizo with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl with the
toasted cornbread and pecans.
Turn down heat to medium, add ½ cup of butter, shallots,
leeks, and celery to skillet, and cook, stirring often, until
onions are soft and golden, about 10–12 minutes. Add
diced garlic and sage and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add
chopped apple and transfer to bowl.

Beat eggs and 2 cups chicken stock in a medium mixing

bowl and add to the stuffing mixture. Add parsley, season
with salt and pepper, and gently toss (avoid crumbling
the cornbread), adding more stock very gradually until
cornbread is thoroughly moistened. Butter a 3-quart,
shallow baking dish. Transfer the mixture to the to baking
dish and dot with remaining ¼ cup butter.

Cover with buttered foil; place in a cold oven and bake 40

minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out
hot. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 450°F and
bake another 20 minutes until top is golden brown. Let sit
10 minutes before serving.

These baking directions are modified for how I instruct

buyers to bake in my pots, by putting them into a cold
oven. Caveat, I do not do this. I put them right into a
preheated oven and have never had an issue, but just
in case, I don’t have others do the same.

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 Dinner
Moroccan
Tagines
by Sumi von Dassow

The tagine, an iconic Moroccan cooking vessel,

is traditionally made of earthenware and used
directly on the stovetop to cook meat and
vegetables, which are served over couscous. Its
conical lid directs moisture toward the center of
the dish, helping food to cook more evenly.

You can make a stoneware tagine for use in the oven Create a 10-inch
wide bowl with
or even on a grill, but to cook traditional recipes on the
a slight curve
stovetop you’ll have to find a suitable clay body. I’m where the floor
not aware of any clay manufacturers that recommend meets the wall.
Pull out the top
using their earthenware on the stovetop. However,
½-inch to create
if you want to use a clay that really is suited for this a gallery.
purpose, try micaceous clay. Available from New Mexico
Clay (www.nmclay.com), micaceous clay is a low-fire
clay that has had a large percentage of powdered mica
added to it to increase its ability to withstand thermal
shock. You can order the pre-made clay body or you 1
can just order powdered mica and wedge (about 20%)
of it into regular earthenware clay. Measure the
diameter of
the gallery
THROWING AND TRIMMING THE BASE with calipers in
To make a medium-sized tagine, center a 3-pound preparation for
making the lid.
ball of clay, flatten it out to a disk about 10 inches in
diameter, then open it up, leaving only ¼ inch for the
floor. You want a flat bottom without a trimmed foot for
this type of ware. Bring the clay out, compressing the
floor and keeping it level. When you pull up the wall,
allow it to flare out just a bit, and don’t try to make a
2
sharp corner where the wall meets the floor. A gentle
curve here helps protect the clay from thermal shock.
Turn the leather-
Make a simple gallery by using a rib to widen the top hard pot over and
half inch of the wall (1). Support the top edge with trim it to round
a finger on the outside to keep it vertical. This kind out the transition
from floor to
of gallery is easier to clean and to serve from than a wall. Use a rib
gallery with a flange that projects inward from the lip. to smooth the
It’s also much easier to burnish this form, if you want trimmed area.
to do so. Use calipers to measure the width of the
gallery (2). Remove the form from the wheel and allow
it to stiffen up to leather hard.
Next, turn it upside-down and trim it to create
3
a smooth curve where the floor transitions to the

137
 Throw the lid wall (3). Your goal is to have the thickness consistent
upside-down as a
throughout the entire piece, to avoid thermal shock.
tall narrow bowl.
Flare the rim
slightly and make THROWING AN UPSIDE-DOWN LID
it a bit larger
The lid is the tricky part of this form. Start with at least 3
than the caliper
measurement. pounds of clay, possibly a bit more. There are two ways
to throw a tall cone; right-side-up or upside-down.
Most potters throw it upside-down, which means
making a very tall conical bowl with a very narrow foot.
Once you’ve thrown as tall of a bowl as you can get
with your clay by pulling as much clay as possible up
4 from the foot, use a rib to widen the rim until it fits your
caliper measurement (4). To avoid disappointment,
Center the lid make it a tiny bit wider. The rim of this form may shrink
(which was
thrown upside
slightly more than the rim of the base—pots don’t
down) right-side- always shrink evenly and a wide flared rim often pulls
up when it is up and in if it’s not carefully covered as it dries. You don’t
leather hard, trim
off any excess clay
want your lid to end up too small, but if it’s too big, it’s
and add a knob. easy to trim it to fit. When both pieces are leather hard,
turn the bowl form over (right side up), trim off the
excess clay, and throw a knob onto it (5). Score where
the knob will be placed with magic water, add a lump of
clay, then center and shape it into a knob.

5 THROWING A RIGHT-SIDE-UP LID

If you find it difficult to throw a bowl tall and wide
To throw a lid
enough, throw it right-side-up instead. For this method,
right-side-up, pull
up a bottomless once your clay is centered, you’ll open all the way to the
ring slightly bat and bring all the clay out into a ring as wide as your
wider than the
caliper measurement (or a bit wider). Bring the clay up
measurement,
then collar it to a and inward, alternating pulling up and collaring in as
tall closed form. necessary to bring the form into a cone. Just make sure
you’ve brought as much clay as possible up from the
base of the cone before you get it too narrow to get a
hand inside. Close the top of the cone, then shape it into
a knob (6). If necessary, you can wait until it’s leather
hard, then add a knob. You’ll have to turn it upside down
6
in a chuck and trim any excess clay from the bottom.

To burnish the GLAZING OR BURNISHING

bone-dry tagine,
you’ll need a If you’re using stoneware, glaze it normally. Just
brush, a rag, some don’t use it on the stovetop. If you’re using regular
water, a smooth
stone, and slip
earthenware clay, you can use low-fire glazes or terra
containing fine sigillata on the interior and the exterior. An unglazed
powdered mica. exterior surface is more traditional, but, glazing the pot
will make it easier to clean. Caution: Neither clay body
is recommended for use on the stovetop.
If you’re using micaceous clay, burnishing makes the
surface easier to clean and less porous. Adding extra
mica to a slip and applying it to the surface before you
7
burnish makes it more resistant to thermal shock. The

138
 Dinner
tagine will be beautiful and functional without this Brush a layer of
slip onto part of
step, but burnishing adds surface interest.
the pot. Don’t
To make slip for burnishing, take your throwing slip, worry if it goes
screen the lumps out, and stir some powdered mica on lumpy.
into it (7). Note: When you order clay from New Mexico
Clay, you should also order some 60-mesh mica with it
to use for this step. Don’t worry about exact quantities;
mica will flake out of the slip as you burnish it. You just
want to load up your slip so you have plenty of extra.
Brush this slip onto your bone-dry pot (8), then wipe
the surface with a damp rag to smooth it out (9). As the
slip dries and soaks in, use your fingertips to smooth
the surface even more. It will actually burnish quite well
with this step, and you could quit at this point.
But, to take it a step further, rub the surface
with a polished stone until it gets glossy and very 8
smooth (10). Tip: Look for a stone that has been highly
polished and has no nicks. If the surface of the pot Use a damp rag
gets too dry, the stone will scratch it. Don’t try to do to smooth the
surface of the
the whole pot at once, work in sections, or it will dry slip. Rub the wet
out too quickly. Burnish both the interior and the slip with your
exterior, and do the underside as well. The purpose of fingertips until
it’s smooth and
burnishing is to make the pot less porous and more slightly burnished.
resistant to thermal shock, so the bottom of the pot is
the most important part.
On the inside of the lid you can apply slip and rub it
until it’s smooth and slightly shiny. I sign the inside of
the lid to avoid weakening the bottom of the pot.

DECORATING AND FIRING

Bisque fire micaceous clay to cone 010. You can add
Mason stains to terra sigillata and paint patterns before
bisque firing, decorate it with china paints, do a horse- 9
hair raku firing, or blacken it in a raku kiln.
Rub the surface
CURING AND CLEANING THE TAGINE with a polished
To seal the pot, heat it and rub it with olive oil, stone. Burnish in
sections. Do the
repeating several times. Even better, pour an inch of interior, exterior,
milk into it and heat it until the milk boils. When cool, and bottom of the
pour out the milk and scrub it with baking soda. Casein, base section.

a protein in milk, will be drawn into the pores of the

clay to make it less porous. If you have an electric stove,
use the tagine on a diffuser. You can use the tagine
directly on a gas burner, but either way, never turn the
burner on high. Always clean earthenware with baking
soda, never soap, and never put it in the dishwasher.
Soap or dishwasher detergent might soak into the
pores of the clay and leave a bad flavor. To fully dry
and sterilize your pot after washing it, place it on a hot
burner to steam it dry. Don’t store it with the lid on, as
10
any residual moisture might encourage mold.

