And a Reminder — GIVE-AWAY Still in Process!

Winter is a great time to prepare Salmon — So easily roasted in the oven! Yum!

And, since my last posting, announcing a Give-Away of a special Maasha Pitcher with Maple Syrup — I figured the best way to prepare Salmon for the oven should involve MAPLE SYRUP.  Again, Yum!!

More about my Anniversary Give-Away below….

I’ve prepared this Salmon several (many) times and it always turns out great — With a very easy marinade (with Maple Syrup), with a crumb coating, with a truly easy roasting process.

The Food – Maple-Crusted Salmon:

The preparation is very easy; the Salmon is sooooo tasty!  The Marinade is a simple mix of maple syrup, brown sugar, crushed garlic, a bit of soy sauce, maybe cider or lemon juice.  Sometimes I mix in Crumbs (to provide a ‘coating’), sometimes I do not (in which case, I marinate a bit longer).  A quick and easy roast in a 400 oven — And Salmon is ready, and perfect, and absolutely divine.  A hint of earthy but complex sweetness — Balanced by a topping of sauteed Leek, Apple, and dried Cranberry.

Served on a Maasha Plate — With a bit of Garlic Mashed Potato and Butternut Squash.  A simple, scrumptious, sit-by-the-fireplace, winter meal. And I’ve included the Recipe on my Recipes Page.

More About the GIVE-AWAY:

And now that I’ve nudged your appetite for Maple Syrup, I’m reminding you of the details of my Anniversary Give-Away — A happy Maasha Pitcher (Soda Fired), and Maple Syrup!!  You simply send a Comment by January 31st.

How To Enter (very simple):

1 –You send in a COMMENT (click on ‘Comments’ below)

Let me know if you’re a fellow Potter, a fellow Foodie, a fellow Blogger, or anything else you wish to share.  Yes, you may enter as often as you wish; and feel free to tell your FRIENDS to enter!

Suggestion:  If you’re not already a Subscriber, just enter your Email Address (above, upper right) to receive notices of MaashaClay Postings.

2 — I will compile all Comments received by Deadline of Tuesday, January 31st(Midnight)

3 — My Nephew (who just turned SIX) will draw an entry (a random drawing)

4 — I will announce the Winner on the following Blog Post.  (I will contact Winner to obtain a ship-to address)

And to EVERYONE reading my Blog — THANK YOU/THANK YOU for your interest!!   Hoping to hear from you!

Time to CELEBRATE!!  Time for another GIVE-AWAY!!

And again, this second year of Blogging has been a totally FUN (interesting, sometimes challenging) experience!  Again, I’ve loved sharing — The Food, the Pottery, the Photos, the Recipes, the Workshops, my thoughts….

And again, both my husband and I have enjoyed munching our way through all the food I’ve prepared (like the Celebration Pancakes above).

And I hope I’ve continued to offer some insight into the life of a Minnesota Potter (especially, building our new Soda Kiln last May), and the work of other Potters around the country….

So I’m celebrating a SECOND YEAR of Blogging with another Give-Away — I’m offering a Maasha Pot with Goodies!

Give-Away includes:

* Small Maasha Pitcher (Soda Fired)

 (Perfect for Maple Syrup, or Pancake Batter, or a bouquet of Flowers)

* Minnesota Goodies….

– Minnesota Maple Syrup

– Package of Swedish Pancake Mix (not pictured)

Note – The Pancakes-With-Berries pictured above were DELICIOUS with Maple Syrup!!

——————————————————————

How To Enter (very simple):

1 –You send in a COMMENT (click on ‘Comments’ below)

Let me know if you’re a fellow Potter, a fellow Foodie, a fellow Blogger, or anything else you wish to share.  Yes, you may enter as often as you wish; and feel free to tell your FRIENDS to enter!

Suggestion:  If you’re not already a Subscriber, just enter your Email Address (above, upper right) to receive notices of MaashaClay Postings.

2 — I will compile all Comments received by Deadline of Tuesday, January 31st (Midnight)

3 — My Nephew (who just turned SIX) will draw an entry (a random drawing)

4 — I will announce the Winner on the following Blog Post.  (I will contact Winner to obtain a ship-to address)

And to EVERYONE reading my Blog — THANK YOU/THANK YOU for your interest!!   I can’t wait to continue Blogging with a few new features.

