Handmade Stoneware Mixing & Serving Bowl - Made in the USA

Description

A hand thrown stoneware mixing and serving bowl, made for us by Martinez Pottery in Texas. Available in four sizes and two glazes: the classic blue stripe, and our custom brown stripe developed exclusively for Homestedt.

Why it’s here

There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from finding a piece of stoneware in an antique store. Something heavy and well-made that clearly dates back decades, used daily and none the worse for it. That's exactly what Martinez pottery feels like, except you don't have to go looking for it.

Martinez have been hand throwing stoneware in Texas for twenty-five years. They are one of the last operations in the United States that still throws ceramics by hand at scale. A small family workshop producing pieces the same way they always have, because there isn't a better way. The forms haven't changed much. They didn't need to.

We've carried their classic blue stripe glaze from the beginning, a pattern as associated with the American farmhouse kitchen as cast iron or a wooden cutting board. The brown stripe is our own, developed with Martinez to sit more quietly in a rural interior. Inspired by the earthy tones of old wood and worn plaster, it's designed not to stand out, but to belong.

What you’re getting

There is a particular pleasure in mixing in a bowl that doesn't move. Thick walled and substantial, a Martinez mixing bowl stays put on the counter in a way that lighter bowls simply don't. No chasing it across the surface, no steadying it with a spare hand. Just the bowl, the ingredients, and the work.

The weight also does something useful for temperature, keeping batters and doughs cool while you work, and holding warmth when you bring it to the table as a serving bowl. Which is where the larger sizes come into their own. A 12" stoneware bowl filled with salad or pasta is a quietly beautiful thing to put on a table. It looks like it belongs there.

The four sizes are designed to nest inside one another for easy storage. Though in our experience, once you have a set of these on an open shelf, you'll find reasons to leave them out. They are the kind of bowls that don't need to be hidden in a cupboard.

Look closely and you'll see the evidence of how it was made. The subtle ridges left by the potter's hands during throwing. The stripes painted by hand with a brush, each one slightly different from the last. No two pieces are exactly alike. These are not factory ceramics that happen to look handmade. They are handmade, and they look it.

Available in four sizes and in blue stripe and brown stripe.

Sizes

Care

Oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe. Fired at 2,200 degrees, this stoneware is built to last. Like all ceramics, it doesn't appreciate sudden changes in temperature. Don't take it straight from the oven to a cold surface or run it under cold water while hot. Let it cool naturally and it will serve you well for a very long time.