139
 RECIPE

Spicy Kefta with

Tomato Sauce
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 1½ pounds ground beef, buffalo, or lamb Combine meat, onion, parsley, and spices and form golf ball-
• 1 onion, finely chopped sized meatballs.
• 1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Pour the tomato sauce into the tagine base and place the
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
pot on the burner (on a diffuser if you are using an electric
• 1 teaspoon cumin burner) set on medium heat.
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 1 teaspoon paprika When the sauce begins to simmer, place the meatballs into
• 1 teaspoon salt the sauce in a single layer.
• 1 jar (28 ounces) tomato sauce (or use homemade)
Cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked throughout.

Serve with couscous, rice, or quinoa.

To seal the pot, heat it and rub it with olive oil several times. Or pour
an inch of milk into it and heat it until the milk boils. When cool,
pour out the milk and scrub it with baking soda. Casein, a protein in
milk, will be drawn into the pores of the clay to make it less porous.
If you have an electric stove, use the tagine on a diffuser. You can use
the tagine directly on a gas burner, but either way, never turn the
burner on high. Always clean earthenware with baking soda, never
soap, and never put it in the dishwasher. Soap or dishwasher
detergent might soak into the pores of the clay and leave
a bad flavor. To fully dry and sterilize your pot after
washing it, place it on a hot burner to steam it dry.
Don’t store it with the lid on, as any residual
moisture might encourage mold.

140
 Dinner
Bryce Brisco’s
Serving
Platters
by Yoko Sekino-Bové

Bryce Brisco's functional wood-fired

tableware is adorned with simple, yet
elegant slip patterns, resist elements,
and incised texturing.

Bryce uses a light gray, smooth stoneware clay body Make, then
refine the rim of
of his own creation that’s comprised of local clays he
a shallow bowl
digs up in the area around his Smithville, Tennessee with a rubber rib.
home. By using local materials, he’s able to establish a
relationship with the region’s people and give the pots
an identity based on the area’s culture. He enjoys the
unpredictable beauty of these local clays when wood
fired in a salt atmosphere.

THROWING A SHALLOW BOWL

Bryce throws his pieces using minimal tools. After using 1
three pounds of clay to create a 10-inch-diameter
bowl with a smooth inside curve and a rim that’s Draw a circular
guideline with
about two inches wide, he cleans the surface with food coloring on
a rib before applying any surface decoration (1). He the soft, leather-
does not cut the clay from the bat immediately after hard bowl.

throwing, leaving it attached keeps it centered for the

decorating stages.
Depending on his studio schedule, he either leaves
the bowl for a day to naturally dry the surface, or he
uses a torch to remove the moisture quickly. When
the surface has lost its sheen, the bowl is ready to
2
be decorated.

APPLYING STICKERS Apply marks for

three dividing
Bryce works with both slip and resist surface lines using a
techniques. He cuts several circles out of contact homemade
measuring tool.
paper with scissors before starting to work on the
clay. The contact paper is water-proof and resistant to
slip. He wants to keep these circles hand-cut. “I know
we can buy circle stickers, but mechanical perfection
does not work on handmade pots. People can tell
the difference.”
When the bowl dries to soft leather hard, he places
3
the bat back on the wheel and paints on a series of

141
 Complete the circular lines as guides using food coloring. Because
guidelines after
the food coloring burns out at a very low temperature
removing the
dividing tool. without leaving residue, these guidelines don’t affect
the final result (2).
The next step is to mark three, evenly divided lines
for three of his circle stickers. To do this, Bryce uses
a guide made by marking a clear compact disc with
dividing lines (the disc shown has marks for dividing
a surface into three or five segments). He holds the
disc above the circular lines, positions it as close to the
center of the bowl as he can, and marks where his lines
4 will go using food coloring (3). Using this method, he
can measure the spots for the stickers very evenly.
Apply water-proof After removing the blank disc, he paints in the
circles, centered
over the dividing
guidelines for the stickers and re-checks the distance
lines and between between them by eye (4), then, following the
the concentric guidelines, he applies three contact paper stickers (5).
circular guides.

POURING WHITE SLIP AND FINGER SWIPING

Bryce keeps a big bucket of white slip on hand to
decorate multiple larger forms. He removes the pot
(still attached to the bat) from the wheel, and pours
a generous amount of the slip into his bowl (6). He
swishes it around the interior to make sure it covers the
5 entire inside curved area, then pours it out, back into
the bucket.
Pour slip into
Placing the pot back on the wheel, Bryce cleans up
the bowl, over
the resist circles, the rim with a rib and removes any splashes created by
swish it around to the slip immediately after pouring the slip out, before
coat the interior,
the clay gets soggy (7).
then pour out
the excess. Now he uses his finger to swipe at the surface
to create a loose, thick line (8). The secret is to relax,
stop thinking too much, and enjoy the process,
stopping when the pattern or composition of lines
looks complete.

DECORATION ON THE RIM

6
Bryce’s incised texture pattern on the rim was inspired
by Tatsuzo Shimaoka, the respected Japanese potter
Wipe and clean
the rim using a
who used a piece of rope to create incised patterns. But
rubber rib before as always, Bryce found his own way to create a similar
the added slip effect with a handmade tool sourced from a hand-
softens the bowl
too much.
cranked/manual pencil sharpener. For this texturing, he
uses the part of the pencil sharpener that actually spins
and grinds the pencil.
While turning the pot slowly on a wheel, Bryce
gently presses the texturing tool against the rim to
7 incise the pattern. At this point, the clay is still soft
enough to be carved, but firm enough to support itself.
He doesn’t need to support the underside of the rim
while creating the pattern (9).

142
 Dinner
Once the decoration is completed, the contact Draw a sgraffito
finger swipe
paper dots are removed (10), then the pot is trimmed
through the slip
and dried prior to being prepared for glazing. that interacts with
the resist circles.
PREPPING FOR FIRING
Bryce does not bisque fire his work. The white, slip-
covered area of the pot is glazed with a clear glaze
when the pots are bone-dry, leaving the areas that
were covered by the stickers unglazed so he can place
seashells filled with clay/alumina wads there. These
wads create a decorative surface effect, while also
allowing him to place one more piece on top of the 8
wads, so he can fit more work into a kiln (11). He fires
the pots in a wood-burning salt kiln up to cone 11. Apply a texture
to the rim using
part of a manual
pencil sharpener.

Use a sharp
needle tool or
X-Acto knife, lift
up and remove
Bryce Brisco's fired platter showing the contact-
the wad marks from the clay/alumina- paper circles.
filled seashells, and the effects of the
salt-firing on the textured rim.

10

Place clay/
alumina-stuffed
shells onto the
circled spots on
the dry greenware
bowl and stack an
additional piece
on the shells
before firing.

11

143
 RECIPE

Orange Bourbon Glazed

Chicken Statler with
Yukon Gold Potato Hash
by Bryce Brisco

Ingredients: Instructions:
• bone-in chicken breast, statler-style cut Chicken statler (sometimes called a Frenched breast) is
• oil simply a bone-in chicken breast with the first joint attached.
• salt and pepper Any butcher shop that sells whole chickens can easily cut
these for you.
ORANGE-BOURBON GLAZE
Remove the skin and dry the chicken thoroughly. Rub the
• ½ cup bourbon
breast with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• zest of one lemon Sear in a hot pan, preferably a cast iron grill pan, until
• zest and juice of one orange browned. Pour glaze over the meat and finish in oven at 450°F.
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• pinch of cayenne In a hot pan, flame the bourbon to burn off the alcohol.
Add remaining ingredients and reduce by a third.
HASH
Deep fry the potatoes in hot oil until golden brown. Drain,
• Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
and toss with cherries, rosemary, and bacon. Add salt and
• dried cherries pepper to taste.
• rosemary, finely chopped
• bacon lardons, fried until crispy
• salt and pepper

I developed this recipe during

my years as a sous chef working
in fine dining. It was a favorite
on the fall/winter menu at Chloe
in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

144
 Dinner
Personal
Bakers
by Caleb Zouhary

Caleb Zouhary's wheel-thrown

and altered bakers allow you to
customize meals for each guest

From savory to sweet, these personal bakers meet all Use 1 pound
of clay and a
of your needs—they’re workhorses in the kitchen. Start
bat to throw a
your day with a breakfast casserole for two, then baked bottomless ring
salmon and vegetables for lunch, personal lasagnas for that is 6 inches
wide and 2½
dinner, and end with a perfect portion of cookie bars
inches high.
for dessert. For choosy eaters, or those with dietary
restrictions, each baker can be personalized.

