LOCAL FOOD, LOCAL POTS

SOMETHING IMPORTANT!
Like so many, I pay attention to the frequency with which I hear various subjects, to try to determine trends. That has to be tempered with awareness that where you are and what you're doing may color what you hear.
That being said, I'm hearing from a lot of different directions and sources, that people are looking at trying to use more and more locally grown foods...both for health reasons, because it helps our local economies and because it "feels" better as well as tasting better. Amazing isn't it? We're beginning to figure out that the foods we eat and our health are linked.
There's also something about linking to your local community that completes a circle. There is a commonality between food and handmade pottery, in nurturing us, our families and our communities. The level of humanity in growing, harvesting, preparing and serving food to each other is complimented by the use of utensils that have been made by people you know.
A couple of years ago there was an article in Ceramics Monthly, which we posted here, which explored this in more depth.
Recently, perhaps partly because the 'growing season' will be upon us soon here in Minnesota, we have become aware of the almost explosive growth of CSA farms, and local organic foods, changing what we eat to be more healthy and healthful.
There has been a spate of books recently that talk about these topics.
A few we've read and can recommend highly are:
"The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
"The Hundred and Fifty Healthiest Foods" Jonny Bowden
"Good Calories-Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes
"In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan
"Weeds and Why They Grow" by Jay McCaman (for gardeners)
If you have thoughts on this topic, and other good books to recommend on better eating, please share by posting a comment below.
Adam and Laura have taken over Katy and Peter' August Earth CSA Farm and renamed it to Loon Organics. They're still looking for some members, as is a new CSA "The Farm of Minnesota" being established by Dan and Donna Moe. They won't be certified organic for a couple of years, but are using organic methods now (Website to come shortly). They can be reached at 320-587-7882.
Dan observed in a visit a couple of days ago that if you consider cost of food as part of healthcare, you can spend a smaller amount on food and pay for it in bad health later. Or you can pay more for food now, live better and have better health later with lower costs for medical care.
If you're not in the Hutch area, we strongly recommend looking at www.localharvest.org which is an excellent starting resource for locally grown foods.
This is all another reason we're so excited about our new line of Ceramic Flameware Stovetop Cookware. It adds another dimension to being able to use handmade pottery for cooking.

FLAMEWARE!

Here it comes, new CERAMIC FLAMEWARE from Clay Coyote Pottery. It's ceramic cookware for stovetop cooking! We've spent nearly 2 years working on this to get it right...

It started a couple of years ago as Paula Wolfert was looking for a source for pots to emulate some of the indigenous cookware traditionally used over open fires and charcoal. trouble is, our modern stoves have much higher heat.

A few potters have made stoneware flameware over the years, but conventional wisdom was that it was risky and devilishly difficult.

Well, we can attest that it's difficult, but after cooking with a number of pieces over the last 6 months, and recruiting a number of our friends to do the same, it's ready for you.

The first piece is this skillet...

about 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. Fry, saute, bake, roast...do just about anything. Good in the microwave, cleanup easily in the sink or dishwasher. Tom's used it for eggs almost every morning for 5 months and finds it has much less of a tendency to burn food, and the eggs are more tender that in metal cookware.

Betsy's been doing the same with oatmeal every morning in a small saucepan and with the same result.

Paula's been doing a lot of work on cooking in clay, as she has for years, and has decided that it's the way to go. "These are absolutely fabulous" she says.

Next was a cazuela, about 11 inches in diameter that Paula needed for gratins and some other dishes started on the stovetop, and finished in the oven. This one's got a smaller 'trumpet' handle with a small 'hot-pad tab' on the other side for easy handling in and out of the oven. Betsy just used one to make an apple tarte tatin.

We've done a couple of saucepans but are just finalizing sizes and shapes. Finally, we did a 3 qt. casserole for Paula, and she found it made the best daube ever and that it cooked simmered dishes better on the stovetop than any crockpot does.

casserole photo by: ed anderson photography 1105 thompson lane petaluma, california 94952 707 981 7957 office http://www.edandersonphoto.com

We aren't sure why these ceramic pots cook so well (and clean up even better). After a lot of testing, we think that it's because the ceramic is an insulator, heat comes through more gently, so food has much less tendency to burn, even slightly. The secret, though, is to slow down, put the heat where you'll need it eventually, and then wait for the pot to warm up. If you punch in high heat initially, the heat keeps coming through and can overcook the food. You also have to learn to either turn the heat down or off earlier, or remove the food as soon as it's done. But these pots go from stove to table so beautifully that the turn down early is the way to go.