Finally — To encourage you to enter, here is a big bunch of Flowers in the (Give-Away) Pitcher.  Hoping to hear from you!

I know — I’m a few days late with this posting.  The new year is already six days old — But I’ve been so very busy with my son visiting from Japan and his just-published books.

Explanation:

My older son, Geoff, lives/works in Japan.  For the past ten years, he’s been working on a personal project — Researching his Japanese family history, tracing the roots of six different families, and compiling/organizing the many old photos and documents into book form.

Two separate books, one for his Grandfather’s side (Tani), and one for his Grandmother’s side (Shigeno) — Tracing their ancestral lives in Japan, their immigration to North America in the early 1900′s, developing pages and pages of ‘family tree’ diagrams, writing ‘essays’ explaining the family stories and customs in each culture, verifying every detail.  The books have just been published — And he’s here to distribute/ship to American relatives who ordered them.

The books are AMAZING!  It’s all very exciting (in spite of some printing glitches).  Such a major project, so well done!!  Yes, after ten-plus years — We are definitely CELEBRATING!!

We’re celebrating with two very special Japanese Sake Cups — Wood fired, from Bizen, Japan.

We’re celebrating with a small vase of festive (New Year) flowers!

Again — Happy Happy New Year everyone!!!

Hoping that 2012 is a WONDERFUL year of good friends, good food, great pottery — And good books!!

I’ve become very busy (fun/busy) with BOTH my sons visiting for a bit — Geoff from Japan, and Reid from the western US.  It’s great to have them (quite unexpectedly) here together!!

And for a festive look, I’m sharing a seasonal bouquet in a favorite vessel — A tall pitcher made by ceramic artist, Matt Kelleher.  I love the form; I LOVE the silky smooth (and very subtle) wood fired surface.  Both Matt and his wife, Shoko Teruyama, are potters in North Carolina — Here are Links to their WebSites:  www.MattKelleher.com  and www.ShokoTeruyama.com

Again, warmest wishes for the holidays!!

Winter has arrived (although we really haven’t had much snow yet).  Everyone seems quite busy getting ready for the holidays.  And while I’m busy glazing many pots, preparing for one last firing before the holidays, I’m in the mood for a very tasty, easy-to-throw-together Soup or Stew.

The Food — Oyster Stew (with Salmon):

Here in the Midwest, late autumn through December is a good time to try to get fresh oysters (and I prefer West-Coast oysters).  Fresh salmon, however, is always available.

Once I have the oysters, the rest of the prep is straightforward and easy!  I simply saute some leek, shiitake mushroom, and smokey bacon (very cut up).  Then, in a large pot, I create a broth with a combination of clam juice, chicken stock and white wine — And heavy cream.  After a short time of simmering, I add the oysters, and then some spinach.  This time, I added chunks of fresh salmon as well.  After just a few minutes of final simmer, I had a truly tasty, and quite hearty, Oyster Stew (with Salmon).  And the oysters and salmon together — Wonderful, decadent!!

I featured this Oyster Stew two years ago, just as I was starting this Blog.  This time, I’m including the Recipe on my Recipes Page — Enjoy!

The Pottery — Windy Ridge Potters

For my Oyster Stew, I chose two lovely wood fired bowls made by Joe and Christy Cole of Windy Ridge Pottery in Wisconsin.  The bowls are a simple, minimalist shape — With lovely, subtle wood fire statements of golden sheen and light ash.  The smaller bowl perfect for any soup; the larger bowl makes a great serving bowl — Also, a great way to serve plenty of fresh, rustic bread for dipping in the tasty Oyster Stew.

I featured one of Joe and Christy’s pots about a year ago, following a Wisconsin Arts Tour.  They are certainly getting lovely results from their wood fire kiln!

And here is a Link to their Web Site — www.WindyRidgePottery.com

And here is a bit more (Midwest) winter….

Happy Holiday Season — everyone!!

I recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop with two wonderful (local) potters — Sharing the Fire, with Warren MacKenzie and Guillermo Cuellar. A full day of Mingei-sota potting!