THE BAKER
With 1 pound of clay on a bat, throw a bottomless
ring that is 6 inches wide and 2½ inches high, with a 1
generous lip (1). After the ring has set up and you’re
unable to make a fingerprint when it’s touched, cut After the ring
sets up, use a
it off the bat with a fettling knife and form it into a fettling knife to
rectangle. Then, make a ¼-inch-thick slab by repeatedly cut it loose from
tossing a thicker slab onto a table at an angle. After the bat, form it
into a rectangle,
each toss, rotate and flip the slab to ensure it’s and attach it to a
stretched evenly. Attach the walls of the baker to the ¼-inch thick slab.
slab with a good amount of slip (2), and cut the excess
slab away. Once this step is complete, pull 4-inch-long
handles off the hump for the bakers. When the handles
are nearly leather hard, cut the ends at an angle so they
2
will tilt up when attached to the baker (the tilt allows
for ergonomic maneuvering in a hot oven). Attach
Pull 4-inch-long
the handles (3) and cover the baker with plastic for a handles and
few hours, so all of the components can homogenize attach them to
and dry evenly. When the baker has fully reached the the baker once
they are leather
leather-hard stage, clean up the bottom of the baker, hard. Cover the
round it off with a rasp, and smooth your markings with baker in plastic
a rubber rib. for a few hours.

THE TRAY
The tray serves multiple functions for the personal
baking dish. After retrieving a hot baker from the oven,
3
the tray allows a cool surface to hold while

145
 To begin the tray, transporting your meal and it protects the table from
use 2½ pounds of
clay and throw a
heat, too. The raised lip on the tray keeps the baker in
10-inch-diameter place and provides visual emphasis.
plate with a slight To create the tray, begin with 2½ pounds of clay,
upward slope
toward the lip.
and throw a 10-inch-diameter, flat plate with a slight
upward slope toward the lip (4). When the plate is
almost leather hard, trim the bottom flat and cut away
two parallel sides to create a rectangle (5, 6). (Be sure to
leave enough overhang around the sides of the baker,
4 so cut no more than 2 inches from each side of the
plate.) Next, make a ¼-inch-thick slab either by rolling
Trim the bottom
it out or tossing a thicker slab of clay down on a table
of the plate flat
and mark two at an angle to stretch it. With both methods, flip and
parallel sides that rotate the clay after each toss or pass of the rolling pin.
will be cut.
Cut ¹⁄³ -inch strips, and, using slip, attach them to the
tray to create a raised lip (7). Use a sponge to smooth
the strips and blend them to into the tray. After the tray
is fully leather hard, use a rasp to clean the sides, and
smooth the rasp marks with a rubber rib (8).

Use a fettling
knife to cut away
two parallel
sides to create
a rectangle.

Adjust the shapes and sizes of your

6 personal crocks to fit the sizes of your
meals, the types of foods you like, and
your bake ware needs. Caleb's personal
Make a ¼-inch- crocks (shown below), were designed
thick slab and cut for making comfort food, specifically
⁄ -inch strips to
13 pot pies.
be used as the
sides. Attach the
strips to the tray
with slip to create
a raised lip.

Once the tray

is fully leather
hard, use a rasp
to refine the sides
and use a rubber
rib to smooth out
the rasp marks.

146

RECIPE
Seafood
Alfredo Lasagna
by Caleb Zouhary
Ingredients:
• 8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• ½ large onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, diced
• 2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 10 ounces small scallops, rinsed thoroughly
• 10 ounces extra small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• fresh basil leaves, minced and whole
• ground white pepper, to taste
To help keep your oven clean, place a sheet pan
under the bakers in your oven while baking.
Dinner
Instructions:
Lightly brush the cooked and cooled lasagna noodles
with oil to prevent sticking, then cut them in half (to fit the
lasagna bakers) and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the onion,
garlic, and mushrooms, stirring occasionally until browned.
In a medium saucepan, heat the cream on medium-low heat
until barely bubbling. Add the Parmesan a half cup at a time,
stirring frequently. Season with pepper. Continue stirring until
the cheese is melted and the alfredo sauce is free of lumps.
Remove from heat. When the onions and mushrooms are
browned, add the spinach and tomato, stirring occasionally
until just heated through, then remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil the lasagna bakers, then start with
a noodle and layer the spinach mixture, a handful of shrimp
and scallops, and a drizzle of alfredo sauce. Top with another
noodle, then a layer of ricotta. Repeat until all four bakers
are full. On the top layer, drizzle alfredo sauce, then dollop
a small scoop of ricotta right in the center, and sprinkle
minced basil on top.
Bake until the top is golden and the seafood is cooked
through. Garnish with a whole basil leaf.
147
148
 Dessert
CHAPTER SIX
Dessert

149
 Belly-Bottomed
Cups
by Birdie Boone

Birdie Boone's rounded bottoms give

her cups height, raising them nicely
off the table.

Use paper I once read that certain monks restricted the amount of
templates and
a meal to what would fit into the volume created when
cookie cutters to
cut out shapes both hands were cupped together. I looked down at
from fresh my own cupped-together hands to see just how much
clay slabs.
food I could eat were I a monk, and I realized that
hands were the original vessels used for consuming
sustenance, and that the next best thing would be
dishes that fit just so into that curve formed by two
hands cupped together. Since then, ‘belly-bottomed’
dishes have become a significant part of my work.
1 I prefer to use a darker clay body because it allows
me to create a greater depth of surface with the layered
Bevel the seam slips and glazes. The slip and glaze naturally break over
edges and thin
out the lip edges edges and other high points, revealing the darker clay
with a pony roller. beneath (for example, your eye might be drawn to the
lip edge because it is darker). In addition, the crackle
slip ‘cracks’ along seam joins, calling attention to each
step that took place in the making process. These
three elements work very well together to emphasize
the subtleties in my work in a way that a light-bodied
clay simply can’t. I like to think of red clay as humble,
as opposed to porcelain, which has tremendous
2
historic ties to social division and wealth. For me, the
humbleness of the red clay fits well with the idea of a
Pat the belly
bottom pieces
simple meal cupped in the vessel that my hands form.
into curved forms
over a plaster GATHERING UP THE PIECES
or bisque hump
mold. Set aside to
My basic construction methods are slab building and
firm up. coil pinching. When making a cup with a handle, I join
two slabs together to form the walls of the pot, add the
bellied bottom and a handle. To make a piece like this,
begin by rolling out a few slabs. Try to work with slabs
that are ¹⁄8–¼ inch thick (thicker for plates or larger
forms). If you don’t have access to a slab roller, use a
3
rolling pin to refine a thrown/stretched slab.

150
 Dessert
Before making any cuts, lift the slab from the board Curve the walls of
the cup to form
to make sure it’s not sticking. Manipulating soft clay
a cylinder, apply
slabs is a bit tricky, especially when they are thin, so it’s magic water, and
important that they aren’t tacky. I have several paper join the seams.
templates that I have developed for various forms.
There are lots of materials that could be used to make
the templates; Bristol board (similar to cardstock) works
well because it is smooth, flexible, and durable. The clay
pieces that form the belly bottoms are cut using various
cookie cutters that correspond in size to each paper
template. For oval forms or larger forms, make templates
or use container lids or whatever happens to work. Lay 4
the templates down on the slab and carefully cut around
them with a needle tool while gently holding down Compress the
seam with the
the edges of the template (1). Once the cuts are made, pony roller. Use a
allow the pieces to firm up just a bit. Carefully move each form or a curved
piece to a smaller board that sits on a banding wheel. paddle to support
the back side of
Using a pony roller, bevel the seam edges and thin the the seam.
lip edges (2). For me, it’s important to have a quality
banding wheel (one that turns effortlessly) so that the
manipulation of clay is fluent as you use the pony roller.
If you do this successfully, there is no need to clean up/
soften edges once the pot is finished.
Next, place a convex plaster or bisque hump mold
on the banding wheel and form each belly-bottom 5

piece over it by patting gently with your hands as the

Fold the peaks
banding wheel turns in response to this action (3).
at the top seam
Smaller pieces can be removed fairly easily and quickly out to create
from the mold without distorting the curve; bottoms for an additional
design detail.
larger forms require more time on the mold or a quick
blast with a hair dryer to firm up enough to be moved
without distortion. If the hump mold starts to get sticky
with absorbed water, dust it with a little cornstarch or
take a break and allow it to dry out. Lay each bellied pot
bottom directly on the blue board to continue firming
up. They need to be at least medium leather hard to
hold their form during the assembly process.
6
FITTING THE PIECES
Flip the cylinder
Once all the pieces are cut out and the edges thinned, over and fold the
you can begin to assemble them into a form. To do this, rolled seam edges
gently bend each piece into a cylinder that will stand in. Score cylinder
and belly bottom
up. Use a little magic water as a joining medium—it seam edges
works like a charm and isn’t messy. Because this is really well.
wet clay and you’re applying plenty of pressure to
ensure sound seams, you don’t need to score (unless
you’re joining two pieces of unequal dryness). Using
a paintbrush, apply the magic water to one side of
each joint (4) then position something firm (try using
a plaster mold) behind the joint, and use the palm of
7
your hand or a pony roller to compress the seam from