Right now glazes are limited to the one blue-gray shown. We'll have more later, but never the same as our regular glazes. The clay that makes these pots possible limits the glaze possibilities.
As we get them ready, we'll post them on the website for sale.

MINERAL POINT

HIDDEN ART GEM UNCOVERED!!! Travels with Tom & Betsy

On our way to Chicago for the Frankfort Fall Fest, we uncovered a hidden gem this year...Mineral Point, WI. It was an old mining town that had been pretty near shuttered in the 1950's and 60's. The a few artists discovered it and began to build studios. Shops followed. Now it's an amazing array of galleries and artist studios.

Down towrds the bottom of the main street hill we were attracted by something on the 'balcony' of one shop. (You're going to have to click on this to figure it out).

It's the home of Howdle Gallery and Bruce Howdle. Bruce is most famous for his large ceramic wall sculptures (here he is working on one), but one of his fascinations is pigs.

He has done wonderful sculptures, mugs, wall pieces, you name it, with pig themes. Ask him how he came to have this old building and out comes the picture album. He's done much of the work himself over more than 20 years. The character of the building is wonderful. We'd strongly recommend Clyde and Carolyn stop in....you too!

Mineral Pt. is about 1-1/2 hours SW of Madison...a bit out of the way, but well worth the trip. Look at their website for special celebrations during the year. For Chicagoans it's an easy day trip. If you're headed north or south along I-94, plan a few extra hours.

FOREST CITY STOCKADE

THE FOREST CITY STOCKADE

Every year for the last 10 or so, we (Betsy and Tom) head for a weekend at the Forest City Stockade. This is a recreation of the 1860's Stockade built near Forest City, MN, during the Sioux uprising of 1862. The Stockade was rebuilt in 1976 and has been added to over the years until now it contains a main cabin and trading post inside the fort, and nearly a whole town outside.

Above is the front door of the main cabin during this years' stockade on August 16 & 17. Each year we make a commemorative piece of pottery for collectors and supporters. Below is the side porch with Tom's favorite thing...homemade ice cream in the largest hand-cranked freezer you'll ever see.

The Stockade is staffed for the two day summer and one day winter events by many volunteers serving food, giving demonstrations of 1860's crafts and skills. The key people are Bob and Betty Hermann (immediately below), Chuck and Ann Fuller (further down) and Dale and Mary Root and lots of volunteers. Paul White (of Paul and Pam fame) is shown with his bees and some visitors who get to try fresh honey from the comb.

Chuck and Dale direct and do most of the building at the stockade and, to me, one of the most amazing pieces is a handbuilt watertower and windmill that Chuck built. Clik on this one to take a closer look.

A few scenes around the stockade outside in the village show wagons, a new chapel where Greg Matthews gives a talk on the history that led to the stockade. Chuck and Dale add a building or two (or 3) each year, many of the rebuilt from log cabins that area folks donate (the unfinished one below will be the largest operating newspaper print shop in Minnesota.)

Tom does his little pottery thing on a foot powered Leach Treadle wheel throwing bowls, plates, pitchers, whickey jugs, mugs and other items that might have been used on the frontier. While this wheel itself is only about 50 years old, the treadle wheel concept goes back into the 1800's in Germany. They were brought into the US in production potteries in North Carolina.

Outside the stockade to the east is a full-blown rendezvous gathering you can also wander.

The Stockade makes a fabulous day for kids as well as adults. Plenty of food, interesting exhibits and demonstrations, history, music and family fun.

It's always the 3rd weekend of August and the first Saturday of December (the 6th in 2008).

Forest City Stockade

IT AIN'T ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE

OK, click on this picture, cover up the snow fence in the foreground and tell me where this is!

Nope....it's Lake Michigan at Evanston IL, last weekend (Aug 2-3) The water was turquoise, the weather 80 deg with a nice breeze. Couldn't have been better, and people paid us money for being there!

Tom was, of course, working (above) while Betsy helped, (below).

This one was kind of like art shows should be. Interested patrons, a beautiful setting, good music...way to go Evanston!