Warren MacKenzie is a very important Minnesota potter to so many of us in the clay community. He taught at the University of Minnesota for a number of years. It is because of Warren (and his many accomplished students) — That we are known as Mingei-sota.

‘Mingei’ (a Japanese word) — Refers to traditional folk/craft work, (simple, honest-but-aesthetic work), intended for everyday use, but appreciated as art.  With his background as an apprentice to Bernard Leach (England), and his work with Shoji Hamada (Japan) — Warren was instrumental in bringing the concept of ‘mingei’ to functional ceramics in the US.

Guillermo Cuellar, originally from Venezuela, also followed the philosophies of Bernard Leach, and was instrumental in bringing key US potters (Warren MacKenzie and others) to Venezuela for workshops providing folk/craft inspiration. He hosted many craft sales (with multiple artists) at his home-studio in rural Venezuela.  Guillermo and Warren continued to work together off and on over the years.  Now that he has relocated to the US, he is certainly a valued member of our Minnesota (Mingei-sota) potting community!

I truly enjoyed watching both of these fine potters work together and share their stories, their philosophies. I particularly enjoyed Guillermo’s altering techniques — Throwing a pot on the wheel, then reshaping into something not-so-round.  It was a great Workshop!!

I’m including a link to a Slide Show with a few more Workshop photos — Sharing the Fire

Some Food — Beef Short-Ribs with Grilled Polenta:

Because both Warren and Guillermo believe that pottery is meant to be used (for food, for sharing) — Just like I try to share on this Blog — The Workshop was a great inspiration for featuring a Guillermo Platter that I recently acquired.

I tried a recipe for Beef Short-Ribs — Braised in beef broth and red wine to absolute tenderness. Then, the braising liquid reduced with a bit of heavy cream — And the addition of sauteed onion, mushroom, and herbs. I also made a Polenta (with added goat cheese), let it stiffen in the fridge — Then cut in wedges and grilled. All soooooo full-of-flavor tasty!!

Visually — A wonderful, elegant comfort-food ‘look’ on my Guillermo Plate/Platter!!

Links:  Finally — I’m including a few Links:

-  Potter – Warren MacKenzie

-  Potter — Guillermo Cuellar

-  Workshop Slide Show — Sharing the Fire

- Occasional Sale of Warren Mackenzie pots — Northern Clay Center

(go to Sales Gallery page / Hours and Info)

And — A major THANK YOU to Anoka-Ramsey Community College for sponsoring the Workshop!!

….The entire weekend — Turkey Day (I know, that was yesterday), and the rest of the weekend as well.  I hope everyone had a wonderful, scrumptious, filling, Thanksgiving Dinner.  Of course, I hope much of it was served in hand-made pottery!!

I enjoyed visiting with other family members — My husband’s mom, Phyllis, prepared a delicious turkey; I had fun making several veggie dishes.  And now, even though it’s the ‘day after’, I can share the veggies I prepared.

The Food — Baked Butternut Squash with Apples:

This dish is always a HIT — Layers of squash, apples and cheeses — Baked to tasty, slightly tangy perfection.

For my Butternut Squash with Apples, I cut up (and peeled) the squash, then tossed with sauteed onion and breadcrumbs.  Then layered with cut up apples and grated cheeses (cheddar, Swiss).  Baked with more cheeses on top — It goes wonderfully with any Autumn (or Winter) meal.

Hint:  Keep in mind — This dish is great with a Holiday Ham.  I’ve included the recipe on my Recipes Page.

More Food — Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

For something ‘green’, I decided on Brussels Sprouts.  I know, people either love or hate sprouts — I LOVE them!!

I sliced the sprouts, tossed with a bit of olive oil — Roasted in a 375 oven (they ‘browned’ more quickly than I expected).  Then, tossed with sauteed bacon and lemon zest.  The roasting really brought out the earthy, ‘nutty’ flavor of the sprouts.

The Pottery — Maasha Pots, Bakers, Servers:

For baking (the Squash) and serving (the Sprouts), I simply grabbed two different Maasha Pots — Stoneware, slips with ash glazes, reduction fired.  Geometric forms — Thrown on the wheel, then altered into non-round shapes.

