Your table setting says a lot about you! Serving pieces not only complement your foodstuffs, they also express your sense of design and aesthetics. Let your new casserole be the conversation starter at the dinner table! Let your wine tumblers toast to good company and good health! Let your dessert plates savor the moment and the end of the feast! From salt shakers and gravy boats to after-dinner espresso mugs and dessert plates, let your table find its voice at Northern Clay Center, as you shop from over 2,000 handmade ceramic pots. With the holiday season upon us, visit our gallery in South Minneapolis and our online store to plan your dinner party (and to gift shop!) at a time and place convenient to you.
Paul Berglund (above), Executive Chef of The Bachelor Farmer (Minneapolis) visited Northern Clay Center to choose serving dishes fit for his holiday table.
I grew up in the Midwest. Thanksgiving was very traditional. I most look forward to the gravy, dinner rolls and stuffing. As you can see, I hit the starches pretty hard, with a side of turkey. Most of the dishes, I have chosen for their warm colors. Ceramic dinnerware is actually a perfect fit for fall and winter, because most of the colors you find in glazes are earth tones.
I am imagining a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Apple red with warm yellow. It’s perfect! Low Dish ($40) by Paul Eshelman.
The most important thing about serving the Thanksgiving turkey is honoring it. The turkey celebrates the toil and long, hard work of the people that put these meals together. This is a worthy piece for a well-cooked turkey. It is beautiful with its brown tones that complement the dark golden turkey skin. Large Platter ($200) by Matt Krousey.
These are Thanksgiving colors; the heft of the plate matches that of winter meals. When guests come over, there are always snacks and crackers. This could be the pre-dinner platter, great with cheeses or condiments. A great serving piece for ham, too! Square Serving Plate ($80) by William Brouillard. Buyer’s Tip — If pottery is wood-fired, it is not glazed per se, but the clay is vitrified at over 2,200 degrees. So even though it is not a glassy surface, it is food safe. People should feel encouraged to play with textures!
Mulled Cider is my wife’s family’s tradition at the holidays, but I love it! Apple cider, heated up on the stove with mulling spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, citrus peel). This pitcher belongs with warm spices and apple cider. I like the comfort of this — it’s sturdy; the cups feel great, warming your hands with the warm cider. You can use wine if you like, too. Pitcher ($55) and cups ($30/each) by Paul Dresang.
This is the perfect basket for dinner rolls! Wood-fired Basket ($350) by Jan McKeachie Johnston.
Want to see more? Visit Northern Clay Center’s Sales Gallery in the Seward Neighborhood at 2424 Franklin Ave S or shop online anytime at www.northernclaycenter.org/store.