151
 Use a wooden the outside (5). Apply enough pressure to make sure
paddle to
the clay particles are mingling nicely, but not so much
compress the
seam. Since that the visual line you’ve created is marred.
the bottom is The following steps create subtle, but important
dryer than the
parts of what makes these pot forms special. One of the
walls, seal the
attachment well. effects of rolling the seam edges to miter them is that
some of the clay moves, forming little peaks at the ends.
When joining your two pieces together to form the wall
of the cup, try to preserve these bits of clay and then
fold them down to the outside of the pot’s wall (6) once
the two pieces are joined. Next, flip the cylinder upside
8 down taking care not to squish the rim. Instead of
folding these bits down as you did the ones on the rim,
Use your fingers you will fold them in toward the center of what will be
to stretch the wall
from the inside to
the interior of the cup (7) so that they are on the same
add volume and plane as the bottom of the cylinder wall. Once the cup is
further define completely assembled, they will be visible in the bottom
the form.
interior of the cup. These can now be considered part of
the bottom edge, which you will vigorously score along
with the bottom piece. Gently set the belly bottom
down over the cylinder and work your way around the
seam to make sure it’s aligned before applying pressure.
Holding the form, use a paddle to compress the seam
well to prevent cracking during the drying process (8).
9 Next, shape the wall into a curve.
For smaller forms like cups and small bowls, hold
To make a handle
the form in one hand and use your other hand to
with a faux seam,
join two coils stretch the wall from the inside, turning it as you
and roll each side work (9). For a larger pot, set it upright on a piece of
with a pony roller
foam on the banding wheel and use a soft rib to stretch
to the desired
thickness (10). the wall from the inside while supporting the wall from
Run your fingers the outside with your other hand. Once you’re satisfied
along each edge
with the shape, check the rim and re-shape it.
to reinforce the
faux seam. Plump
the ends between HOLDING ON
your fingers and
To make a handle, start with a coil or two of soft clay.
the table (11).
For this handle, two coils are joined with a little magic
10 11
water. Place one coil on top of the other, press them
together (10) then begin to stretch them back out by
Hold handle
up to cup to
rolling with the large end of the pony roller. Once you
determine if size have the width you want (it should still be thicker than
is right, adjust the end product), roll each side with the small end
if necessary,
then score cup
of the pony roller until its edges are about the same
and handle well thickness as the rim of the cup. Form a fake seam-line
and attach. down the middle of the handle that creates a visual
repetition of the wall’s seam (11). Cut a length that looks
close, then plump the ends for a solid attachment. Hold
the handle to the cup to check it visually and adjust the
length if necessary. Once you have decided where to
place the handle, score both cup and handle and join
12
them together. Apply pressure to the joints firmly but

152
 Dessert
gently to make sure the attachments are sound (12). Once the pot is
bisque fired, apply
Do the final shaping of the handle after it's attached,
wax resist to belly
considering the negative space formed by its silhouette. bottom, allow it to
A handle adds a little extra weight and, since the dry thoroughly.
bottom is not flat, the cup will tend to list in the direction
of the handle. To correct this, re-balance it by slightly
shifting where the curve of the cup’s bottom meets the
surface of the table, opposite from the handle.

SEALING THE SURFACES

Once the forms are bone dry, bisque fire them. Bisque
larger forms upside down so the weight of the piece 13
doesn’t affect the curve of the belly bottom. If you’re
using a darker clay body, consider applying a light- Dip the piece
in bisque slip
colored bisque slip to brighten up the glazes. This also and allow to
creates a visual complexity when dark edges peek dry thoroughly
through the slip and where the slip pits, crackles, or before glazing
by dipping.
highlights its drips.
Use a sponge brush to apply wax resist to the belly
bottoms and let them dry before dipping (13). Sponge
brushes respond well to slight pressure so you can get
a nice, even wax line around the edge of the pot. First
dip the pot in bisque slip and once the slip is dry, apply
the glaze by again dipping (14). It is crucial that the
bisque slip be completely dry before applying glaze or 14

adhesion problems may occur between the clay and

Glazed pots
the slip and cause blistering during the firing. Wait for
sitting in ‘slump
the glaze to dry before loading the kiln and glaze firing. crutches’, ready
to be loaded
FUNCTIONAL SUPPORTS into the kiln for
glaze firing.
A strong and durable pot is fully vitrified and to
become so, it needs to be fired to maturation. When
the clay particles are starting to melt together, this can
cause physical shifting in an unstable form. If the body
of the pot has too much weight for the belly bottom to
bear, gravity will flatten it. To keep the bottom bellied,
it needs support. When I first began making these
15
forms, I fired them in little beds of silica sand carefully
placed on the kiln shelves. This works really well, but it
Birdie Boone's belly-
limits the number of pieces in a kiln load: putting little bottomed bowls, to 4½ in.
piles of sand too close to the edge of a shelf invites it (12 cm) in diameter, mid-
to fall into any pots on shelves below. Because of this, range red clay, bisque
slip, glaze, fired to cone 6.
I began to think about other ways to support curved
forms. I soon discovered the puki, a bowl-like form
used by Native Americans to support a rounded base
while coil building. So, instead of sand, I now use “slump
crutches” (15). These supportive forms are made with a
cone 10 stoneware (I fire to cone 6) so they don’t vitrify
right away. I make them over the same plaster hump
molds so they have the same or similar curves, but they
don’t shrink as much, so the pots sit well in them.

153
 RECIPE

Homemade Hot Chocolate

with Homemade
Marshmallows
by Birdie Boone

Ingredients: Instructions:
SIMPLE HOT CHOCOLATE Put gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer set up with the
whisk attachment. Add ½ cup of the water. While the gelatin
• 1 cup milk, as you like it
blooms in mixer bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup
• 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and the salt in a small
(I recommend Scharffen Berger)
saucepan; place over medium-high heat, cover and cook
• 2 tablespoons demerara or brown sugar for 3–4 minutes. Remove lid and clip candy thermometer
(the molasses in darker sugars brings out the flavor of
onto side of saucepan and continue to cook without stirring
the cocoa)
until the mixture reaches 240°F (approximately 7–8 minutes,
MARSHMALLOWS FROM SCRATCH but stovetops vary), then remove pan from the heat
immediately. Turn the stand mixer on low speed and slowly
• 3 packets of unflavored gelatin pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the
• 1 cup cold water, divided gelatin mixture. Once it’s all poured in, turn mixer speed to
• 1½ cups granulated sugar (12 ounces) high and whip for 12–15 minutes. The longer you whip, the
• 1 cup light corn syrup firmer your marshmallows will be. During the last minute of
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt whipping, add the vanilla.

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

While the marshmallow mixture is whipping, prepare the
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar pan. Combine confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small
• ¼ cup cornstarch bowl. Spray 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray and coat
• nonstick cooking spray thoroughly with powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture.
Once the marshmallow mixture is whipped, turn it into the
pan with a lightly oiled spatula (it’s really sticky stuff!) and
spread evenly. Sift some of the sugar/cornstarch mixture
on top to lightly coat. Let sit for a minimum of 4 hours.
Overnight is even better. When the mixture is set, turn
the slab out of the pan onto a cutting board. Have the
remainder of your sugar/cornstarch mixture nearby. Cut into
squares as you like. A pizza wheel works well with a dusting
of powder mixture between each pass. If they need a little
more grooming, use a sharp pair of kitchen shears and
plenty of powdered sugar.

Combine hot chocolate ingredients in saucepan and heat

slowly until desired temperature. Pour into your favorite
handmade cup, top with marshmallows, and sip away.

154
 Dessert
Paul Donnelly's
Snack Tray
by Annie Chrietzberg

Paul Donnelly’s tea tray is inspired by a

variety of things: architecture, landscape,
and by the practical desire to keep furniture
ring free and a spoon or snack close at hand.

The inspiration for Paul Donnelly’s tea tray comes Prepare a firm,
1-inch thick slab
from his daily use of ceramic objects, “My partner and
ring and center it
I collect a lot of ceramics, and we use them everyday. on the wheelhead.
When I'm drinking a cup of coffee, I usually set the cup
in another bowl or other ceramic object so I don’t ruin
our furniture. As a result, I wanted to make a piece with
an expanded saucer that also had room for a spoon or
a snack,” and so he developed the tea tray.

CREATING THE SAUCER’S FOOTWELL

Paul starts by making the cup designed for the tea 1
tray. Referencing the cup’s scale and diameter, he uses
calipers to define the size of the saucer’s footwell Using the guides,
(the indented area where the cup rests). To create this make straight cuts
from line to line,
element, he first throws a thick, solid slab. He uses the to create a square.
wheel because it allows him to add dimension and
detail with greater ease and precision. Depending on
the design, the slab may be up to an inch or so wider
than the cup’s diameter. After throwing, he leaves the
slab disc on the wheel or bat to firm up, and then, with
the wheel turning, cuts the middle out of it. The size of
the circle he starts with is determined by the size of the
cup. He then cuts the ring off the wheel or bat with a 2
wire tool and sets it aside until it becomes leather hard.
Throwing this piece on a bat, then leaving it on the bat Use a length of
copper tubing,
after cutting it off with a wire tool until it is leather hard sharpened on one
can help reduce warping. end, to cut circles
With a Sharpie and a straight-edge, Paul draws on the footwell.

perpendicular lines that intersect at 90° angles at

the center of his clean wheel head. He centers the
leather-hard ring of clay (1) and uses the lines to cut
the outside into a square (2). He cuts additional circles
out with a short piece of copper tubing that he has
sharpened on one end (3). He now has a square piece
with a fancy hole in the middle that will become the
3
footwell for the saucer portion of his tea tray.