But, we thought you might like to have a peek at what goes into one of these shows from the artists viewpoint....

A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES

This year at Edina, our friends Don and Paul came ahead of time and helped us set up....and then, after inviting us to stay at their house and treating us like royalty, came and helped us tear down. It was an education for them....to say nothing of being way above and beyond the call. Here's a bit of what they saw....'course it was raining there.

Here's a bit of the setup at Evanston.

At Evanston we set up the tent Friday night and schlepped the boxes of pots, display and tents across about a block of rough grass. Total of over 20 trips each with two-wheelers. Starting at about 5:30, it was dark before we got the tents up, and display racks assembled. Then we crashed. Next morning at 6 am the scene we were greeted by was the above...a booth, 40 boxes of pots and all the extra stuff. An hour and a half later we looked like this....ready to start unloading pots.

Almost done! The last load of empties is about to be schlepped back to the trailer over that same block of grass.

Set up and ready to go at 3-1/2 hours (not counting the 3 hours the night before)....pretty good for us with a double booth.

After the show it typically takes us about 3-1/2 hours again to pack it all up, tear down the tents and schlepp it back to the trailer. It's much lighter if everyone who comes by buys a pot or two and helps with the schlepping.

We're not complaining, understand, and very grateful to be able to do this for a living and for you. Great customers who enjoy and use the work, and come back with their stories are what make it all worth it.

Thanks to ALL of You!

WAY TO GO, PAULA

We were very proud of our friend Paula Wolfert for her accomplishment. She has been a source of inspiration (and challenge) to us in developing pots that work with the exactness of the recipes she researches and writes about. If you haven't read any of her wonderful books, try ''Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco' or 'The Cooking of SW France'. They are as much histories and travelogues as cookbooks.
Sun Jun 8, 10:53 PM ET

Chef Jacques Pepin, left, congratulates Paula Wolfert, author of 'Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco,' for being entered into the Cookbook Hall of Fame at the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards, Sunday, June 8, 2008 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York. The awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their field.(AP Photo/Diane Bondareff)

(Story by AP)

I LOVE A PARADE!

We've had geese on the pond ever since the ponds were put in by Fish & Wildlife as part of the Wildlife Refuge Program, funded by Ducks Unlimited. Normally geese pick out a site as first yearlings, defend it for a year, and then come back the next year to nest. The year we seem to have 2 pair, one on the north pond, one on the south. On May 20th, a pair seemed to be nesting on the dike between the ponds.
Then on May 23rd we spotted the first goslings....first in the water then on the dike.

Then today, June 3rd, what should appear but a full bore goose parade. Once the goslings are born, the adults lose their flight feathers and are earthbound. Guess like all parents they might sometimes like to get away, but nature won't allow it. Now the danger starts. Snapping turtles, fox and coyote, raccoons, hawks and eagles....all looking for these tasty morsels. We count every time we see them to see how they're doing.

Note how much these little beggars have grown just in a couple of weeks. Soon they'll start to molt into their juvenile plummage. The parents have to walk them everywhere. From the ponds to the main lake a thousand feet away. Those little feet get a lot of exercise.

CUSTOM TABLEWARE

2008 ASID SHOWCASE HOME

"Features" Clay Coyote Custom Tableware

We were really flattered a few months ago, when Sara Goodrich of Gabbert's Design in the Galleria in Edina, MN, approached us about making a custom set of casual dining tableware for the 2008 ASID Showcase Home. We really didn't realize what a 'big deal' this was. Click on the top headline for a link to the Star-Tribune's coverage and professional photos of this beautiful home.

Betsy and Sarah viewing the table in the Great Room

Sarah is a designer for Gabbert's (sgoodrich@gabberts.com) and one of the 3 women who worked to design this casual, easy living room. We had the chance to tour the home last week at the 'resources' night. It was quite an experience! For those who don't know, we do many sets of tableware each year for customers looking for the unique for their table settings. We have 2 basic styles-European and Asian, and, as we did for the Showcase Home, also do completely custom work. Right now Tom just finished a set of custom plates with an off-center foot and a cantilevered rim where the glaze design will go. It should make for a spectacular presentation of food. Visit the Clay Coyote website for more information on custom tableware. From there you can cruise for various items. Many sets are done for wedding registries.

