Care of Pottery
PIKE STUDIOS-CARE OF POTTERY
Stoneware and porcelain pottery cooking vessels produce an even heat and are great to cook with; but they do not have the same thermal qualities as metal, Pyrex or Corel and will not withstand thermal shock (subjecting them to an extreme temperature change). Our pottery has been fired to 2380 ̊ F. and is designed to be used in the oven. Our pottery is NOT for stove top use and it may break if you take it from the freezer to a hot oven.
You’ll be surprised how long pottery holds the heat. A tea cozy will help keep it hot even longer. Although stoneware and porcelain pottery is very strong, dropping or banging it may cause breakage.
A restaurant in Bragg Creek, Alberta has used our pottery and cycled the mugs about eight times a day. After three years they felt that our mugs, bowls and plates were as tough as any restaurant ware. Connie’s mugs are used by The Coup in Calgary.
Avoid sudden temperature changes. Do not put a frozen piece in a hot oven. When using handmade pottery for cooking, the piece should be at room temperature before being placed in the oven. Do not pre-heat the oven. The pottery should be allowed to heat up gradually with the oven.
Food on the pottery going into the oven should evenly cover the entire bottom of the piece of pottery.
Casserole recipes work well, since they evenly distribute food throughout the pottery. Do not cook a roast, a chicken or a turkey in a pottery lasagna dish. This exposes some areas to more intense heat
than others. This will cause the pottery to crack.
We strive to make our pottery as utilitarian as possible. When the clay is wet the edges are smoothed and compressed with a sponge. This makes the edges rounder and stronger and helps to prevent chipping. Please notice all the bottoms of our pottery are sanded to protect your fine furnishings. We know people are concerned about lead in pottery. All of our pieces are lead free.
If treated properly, your pottery will last for years. There is something special about using handcrafted pottery. It makes your food taste better knowing that someone has put special care in designing and creating the piece just as you will be taking your time to prepare and make the food when you use the piece.
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We will keep on striving to make the highest possible quality pottery and hope you will enjoy it for a long time.
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‘Gifts from the heart for every occasion, Canadian Craftsmanship at it’s Best.’
Connie and Bob Pike Pike Studios-Alberta, Canada http://www.pikestudios.com
Good tips!
I have been using Connie‘s pottery cooking vessels for many years. I knew about the thermal shock effect but not from Connie’s pottery. Long ago, when I thought I had to be Super-everything, I took one of my frozen casserole dishes from the freezer and put it in the oven – not even preheated. It exploded! There was rice everywhere. You’d think there had been a wedding in my kitchen!
Connie’s pottery. I love it! 💚 DarleneGoodwin