155
 Attach the cut COMPLETING THE SAUCER
form to the slab.
Remove excess Paul rolls out a slab then sets the footwell onto it, traces
slip. After the both the inside and outside edges, and makes a key
piece sets up, use
a Surform to clean
mark on the top of one side of the footwell and to the
it up. side of it on the slab. He scores inside the traced outline
on the slab and the bottom of the footwell, adds plenty
of slip, and presses them together using the key marks
for proper orientation. Paul uses ample slip so when
the two elements are pressed together, slip squishes
out past the edges (4). He lets this slip set up until it is
the consistency of caulk, then blends it into the seam
4
with a damp, stiff brush. He sets the saucer portion of
the piece aside, under plastic, letting the slip set up
Use a plaster slab
with a recessed and the piece reach an equal moisture consistency
rectangle to throughout. Then he uses a Surform on the outside
create the tray.
to remove any inconsistencies from the layering and
Extend the lines
to locate the foot. creates smooth sides.

FORMING THE TRAY

Paul uses a large, smooth, plaster slab with a narrow,
recessed, rectangular outline cut into its center as a
press mold to create a foot on the bottom of the piece.
He sets a straight-edge even with the outside lines of
5 the recessed rectangle, and uses a Sharpie to extend
the lines to the edge of the press mold so that the
Use a mallet to location of the foot is visible even when he places a
press the clay slab slab on the mold (5).
into the recessed
foot. Use shims
Paul throws a pug of clay on the tabletop to flatten
and a cutting wire it slightly, then continues to use his palm to pound it
to trim the slab. into a slab. He makes this slab about twice as thick as
it needs to be, and centers it on the plaster press mold
using the marks he made earlier to locate the recessed
line. Paul uses a rubber mallet to nudge the clay into
the footring, then sets a pair of shims along the sides
of the slab (6). With a wire cutter sandwiched firmly
between each thumb and a shim, Paul cuts through
6 the thickness of the slab with one decisive gesture.
He takes a long rib and smooths and compresses the
While the clay freshly cut surface. Working in this way, rather than
is still on the
plaster slab, use a thinning a slab with a rolling pin, reduces the likelihood
piece of textured that the piece will warp as it dries.
plaster as a Paul grabs a small piece of plaster cut from an old
stamp to pattern
the piece. mold, with a subtle stratified texture on it. He uses this
tool to impress a ‘landscape’ texture into his piece (7),
and then he lets the slab set up for a little bit. He sets a
pair of 2×2 boards onto the press mold on either side
of the clay slab, places a ware board on top of that, then
flips the whole thing over (8). The 2×2s hold the press
mold up off of the wareboard, allowing the slab of clay
7
with the foot to drop off of the press mold. He flips his

156
 Dessert
piece over, so that it’s right-side up, and begins to plan Place 2×2s on
the edges of the
the saucer placement.
plaster slab as
Paul moves the saucer around, inching it here and supports, put a
there until he finds a nice spot for it visually. He places ware board on
top, and flip over.
a fork on the piece beside the saucer, to get an idea of
the interplay between the objects (9). Once satisfied
with the location of the saucer, he uses a fettling knife
to trace the edges of the saucer onto the tray. After
setting the saucer aside, he cuts right through the
traced lines, then scores and slips the adjoining areas
of the saucer and the tray (10). As before, he uses lots of
slip that squishes out when he joins the pieces. He uses 8

a slip trailing bottle to add an additional bead of slip to

all of the joined areas, lets it set up to the consistency Position the
saucer, then cut
of caulk, then blends it into the seams with a damp, out a section
stiff brush. of the tray to
Paul positions a square piece of foam onto the tray accommodate
it (9). Score and
to equal the height difference between the tray and slip the adjoining
the saucer, then flips the whole piece over in order edges and
to reinforce the new seams (11). Paul deeply scores attach, pressing
from inside
the seams and across the abutment where the foot the footwell (10).
ring meets the side wall of the saucer. He slips the
score marks and, with his fingertip, adds a coil of soft
clay. These measures reinforce potentially weak areas
9 10
that may be likely to crack during the drying and/or
the firing.
Add soft clay
To finish the piece, Paul cuts into the straight lines of
to the seam
the edge of his pieces with a loop-tool, removing clay where the two
in a way that relates to the texture he laid down earlier. pieces meet.
Let the piece
This is purely to satisfy his own visual desires. He takes
firm up before
his texture tool and uses it to compress and texture flipping over.
these fresh edges, zipping up every last detail of this
complex piece (12).
After slowly drying the piece under plastic to even
out the moisture between all the parts and to prevent
warping as it dries, the tea tray is ready to bisque fire.
After the bisque, Paul glazes the pieces so the textures
11
are accentuated. The pieces shown here are glazed with
a green or blue transparent glaze, then fired to cone 6.
Cut the edges
clean and then
texture them with
Designed with the plaster stamp
versatility in mind, for consistency.
Paul's snack trays can
be built with larger
or smaller tray space
and can accommodate
cups of various sizes
as well.

12

157
 RECIPE

New York-Style
Cheesecake
by Paul Donnelly

Ingredients:
CRUST
• 14 graham crackers, crushed
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1¾ cup white sugar
• ²⁄³ cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
RASPBERRY SAUCE
• 8 ounces raspberries
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
Instructions:
CHEESECAKE
In a bowl, mix the graham crackers with the melted butter.
Spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil. Once mixed,
pack the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the
springform pan. Set aside until the cheesecake filling is ready.
Combine the flour, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a bowl
and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Once
the cream cheese and sugar have been creamed together, mix
in the milk, then begin to mix the eggs into the batter one at
a time. Once all of the eggs are mixed in add the orange and
lemon zest, then mix in the sour cream.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan. Place the
cheesecake into a 350°F oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn the
oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours.
Once the cheesecake is done, place it in the refrigerator to chill
Note: A crack may form on the surface of the cheesecake as
it bakes if it’s internal temperature reaches higher than 160°F.
To prevent a crack, rest the pan in a water bath. A warm water
bath keeps the moisture in the oven high, preventing the
cheesecake from getting too hot during the cooking process.

RASPBERRY SAUCE
Pour the water and raspberries into a sauce pan on medium
heat. Mix the granulated sugar and confectioners sugar
into the raspberries. Continue to mix until the raspberries
breakdown, then add the lemon juice.

Let the sauce simmer for 10

minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the sauce has
thickened, strain it into a
container, and store it in
the refrigerator until
you're ready to serve
the cheesecake.

158
 Dessert
Double-Walled Cast
Ice Cream
Server
by Hiroe Hanazono

Hiroe Hanazono, much like architects and interior

designers, considers how humans will interact
with her forms as she designs and builds them.

I’ve always had a great passion for food—cooking, Finished wooden

patterns sealed
eating, setting the table, and sharing in the full dining
with polyurethane
experience. It’s why I make functional pots. The pots and coated with
I create consist of simple lined forms with muted mold release.
glaze colors, and the work’s minimal aesthetic doesn’t
compete with anyone’s domestic surroundings, nor
with the food it eventually holds.
I’m especially fascinated with design that’s clean
and almost severe in its simplicity, and attracted to
modern interior design and architecture because both
practices work to frame and contain the contents of
1
a given space. Architects and interior designers must
consider how people and furniture fit into the overall
Molduct tubing
design of a space. They consider purpose, and how the
attached to a wire
space will be used. Potters must consider these same frame that will be
issues—good pots consider purpose, use, and that embedded into
the top section of
which they will eventually contain.
the mold.
The minimal design of my forms create an ideal
setting for the display of food. Simple forms allow for
beautiful relationships between the forms themselves
and the elements contained within them.
My surfaces are also simple foils for the display of
food. The repetition of simple geometric shapes and
lines goes beyond the idea of decoration, becoming
2
an element that blends into the form. The patterns that

159
 Pour casting I create could serve as the design of the forms of my
slip into the
pots. They could also be rendered subtly in low relief
pour holes
using funnels. on the surface of my pots, without interfering with the
simplicity of the presentation I desire.

