How to take care handmade products

Pottery and porcelain are the most commonly used vessels on a daily basis.
The two are sometimes difficult to distinguish, but the main difference is the raw material. Pottery uses "clay", but porcelain uses "stone" as a raw material.

Therefore, pottery is called "earthware" and porcelain is called "stone".

<Pottery (earthware)>
〇 Weak compared to porcelain 〇 After washing, if moisture remains in the vessel, the moisture that permeates the vessel will cause mold, so dry it thoroughly.
〇 Hard to heat and hard to cool 〇 Main production areas: Karatsu, Hagi, Mino, Mashiko, etc.

<Porcelain (Stone)>
〇 Stronger than pottery 〇 After washing, wipe off the moisture and put away
〇 Easy to heat and easy to cool 〇 Main production areas: Arita, Kutani, Tobe, Kyoto, etc.

before use


"Pottery" is water absorbent because it has countless small holes. Little by little, food soaks into the holes, and the color and texture change. There is a culture in Japan that has been loved as a tasteful expression since ancient times, called ``change over time''. One of the charms of pottery is that you can enjoy such changes over time. , Also, mold may occur. In order to use your precious pottery for a long time, we recommend that you fill the holes in the pottery slightly before use. Aging slows down the aging process.


<How to close the eyes>

1. Boiling in rice sharpening juice <br> Soak the bowl in the sharpening juice until the entire bowl is submerged, and boil over low heat for about 15-20 minutes. (*Be careful not to boil it.) If you don't have sharpening juice, you can use rice, or add 1-2 tablespoons of wheat flour or potato starch to seal the water.

2. wait until it cools down
After boiling, leave the water in the pot until it cools down.

3. Rinse with water and dry After the sharpening juice in the pot has cooled down, roughly wash it with water, wipe the moisture with a cloth, and dry it thoroughly to complete the filling.

◎ If you don't have enough time to do the filling work <br>It is effective just to soak it in sharpening juice or water for a while (1 to 2 hours).

Depending on the pottery, it may not be recommended because it tends to cause insufficient drying when using the water. In addition, there are cases where the filling process has already been done before shipping. Please refer to each product page for recommended methods for each work of the potter and artist.

In addition, "porcelain" has little unevenness and is almost impervious to water, so basically there is no need to "fill" it.



Care instructions

<Before each use>
There are so many invisible holes in pottery and pottery, that if soup or oil gets into it, it will stain or cause mold. Therefore, even if you simply dip it in water before serving the food, it will prevent it from soaking in. It's just a little effort, but you can slow down aging.


<How to wash and dry>
After using it, we recommend that you wash it as soon as possible without leaving any leftovers on it. Also, if you wash it in a washing tub, the dishes will bump against each other and become easily chipped, so be careful. In particular, be a little careful with pottery that has been covered with potting clay such as powder. If you rub the pottery with colored paintings or gold patterns strongly, the painting may come off. Please wash gently with a sponge. When drying, place it on a towel or dry sheet, etc., and dry it so that it does not overlap. There are various draining mats, so I think you should choose one according to space and usability.

When I ask writers about their recommended cleaning methods and points to be careful of, they often tell me, "Be sure to dry them well before putting them away." Since earthenware is more absorbent than porcelain, it can become moldy if it is not dried properly.


<How to store>
When storing, do not stack pottery and porcelain, and store items that have the same shape. In addition, it is recommended to put kitchen paper or Japanese paper between the bowls to prevent scratches.


<Use of Microwave and Dishwasher>
It is okay to use both porcelain. However, items with shiny gold patterns or delicate decorations cannot be used in the microwave.

Pottery (earthenware) is weak and easily retains heat when it contains water, so we do not recommend using it in the microwave or dishwasher even if it says "can be used." Repeated use weakens it, so one day it suddenly cracks or breaks. If you want to use it, please use it for as short a time as possible and be careful not to put it in the microwave immediately after taking it out of the refrigerator.

[Something about the plate] Knowing this may make you think you're a ``vessel user''!

 

I use it every day, but surprisingly I don't know about it. If you know a little bit, you will know what pottery you want and you can shop smoothly.


[Each name of the container]

1. Mouth rim, mouth sculpting, mouth side
This is the part that comes into contact with your mouth.
The "rim" of the "rim plate/rim plate" is the edge part.
By the way, a rim is the outer frame part of a wheel such as a car.
Along with the texture, it is a part that has a great influence on the design.


2. Expectation
It is the inside of the container.
Sometimes it indicates the depth of the plate, such as "a bowl with a deep prospect", but it also indicates the inner central side part.


3. Dou
The torso of the vessel. Tea bowls are places where patterns are often applied.


4. Koudaiwaki
Around the outside of the hill.


5. High ground
The side of the container that touches the table.


6. Waist
It is the part from the lower part of the torso to the side of the platform.

[Size and how to use the container]

The diameter of Japanese tableware is indicated by size or number. 1 sun (No.) is 3.3 cm. If it is about 3 cm, then the 5-sun plate is roughly 15 cm in diameter. The kanji character ``sun'' is a hieroglyph of the shape of the right hand plus one finger. Come to think of it, the character for "sun" looks like when you look at your thumb from above. One shaku is about 30.3 cm, which is the length from the tip of a person's finger to the elbow, and one sun is 1/10 of that.

Mamezara - 3 sun (approximately 9 cm in diameter or less)
Serve seasonings, small appetizers, chopstick rests, snacks, etc. You can put it on a platter or use it as a chopstick rest. If you want to take a little adventure in table coordination, we recommend that you try incorporating it from the mamezara.

Small plate 4 sun (diameter less than 12cm)
It can also be used as a soy sauce, condiment plate, pickles, small appetizer, or side dish. It can also be used as a serving plate for platter dishes.


Medium plate 5-7 sun (diameter about 15cm-21cm)
Side dishes and cakes are 5 inches. A loaf of bread is 6 inches. 7 inches for a main dish for one person. It can also be used as a serving plate for various large dishes. Easy to use size.


Large plate 8 sun (approximately 24cm in diameter or more)
Arrangement of the main dish. Whole cakes and pasta for 8 inches. Perfect for using one plate. A 9-inch plate can be used as a platter for a home party.

*1 sun = 3 cm


The above is just for reference, but I think it's fun to devise your own way of using the vessel.


Making pottery takes a little time and effort, but it has a long history of “growing the pottery” and the taste will come out over time. It's also a lovely tool to grow old with, to change with each other, and to become part of the cherished memories of family time. By all means, I would be happy if you could taste the pleasure of becoming 'your own vessel'.


Shikioriori shop owner Mona