Art Show Reflections

Bob Carls, Woodturner, Aitken MN...couldn't resist

Visit him at http://www.ripplerivergallery.com/rrwt.htm

THE ART SHOW â?¦
â?¦ an insiderâ??s view

Many artists and craftspeople make a good portion, or all, of their living from sales of their art at art fairs and shows, sometimes called street fairs. We know artists that do a few shows a year, and some that do 25, 30 or more. But it is an â??industryâ?? that is changing rapidly, and there are some circles where the discussion is about the death of art fairs as we know them.

Many shows are sponsored by organizations for which the show is a source of income. When this happens, there seems to be a consistent result. The show gets watered down, one way or the other.

Costs of running a fair are significant, to be sure. Advertising, administration, porta-potties, websites, fair maps, â?¦ the list goes on and on. Expensive and complex.

The basic process for shows is that they put out a call for applications via mail, internet and magazine advertising. Artists submit the application with, typically 3 to 5 slides of their work. These slides are viewed by a committee of jurors who select the show participants. These juries may be practicing artists, interested arts supportersâ?¦but more frequently a show committee or, in one case, business students at a community college who are acting as interns (not good). Good shows will publish their jury listâ?¦at least by qualification. Typically there is a $25-$35 fee for applying. This jury process usually takes place 3 to 5 months before the show, and they advise you as to whether youâ??re in, 2 or 3 months ahead. If youâ??re accepted, typical fees per booth range from $125 to $425 depending on the size of the show). There is usually some relationship between potential sales and booth fees.

Whatâ??s changing:
The Internetâ?¦for applications, slides can now be entered digitally, and shows are entered with just a few clicks resulting in more people applying to shows and making quality jurying more difficult. If youâ??re interested, one of these venues is Zapplication ( http://www.zapplication.org/ ) (I wish I could give you our id and password â?¦ but you might sign us up for more shows ).

The internet is also providing an alternative venue for sales (artists need less shows) as well as for galleries like The Clay Coyote Gallery ( http://www.claycoyotegallery.com/ ) which sell their work.

A computer downside is that it is now easy to manipulate slides before submitting.

So Whatâ??s happening? As shows find it tougher to fill the booth allotments (and budgets from fees) there is a tendency either to let in lower quality work, or start selling â??commercialâ?? booths â?¦ cell phones, packaged food items, sampling â?¦ whatever. A trend this year seems to be to take out a row of art booths, generally in the prime space, and put in these commercial booths, moving the art booths to the side.

The second trend is for more and louder entertainment. Especially rock bands. As the woman who used to run the Edina Art Show pointed out, the least sponsors could do is match the music to the art audience.

The effect of these 2 moves is to dramatically decrease sales by artists at art shows. The inclusion of commercial booths makes the atmosphere more of a flea market or retail street sale than an art fair. The addition of intrusive entertainment changes the message from â??this is an art fairâ?? to â??this is a music festivalâ??â?¦.entertainment. As sales go down, the artists who make a living from their work will have to find other ways of selling, and suddenly shows are in a negative spiral.

Long term, this direction also prevents new, young artists from breaking into the crafts world. If shows arenâ??t working, they will find other ways to market.

One of the ways we judge whether a show will be good for us and our customers, is to judge if the art show is the "reason for being" for the event. If it is, the show will attract serious customers, interested in buying because they know there will be a good selection of high quality work. If the art show becomes secondary to other activities, quality inevitably slides and the show rapidly becomes entertainment.

If you feel that a favorite show of yours is changing in negative ways, please, go out of your way to let the showâ??s organizer know your feeling. For one, for shows that we do, we will start posting the showâ??s management contact information in the section of our website where we list our show schedule: http://www.claycoyote.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=25

If you want to spend some time reading otherâ??s comments, the potterâ??s discussion group had a thread in 2002 about this subject. (Copy and paste into your browser â?? click the lightbulb in the header to move through messages). (Copy and paste this address to your browser)

http://lsv.ceramics.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0201D&L=CLAYART&D=0&P=11773

Anyway â?¦ the one person not heard from in this is YOU! What are your impressions of Art and/or Craft fairs? What do you like and not like? Click on comment at the bottom of the blog. You can leave your thoughts as anonymous to save the hassle of signing up but we'd really like to know who your are.