MAKING THE PATTERN

I use slip casting in the production of my forms.
It’s the technique that best satisfies my intent to
create immaculately executed and unusual forms.
Each new piece begins by carving out a pattern or
3 model, generally made from MDF (medium density
fiberboard), from which I then create a plaster mold.
Once I have settled upon a design, a meticulous scale
Drain the drawing is made from which I then begin laying
excess slip.
out the MDF pattern. Because there is roughly 20%
shrinkage in the casting body, I make the pattern larger
than the final piece I’m aiming to produce (see box
below for shrinkage math). Many other artists create
their patterns out of plaster or clay, but I’ve found that
wood and MDF better suit my needs. I can control
these materials better, with the edges of my forms
sharper and the transitions fairer. Also, the durability
and longevity of the original pattern is a definite bonus.
The patterns are fabricated using primarily
4 woodworking tools—band saw, table saw, sanders,
router, and various hand tools including scrapers, rasps,
Squeeze slip
files, and chisels. A great deal of time is also spent
into the pour
holes using a sanding and refining the pattern. The final step in
ball syringe. preparing the pattern for mold making is to seal it with
at least three layers of polyurethane (1).

SHRINKAGE To determine how big your model or

template form needs to be, you must account for your clay
shrinkage. If your clay shrinks 12% and you want to make
a 6-inch diameter bowl, divide 6 by .88, which means your
model will need to be 6.8 inches in diameter.

5
MAKING THE MOLD
Flip the mold to
allow slip to fill
First determine the number of sections the mold will
the pour holes. have and identify the location of the plugholes. My
molds are typically made in four pieces—the bottom,
two sides and the top. Sometimes I embed molduct
tubing that’s been attached to a metal frame in one
of the plaster sections to facilitate removal of the wet
slip cast form from the mold (2). The tubing—which
in this case was clamped in place above the surface of
the model so it will be completely surrounded by the
plaster and therefore not affect the casting surface—is
embedded into the top section of the mold. It creates
6
a porous channel so that compressed air can circulate

160
 Dessert
through the mold and help to release the section from Use compressed
air inserted into
the casting with minimal distortion.
the molduct
With double-walled forms, you need to make tubing to release
special considerations when making the molds. Simple the casting from
the top section.
open molds are not possible; the pattern or model
must be entirely enclosed in plaster to achieve a
double wall. Plugholes are also needed for pouring the
slip into the mold and then for draining it.

CASTING THE PIECE

Pour casting slip into the mold and allow to set until
you achieve the desired thickness (3). Drain the slip 7

from the mold and allow the piece to set up for awhile.
After draining the slip (4), you’ll want to fill in Remove the mold
sections when the
the openings in your form left by the drain holes, piece is leather
otherwise the finished piece will have holes in the hard. Elevate the
bottom. Squeeze a small amount of slip into the pour mold to help with
air circulation.
holes using a ball syringe (5). Plug the holes to keep
the slip contained within mold then flip the mold over
to allow the slip to fill the pour holes and finish the
casting (6).
When it’s time to de-mold the piece, blow
pressurized air into the molduct tubing and through
the plaster, forcing a separation from the slip-cast form
and the mold (7). 8

CLEANING UP AND DECORATING Trace a pattern on

the surface using a
Allow the slip cast form to become firm enough to prism projector (9).
work (leather hard) then remove it from the mold (8). Carve the traced
lines with a needle
Use metal scrapers and sponges to clean the edges
tool (10).
and any other irregularities that appear on the surface
of the form. Using a small drill bit, poke two holes in the
bottom of the form to allow air movement between
the inside and outside of the piece. This prevents the
piece from exploding in the kiln as the air contained
within the double walled form expands during the
firing process.
9
To create a subtle decorative element for the
surface of this piece, I decided to use mishima, a
slip inlay technique. Using Adobe Illustrator, I create
geometric patterns which I then project onto the
cast form, tracing them in pencil and finally carving
out the lines with a needle tool (9, 10).
Colored slip is then pushed into the
incised lines using a brush (11).
Once the slip is dry, the surface is
scraped flush with a metal rib (12),
removing all excess slip from the
form. What remains is a clear and
clean pattern with the colored slip
remaining in the incised lines.

10

161
 Fill the incised FIRING
lines with a
colored slip. After bisque firing to cone 06, I spray all of my glazes
and fire them to a very hot cone 6. All of the double-
walled pieces are down-fired as well, a process by
which cooling is slowed through the gradual lowering
of the temperature within the kiln. It allows for a
more even cooling of the inside and outside of the
form, which produces less stress on the overall form.
Larger forms are glazed both inside and outside to
maintain a balance of surface tension. The use of
both of these techniques has reduced the amount
11
of loss I experience in the creation of these double
walled forms.
Scrape excess
slip flush to I’ve found that the shape and size of the forms I
the surface. design greatly impacts their survival through all stages
of my entire making process, from casting through
firing. This is particularly true for my double-walled
plates. Should the interior and exterior walls of one of
these castings touch, the chances that that piece will
survive decreases substantially. My failure rate goes up,
with losses happening in the casting process itself and
in both the bisque and glaze firings. Therefore, I have to
remain aware from the very beginning; in the sketching
and drafting phase, how thick the walls will be and how
12
that affects the form. Then, during the casting phase I
must be diligent with my casting times to ensure the
wall thickness is consistent and accurate, always trying
to preserve the integrity of the negative space within
the pot and preventing the walls from fusing.
Being a designer, mold-maker, and manufacturer
brings me great joy. I enjoy the challenge of
creating unusual, well-defined forms for
use. The wooden patterns that I create
for mold making and the slip casting
process enable me to successfully
achieve my intent. I have never had
formal training in slip casting or in
mold making. Working in diverse artist
communities, I’ve been exposed to a
great variety of artists who have shared
their tricks and techniques. It’s through
this sharing and this collaboration of
sorts that I am able to do what I do.

Hiroe Hanazono’s double-walled, slip-cast forms,

though minimal, provide a solid foundation for all sorts
of occasions, including those as simple as sharing ice
cream and all the fixin’s with a friend (or five).

162
 Dessert
RECIPE

Matcha Ice Cream

Sundae with
Shiratama Dango
by Hiroe Hanazono

Ingredients: Instructions:
MATCHA ICE CREAM MATCHA ICE CREAM
• 2 cups half and half or 1 cup whole milk In a medium saucepan, whisk the dairy, sugar, and salt together
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream over medium heat. Add the matcha powder. Stir often and cook
• 3 tablespoons matcha green tea powder until the mixture starts to foam, but before it begins to boil. You
don’t want to scald the milk. The matcha dissolves more evenly if
• ½ cup sugar
sieved before adding to the liquid.
• pinch of salt
Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to
SHIRATAMA DANGO
chill over an ice bath. If using an ice cream machine, when it has
• ¹⁄³ cup shiratamako or mochiko (sweet rice flour) cooled, cover it and let it chill in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
• 3 tablespoons water Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, transfer to a pre-chilled ice
• ½ teaspoon sugar cream maker and follow normal instructions for making ice cream.

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS
• anko (sweet red-bean paste)
• whipped cream
• roasted brown rice or corn flakes
• fruits
Matcha (or green tea) ice cream is a typical sweet in Japan.
Nowadays, green tea ice cream is becoming more popular in
the US, but it's still hard to find one with an authentic flavor.
Luckily, it’s pretty simple to make, and you can vary the recipe
to taste. For example, you can have a very rich matcha ice
cream by just increasing the amount of green tea powder
you use. In Japan, ice cream is often served with condiments
and sides. I’ve also included a recipe for mochi or sweet rice
dumplings called shiratama dango, and listed other items you
can find locally to add texture and flavor to your Japanese-
style ice cream sundae.
If not using an ice cream machine, place a deep dish or bowl
made of plastic, stainless steel or something durable in the freezer,
and pour the cooled liquid into it. After forty-five minutes, remove
it from the freezer and stir it vigorously with a spatula or whisk.
Really beat it up and break up any frozen sections. Return it to
the freezer. Repeat every 30 minutes, actively stirring as it freezes.
You can use an immersion blender if you have one for better
results, but a whisk works fine if you’re old fashioned like me. Keep
whisking and stirring until the ice cream is frozen. It should take
2–3 hours to be ready depending on how deep the bowl is and
the temperature of the freezer.
SHIRATAMA DANGO (SWEET RICE OR MOCHI DUMPLINGS)
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until smooth
and combined. The dough should have a hardness similar to
squeezing your earlobe. Form the dough into a cylinder. Using
your hand, take pieces of the dough and shape them into nickel
to quarter-sized balls, press the center to make an indentation/
divot, so they look a bit more like a wheel. Add the dumplings to
boiling water, and cook for about 2 minutes, or about 1 minute
after they start to float. Remove from boiling water and place
them in an ice water bath to stop cooking.

Once your ice cream, shiratama dango, and other toppings are
ready, add ice cream to your bowls, and surround the scoops
with red-bean paste, mochi, and fruits, then sprinkle your crunchy
elements over the whole lot. Then serve to friends and family and
enjoy a traditional Japanese-style sundae. Itadakimasu.

