Remember the
climbing wild aster I showed you the other day? Well I was inspired to make a set of wild aster plates, or perhaps they are bowls. Anyway I hope these turn out a little more vibrant than in the photo. I never know with these stains and colored slips. We shall see, but that's part of the fun and mystery.
I've also been thinking I'd like to develop a line of plates and bowls where part of the clay is left natural, without glaze, on the reverse. I decided to texture the reverse of these wild aster plates with a pattern and see how that works out. Perhaps having a textured bottom will aid in the firing process too. Let's see now, where will I sign my name?
The other day at the produce market I saw one lone gold squash. It was similar in size to a green acorn squash but a beautiful gold color. Sorry I should have photographed the skin for you to see. The outside is a beautiful matt gold color and scalloped in a perfectly symmetrical pattern. I happened to look at the label for this squash and it was distributed by
Superior Sales in Hudsonville, Michigan. I don't see the gold squash on their recipe page. Perhaps I'll email them with this quick and easy recipe.
I decided to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and bake it like my mother used to do. I add a pat of butter and brown sugar, place in a baking dish, fill baking dish with a cup of water and bake at 350 F for half an hour. This squash took much less time to bake than a green acorn squash would take.
I started to mix it all up and dig in, then I remembered I needed to take a photo for you to see the cooked squash. It's just like a dessert cooked and eaten this way. Every once in a while a little sugar can't hurt, can it? Perhaps this is the way my mother got us to like eating vegetables when we were kids. Please give it a try. That cold front and storm moved through very quickly last night and I don't think we got a stitch of rain. I may have to get my rain stick out. This post is part of the
Mud Colony what's happening in the studio, check out the link for other potters around the globe. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
I guess I lied I just checked the rain gauge and we got just under an inch of rain. I must have been asleep when that happened. Thank goodness for that little bit we got.
ReplyDeleteUp here in NC we got the same cold front, and blowing snow everywhere. Can't wait to try squash...and the plate looks lovely. I've done that reverse side with lace imprint, and have been able to even put glaze or oxides in the cracks, then wiped the surface and it doesn't stick to shelf in kiln. Love the asters!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful asters; you've transfered to another medium so successfully.....caught the essence of asters.
ReplyDeleteRain and lots of it today....temps up to the 50's (It feels like an El Nino winter.) Of course all this could change next week. I'm remembering the winter I had impatiens blooming the week after Thanksgiving. The following week it started snowing and didn't stop until march..... with over 100 inches of snow!
It's cold and blustery here after a day of lots of rain. Your bright, happy Aster plate was just the ray of sunshine and hope for spring that I needed today. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOk, so yours is a little tastier(probably)but I bake that squash without any add-ons & love it still. I'm thinking anyone I've ever served it to would like yours better though.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I prefer to see colorful glaze inside and out. Don't care for the unfinished look, but that's just me. That recipe looks easy and I'll try it the next time the opportunity arises.
ReplyDeleteI like shallow bowl/plates, I enjoy eating out of that shape for some reason.
ReplyDeleteBrown sugar and squash is the best!
Oh Linda. The wild aster bowl/plate is inspired, and very, very beautiful. I like a mix of glazed and natural finishes on the one piece, I think it gives a more complete picture of the process and, often both are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, thanks, I think I'm going to try some oxides and some plain to see which I like. it was blowing terribly here too.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzi, thanks, I've done a lot of underglaze drawings in the past but it's been a while. One hundred inches yikes too much to shovel.
Hi Lori, thanks, I hope it stays bright after firing. Now we're getting a freeze, the poor plants and animals and birds.
Hi Mary, thanks, I like the squash plain too but every once in while I want something sweet.
Hi Gigi, thanks, don't worry I'll still make the other types with glaze. So easy to make this squash and it looks so nice on a plate.
Hi Michele, thanks, I like plates that way too, food can be scooped with a fork easier I think.
Hi Elephant's Child, thanks, I do like some pieces of pottery with the natural clay showing, so much of it is so beautiful to look at.