For baking the Squash/Apple dish, I chose one of my almond-shaped dishes.  I refer to these as my ‘almond boats’.  An interesting, unexpected shape — Great for baking (hot-dish, lasagne, more); great as a display piece on the counter-top.

For serving the Sprouts (already roasted), I chose a ‘squared’ dish with deliberate ‘wonky’ handles.  I’ve been making these lately (in varying sizes) because I like the soft, slightly flared-at-the-bottom, squared look.  The handles are designed for contrast, and of course, practicality.

I hope everyone had a YUMMY Turkey Day — And a great Thanksgiving WEEKEND!!

This month I’m sharing a plate that I acquired while I was living in the suburbs outside of Chicago.  I lived out near the Fox River, and I enjoyed going to several small galleries in the quaint village of Geneva, Illinois.

The Pottery — Dinner Plate:

The plate is stoneware; I do not know who the artist is.  I’m amazed at how much I ‘love’ this plate — The earthy (rusty but bright) abstract glaze treatment — Slips, oxides, celadon (or ash) drips around the rim.  I realize that the ‘look’ of ceramic arts has come a long way in the past twenty (plus) years, but without a doubt, I would choose this plate today.

The Food — Salmon with Maple/Fig Glaze:

I thought this ‘rich-looking’ plate deserved a ‘rich-looking’ bit of food.  With some autumn inspiration, I prepared oven-roasted salmon with a maple/fig glaze (easy — fig jam with maple syrup).  Then served with a topping of sauteed apple, fig and a bit more glaze.  Absolutely tangy, tasty, yummy with spaghetti squash and steamed brussels sprouts.  And stunning on my Before-I-was-a-Potter Plate!!

And, to the mystery artist who created this plate — Thank You!

Now I’m finally enjoying a bit of comfort food — Yummy Bread Pudding that I threw together with some left-over Pumpkin Bread.

The Food — Pumpkin Bread Pudding:

I recently made several loaves of tasty Pumpkin Bread, with pumpkin (canned), the usual spices, and candied ginger.  With one of the extra loaves, I wanted to try a Bread Pudding.  I cut the bread into cubes, tossed with a custard mixture of egg, cream, sugar; added some fresh nutmeg and orange zest.  It was absolutely delightful, truly ‘comfort food’ — And quite refreshing with the orange zest.

And to make it really autumn/seasonal — I served with a drizzle of eggnog and more fresh nutmeg.

The Pottery — Octagon Baker:

I baked my Bread Pudding in my favorite Octagon Baker/Bowl — Stoneware, with white slip and ash glazes.  I’ve always loved how organic this bowl turned out (defined but mooshy-smooshy).  I also thought the white glazing would contrast nicely with the dark pumpkin bread.

I can’t wait to make my Pumpkin Bread again, so I can bake more (octagonal) Bread Pudding!

I’ve added a new studio to my pottery-making life!  I’ve moved into a studio, with ceramic artist (and good friend) Julia Timm, in Northrup King Building in northeast Minneapolis.  Studio name is Fresh Mud Pottery — Suite #337.

This is a happy decision for me — I’ll certainly keep my studio in my home (my wheel, my kiln), but there are some exciting reasons for moving a portion of my pottery work to Northrup King.  And, I can work with fewer distractions??

Northrup King is an historic building full of artist studios; with several ‘art events’  throughout the year.  In fact, this first weekend of November — We’ll be participating in ART ATTACK!  ….When all artists open their studios for a major art-crawl-weekend — Showing their work, meeting the public in their workspace.  A great opportunity to visit so many artist studios in one location.

If you live in the Twin Cities, hope you can stop by — Both Julie and I would love to show our new space, and our latest work.  Again, ART ATTACK — Northrup King Building — Suite #337.

Preview — Marcia & Julie Pieces:

Marcia’s Sushi Plates – Stoneware, soda fired.

Julie’s lovely vase — Porcelain, high fired.

Marcia’s Overlapped Bowl — Stoneware, soda fired.

Julie’s Sushi Plate — With favorite origami motif.

Hope to see a few of you this weekend!!