163
 Pinch-Formed
Cake Stand
by Ingrid Bathe

Ingrid Bathe forms her functional porcelain

ware using a traditional pinching method. This
technique allows the process to show through
on the final piece.

Pinch with your For the past ten years I’ve been working almost
palms to flatten
exclusively in porcelain. I form my pots by pinching.
out the platter
portion of the My pots are intended to be used. They’re strong,
cake stand. but appear fragile. The delicate nature of the work
requires a bit more attention when using the pots
and my hope is to encourage thoughtful, aware, and
conscientious interaction.
The act of pinching clay into a desired form was the
first way clay was worked almost 30,000 years ago. As I
continue that tradition, I want the process of my fingers
1 to be visible to the viewer and when I join two pieces
of clay together, I leave a seam line for the same reason.
Establish the rim Thoughtfulness is evident in the way I work with clay and
of the platter. Note
that the platter is necessary when viewing or handling my work. By making
upside down at objects out of a fragile and precious material, I expect
this point. the delicate nature of the work to provoke a heightened
awareness and sensitivity on the part of the viewer.

PAPER PORCELAIN CLAY BODY

I began adding paper fiber to my clay after I took classes
in paper making and ceramics simultaneously, so it felt
natural to experiment mixing the two mediums. I added
2
all kinds of paper and paper making fibers (newsprint,
toilet paper, recycled paper, flax, abaca, kozo) to clay slip
Pinch up and
flare out the walls
and built with slabs I formed and stiffened on a plaster
of the platter to bat. The forms I made really pushed the limits of what I
create the rim. thought was possible in ceramics.
After many years of experimentation and gaining
a better understanding of the properties of paper
fiber, I began exclusively using cotton linter (i.e. paper
fiber) when I made my paper clay. The finicky nature
of porcelain and my longing to make work that was
translucent and fragile in appearance, necessitated
the addition of paper fiber to my clay mix. The amount
3
of paper I add to the clay depends on what form I’m

164
 Dessert
making. If the piece is sculptural, I add more paper fiber Let the rim set up
before finishing
than if it’s functional. The thicker the clay walls of a piece,
off the edge,
the more fiber can be added without compromising the but don’t let it
integrity of the piece. The clay body I use when making dry out.
my functional work has 89 grams of paper fiber with 50
pounds of dry materials. It’s just enough fiber to increase
the green strength of the clay body, allow for more
leniency in the drying stage, and simplify the process of
joining two parts without compromising the strength of
the piece in its finished form.
I use neodymium oxide to color my glaze. When I
fire in reduction, it has either a blue or purple tone to 4
it depending on whether it’s being viewed in daylight
or under fluorescent light. I usually leave the exterior Pinch out a thick
cylinder of clay to
of my pieces unglazed and use the neodymium glaze form the base of
to line the interiors. The clay is fired to cone 10, where the stand.
it vitrifies, begins to flux, and fires translucent. The
unglazed portions of the piece have a slight sheen
and a soft feel to them. Firing in reduction finishes the
porcelain clay as a cool white.

BUILDING THE PLATTER

I build with clay that is soft—to preserve the health of
my fingers and wrists—but not sticky. If the clay is too
wet it won’t retain the texture of your fingers and palms. 5

For the cake platter, most of the pinching happens

Attach the base,
between the palms of my hands. Flatten a ball out by
then add a thin,
pinching a disk between the palms of your hands (1). decorative coil to
Pinch the edges with your fingers when the disk needs finish the look.
evening out. Once the disk becomes too large to
handle between your hands, slap it out on a table to
continue stretching it.
When it’s close to the size you want, about 12 inches
in diameter, transfer the disk to a ware board. On the
ware board, create additional prints on the disk to
finalize the subtle design left from your hands. This
aesthetic follows in line with my intention of making
6
the process apparent to the viewer.
Next, lay a piece of clean newsprint (the paper
Continue
moves with the clay as it shrinks and makes the piece pinching the
easier to transfer to a kiln shelf without marring the base of the stand
surface of the platter) and another ware board on top of to shape its
final form.
the palm-printed disk and flip the piece over. Although
the paper fiber does help with warping, one still needs
to be very careful when handling porcelain in such a
way so that it won’t warp later on with drying or firing.
Now, measure the underside of what will be the
platter part of the cake stand to determine where you
can pinch up the edges. My clay body shrinks 15%, so
the platter will need to be 11 inches in diameter wet, to
7
fit a 9-inch cake after it’s fired.

165
 Cut the rim’s Make an 11-inch cardboard ring as a guide—the
naturally wavy
inside circle is where you will attach the base of the
edge for an even
thickness (8). platter. Begin to pinch up the edges and thin out the
Pinch the cut rim of the platter around the outside edge of the
edge to soften
ring (2). Instead of squeezing upward as you would
and finish the
look of the rim (9). when making the base of any elongated form, squeeze
the clay to the side of your fingers so that the walls
buckle to accommodate for the extra clay—this creates
an undulating fabric-like wall along the rim of the
platter (3, 4). At this point, carefully lay a plastic sheet
over the platter, so that the rim doesn’t dry out too
8 9 quickly while you build the stand.

Cut the edge of BUILDING THE STAND

the stand to level
it, then soften
To build the stand, form a lump of clay into a solid
the edges. cylinder, then poke a hole through the middle with a
dowel. With your fingers in the hole and your thumbs
on the exterior, pinch the form to create a short, vase-
like cylinder that the platter will sit on. Pinch one end
and allow it to firm up a bit before attaching it to the
platter and pinching the other end (5).
Score and slip the underside of the platter and
one end of the stand (be sure not to press too hard
on the platter because you don’t want there to be an
10 impression left on the top side), then attach the two. Roll
out thin coils and add them to the exterior and interior
Lay a flat board
to secure the attachment (6). The exterior coil isn’t
on top of the
stand to be sure it blended in and is mostly a decorative element, but it
remains flat after does have the function of further securing the stand to
being fired.
the join. Now pinch and shape the rest of the stand (7).

FINISHING TOUCHES
Once the rim of the platter has stiffened a bit, trim the
pinched edge off, following the natural irregular line
of the wall (8). Gently pinch the trimmed edge to give
it a finished (but not cut) look (9). Be sure to cover the
platter when not working on it, so that the rim doesn’t
11
dry too fast.
After the stand has set up, trim the foot so it will sit
Once the cake
stand is dry, it can
flat and level on a table. The piece will be fired upside
be fired upside down so it’s important to make sure that the foot is flat
down so the top now. After trimming, gently pinch the edge so that it’s
won’t slump.
All photos of
slightly rounded and has a finished look (10).
fired work: After wrapping the whole piece in plastic for at least
Stacey Cramp. 24 hours to even the moisture level throughout the
piece, begin to loosen the plastic covering so the piece
can dry slowly. As it dries, periodically put a flat board
on top of what will be the bottom of the cake stand to
make sure that it will sit flat once it has been fired (11).
When the finished cake stand is fully dry, I once fire it to
12
cone 10 in reduction (12).

166

RECIPE
Coconut
Layer Cake
by Ingrid Bathe
Ingredients:
CAKE
• 2¼ cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup butter
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup coconut, shredded
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
LEMON CURD
• juice of 2 lemons
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 yolks
• ¼ cup butter
FROSTING
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• ⁄8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 until the whites are stiff and glossy and at room temp. Fold
• 2 tablespoons water
• juice of ½ a lemon
• 2 cups coconut, shredded
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dessert
Instructions:
CAKE
Sieve the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt)
into a bowl. In another bowl, add the butter and sugar and
cream on high for 5 minutes. Separate 3 room temperature
eggs. Add yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter/sugar
mixture. Fold in ¹⁄³ dry ingredients then ½ coconut milk,
then dry, then wet, then finish with dry. Beat egg whites
until medium peaks form, fold into batter, then add 1 cup of
shredded coconut.
Bake in two pans at 350°F for 20 minutes.
LEMON CURD
Whisk the lemon juice and sugar over heat until melted.
Temper the eggs and slowly add the sugar/lemon mixture
to them. Cook until the mixture thickens over low heat
(coats back of spoon). Add butter and mix again. Cool in the
refrigerator with plastic wrap covering the bowl.
FROSTING
Mix the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, water,
and lemon juice in a double boiler over simmering water
until the sugar dissolves (160°F). Take the mixture off the
heat and whip it at high speed for about 7 minutes or
coconut and vanilla into mixture and spread evenly on
cooled cake.
167
 Fluted-Rim
Bundt Pan
by Sumi von Dassow

The tube in the center of a bundt isn’t

merely decorative, it's purpose is to allow
the cake to bake evenly from the center as
well as the perimeter.

Center and spread A bundt pan is a type of tube cake pan, which I rarely
your clay out into
see made out of clay. Perhaps because of the conical
a mound about
8 inches across, center opening it just doesn’t occur to a lot of potters
and open up the to try this form, but it’s actually surprisingly fun and
center all the way
simple to make. While most recipes can be baked
to the bat.
equally successfully in a loaf pan or a square or round
cake pan, the purpose of the tube in the center isn’t
merely decorative, it allows the cake to bake evenly
from the center as well as the perimeter.

1 THROWING A DOUBLE-WALLED FORM

Center 4 pounds of clay on a bat, and spread the
Open up a centered mound out to about 8 inches across. Open
channel in
the doughnut, the center all the way to the bat. Create a hole about
leaving only ¼ 3 inches across in the center of the mound to create a
inch of clay on doughnut shape (1). Wrap your hands over the sides,
the bottom since
you won’t be thumbs inside and fingers outside, to push down any
trimming a foot. clay that might have risen up around the opening and
smooth the top of the doughnut. Now you can begin
to open up the doughnut with your right thumb tip.
You want to push your thumb tip into the doughnut
as close to the center as you can. Create a channel in
2
the doughnut (2), leaving only a ¼ inch of clay on the
bottom—you won’t be able to trim a foot on the bundt
pan. With your thumbs or fingertips, make the channel
about 3 inches wide and flat across the floor.
With your left
hand on the Now you want to pull up the tube in the center,
inside, pull the before you pull up the outer wall, so you don’t risk
inside wall of
damaging the outer wall trying to work on the tube.
the doughnut
up into a cone. With your left hand inside the doughnut hole, pull
the inner wall up, working to pull up as much clay
3
as you can from the bottom (3). Collar this tube in
slightly, creating a smooth curve inside the bundt pan.
Remember, the tube needs to narrow continuously
toward the top of the pan or the cake won’t drop out.

168
 Dessert
Trim the rim of the tube with a needle tool, leaving it Pull the outside
wall up and
about 3 to 3½ inches tall.
out, like a bowl.
Now you can finish the outside of the pan, pulling Collar the center
up the wall just as you would the wall of a bowl. Make cone in.
sure to angle the wall out slightly as you bring it up,
again thinking about how the cake needs to come out
of the form (4). Tip: You want to make sure the inner
surface of the bundt pan is a smooth curve (5), with no
undercuts. Even strong throwing rings might cause a
cake to stick. Use a wood tool or a metal-bladed tool to
trim as much excess clay from around the base of the
outer wall as you can. If you want to flute the pan, you 4
need to make sure you don’t have any excess to trim
away at the leather-hard stage. Smooth the
inside surface.
Use a needle tool to trim the tube to be just slightly Cut the center
shorter than the rim of the outer wall, since you will cone to just a bit
need to turn the cake pan over to refine the exterior. shorter than the
outer wall.
You can check this by laying a ruler across the rim.
However, be aware that a cake will climb the pan a bit
more on the inside than the outside, so be careful not
to make the tube too short. You’ll be fine if you just
remember not to over fill the pan with cake batter!
Finally, trim as much as you can from around the
base of the wall.
5
FLUTING THE FORM
Mark the rim
You can leave the pan just as it is at this point, but
evenly for fluting
it’s a nice touch to flute the outer wall. Use an MKM using an MKM
Decorating Disk to mark out as many flutes as you’d Decorating Disk
or simply by sight.
like (6). Eight is easy, but any number is fine. Center
the disk on top of the rim of the pan and mark all the
way around. Create the flutes by running a fingertip
up the outside of the wall at each marked point, using
two fingers on the inside to help define the flute (7).
Be careful that you don’t push the top of each flute in
slightly, preventing the cake from coming out of the
pan. And be especially careful if you flute the tube as
6
you are more likely to create a problem here. I generally
only flute the outer wall. When the pan is leather hard,
Using two fingers inside and
you can turn it over, center it, and trim any excess clay one outside, create the flutes.
from the base of both walls and refine the exterior (8). You can go back once or
Allow the form to dry slowly (9), then bisque fire it. twice to refine the flutes.

GLAZING
People often ask if the glaze color will affect how
the cake bakes. I have found that it does. I made two
identical bundt pans and glazed one black and one
white. I discovered that the exact same cake batter
browns more in the black pan. This doesn’t mean you
should glaze the pan one way or the other, but maybe
7
it means you can turn the oven temperature down

169
 Trim excess clay slightly if you glaze it with a dark color—or use a light
from inside the
color of glaze if you want to avoid over-browning
cone and a little
at the base of the your cake.
outer wall. Use a This is the kind of form that can be a bit tricky to
sponge to smooth
glaze, unless you have a full bucket of glaze that’s big
out the exterior.
enough to dip the whole thing into. Once you’ve done
that you can dip the rim in a second glaze, like icing on
the cake. Or, if your buckets aren’t deep enough, you
can dip the pan halfway in one glaze and dip the other
half in a second glaze. Be sure to wax the foot before
you start glazing.
8 I glaze a lot of my work by pouring multiple
glazes (10), and using a combination of glazes that stay
The trimmed put with glazes that run to create rivulets and pools
and completed,
fluted-rim bundt
of glaze on the pot. I always select two glazes that
pan ready to dry complement each other, pouring one glaze on each
slowly prior to half of the pot, and then I drizzle three more glazes
bisque firing.
along the overlap between the first two glazes (11).
Where all five glazes overlap, they flow organically
during the firing process, creating a dynamic surface.
The trick is to make sure all this activity happens inside
or on the upper half of the pot, so the pot doesn’t
end up stuck to the kiln shelf. Know your glazes well
enough to select the ones that will work well together.
9

Wax the bottom

then, pour the
first glaze over
half the pan. Not all clay bodies are made to be oven safe. Some
Pour the second cookware is made with a flameproof clay body specifically
glaze over the formulated to withstand thermal shock when heated.
other half, inside Other types of clay can also be used in the oven, but pots
and outside. made from a flameware clay body can be placed into a
very hot preheated oven or on the stovetop as long as
they are properly proportioned with even walls, glazed
with food-safe glazes, and fired to maturity.

10

After applying a
second glaze to
the center stripe,
finish up with a
white glaze, which
will break up and
float on top.

11

170
 Dessert
RECIPE

Gluten-Free
Banana Cake
by Sumi von Dassow

Ingredients: Instructions:
• 6 ripe bananas, mashed (about 2½ cups) Mix the bananas and fruit juice, then add the flour and let
• ½ cup fruit juice the mixture soak overnight.

• 3 cups sorghum flour or other gluten-free flour

Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 8 ounces butter, softened
• 3 eggs
Cream the butter and beat in the banana mixture and eggs.
• ½ cup coconut flour Mix all the rest of the ingredients, then add to the banana
• 1 teaspoon salt mixture. There is no sugar or honey; the bananas should be
• 2 teaspoons baking soda sweet enough. Add nuts or dried fruit if desired.
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon Pour the mixture into a greased and floured ceramic bundt
• ½ teaspoon ginger pan making sure to allow room for the cake to rise. Bake
at 350°F for about one hour, or until a knife or toothpick
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
Wait for the cake to cool before removing it from the pan.

This recipe makes about 8 cups of batter, so if

your pan ends up smaller than 8 cups, reduce
the recipe accordingly or prepare a second pan.

171
171
 Clay&

Clay & Cuisine Techniques for the Studio, Recipes for the Kitchen
Cuisine
Having hand-made objects to prepare and cook in enhances
the comforts of home and the time we spend with food and
family. Preparing meals with friends and enjoying casual
dinner parties is often the start of good conversation and
enduring relationships. This book brings together handmade
pots with home-cooked meals to both enhance and engage the Techniques for the Studio,
gathered experience.
Separated into a day's worth of meals starting with Recipes for the Kitchen
breakfast and ending in dessert, each chapter delivers step-
by-step studio projects for making everything from ceramic
pourover coffee sets to muffin pans, from taco trays to
personal crocks, from loose-leaf teapots to wine stems. Each
page is loaded with tips and techniques from professional
makers to help you discover new forms and be successful in
creating your own personal dinnerware.
Each how-to project is followed by a recipe personally
chosen by the ceramic artist. Recipes include an ingredient list
along with detailed instructions. Following the same format
of a day's meals, the recipes begin with breakfast, move onto
lunch then snacks and tea, followed by happy hour, dinner,
and finally dessert. The artists chose family favorites, comfort
foods, simple beverages, and intricate dinner meals. Linking
them all are fresh ingredients easily sourced and basic steps
guaranteeing your success in the kitchen. Cheers!

Holly Goring is Editor of Pottery Making Illustrated, where

she guides the editorial content and focus of the magazine
that states its purpose as being “your resource for ceramic
techniques.” Goring holds a BFA degree in ceramics from the
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and maintains a ceramics
studio at her home in Columbus, Ohio.
Goring

The American Ceramic Society

www.CeramicArtsDaily.org
Printed in China
Edited by Holly Goring