The best way to make tea is to use boiling water. The important point is for the water to be boiling when you pour it over the tea, either in a cup, mug or best of all, a teapot. By doing this you obtain the most flavor from the tea. The longer that you leave tea to brew, the more bitter tasting tannin will be enter into the water.  Using a microwave to heat your water is slower, can be dangerous and produces a lower quality tea and is not advised.

TERRACOTTA TEAPOT

Best results are obtained using loose tea in a teapot rather than teabags. I appreciate that tea bags are simple and convenient to use but loose tea is not ground as fine as the tea in tea bags so it has more room to circulate in the pot. In addition, the finer ground tea used in tea bags allows for more bitter tannin to be released – so for a perfect cup of tea – loose tea wins every time. But don’t forget to use a tea strainer to avoid getting tea leaves in your cup.

SALT FIRED TEAPOT

1. Use one teaspoon of loose tea per person plus one for the pot.
2. Use fresh water because when water is re-boiled it loses oxygen which prevents the full flavor of the tea being released.
3. We suggest warming the pot first! This helps the brewing process by maintaining the brewing temperature for longer, to extract more flavour from the tea. It is very important to use boiling water to make the tea. Water which is not boiling does not allow the tea to brew properly.
4. Brew for 4-5 minutes as using a shorter time will not allow the full flavor to develop. Longer brewing will result in a bitter tasting tea as Tannin will start to be extracted from the tea leaves.
5. Stir the tea in the pot once while it is brewing. Note about using tea bags – the same basic rules apply as for loose tea. But you will get best results brewing in a pot. If you must brew in a cup then brew for a much shorter time, say - 2 - 3 minutes.

Enjoy your tea!

PEARS DESIGN LARGE TEAPOT

Tea Pots make superb gifts and are a \’must\’ for any household or family. Tea is acknowledged as one of the most healthy drinks that you can find and drinking 3 cups a day is believed to be good for you heath. You can find a great selection of hand crafted Tea Pots & Mugs at http://www.sidestreettudio.com/catalog/pottery-pots-c-1_116.html

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers.

QUASIMODO TEAPOT

The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates.

Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UKnutritionists found. Read more at the BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5281046.stm

All of these beautiful Tea pots are locally made on Vancouver Island. They are available at Side Street Studio, Oak Bay Village, Victoria, B.C. Canada or on line at www.sidestreetstudio.com

CLASSIC TEAPOT & INFUSER

(Serves 4 – 5)

There are few things that I would rather have after a walk or returning from skiing on a cold winter’s day. The combination of beans and pasta tastes delicious; the two food complementing each other perfectly.

LARGE SOUP BOWLS

This soup is a nutritious & satisfying meal in itself. Serve with fresh wholemeal or crusty white bread and follow with fruit.

8oz (225 g) dried kidney or haricot beans.

1 oz (25 g) Olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stick celery finely chopped

2 tablespoons (2 x 15 ml) finely chopped parsley (fresh is best)

2 oz (50 g) smoked bacon. (Unsmoked if you wish)

14 oz (397 g) can chopped tomatoes with their juice

2.2 pints (1 liter) beef stock – home made or water & 2 stock packets

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

6 oz (175 g) Conchiglie (shells) or Fafalle (twists) pasta

Fresh grated Parmesan (or mature cheddar) cheese

Put the beans in a large bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight. Boil for at least 15 minutes the next day, before using. You can substitute for pre cooked cans of beans if desired

APPLE DESIGN SOUP BOWL

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, bacon & parsley until softened – then add the garlic for the last 2 minutes. The bacon should be just turning brown. Now add the tomatoes, stock and boiled and drained beans. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until the beans are tender – about 3 hours, but possibly less, depending on the beans.

FRENCH ONION SOUP BOWL

Scoop out a good cupful of the beans and puree in a blender or though a sieve. Put back into the soup and add salt & pepper. Bring to the boil again and add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender (al dente) – about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

SALMON DESIGN SOUP BOWL

Serve in soup bowls with grated cheese and more freshly grated black pepper.

Note: the soup should be very thick. You may have to cook it uncovered if there is too much liquid, or add a little more stock if it has reduced too much during cooking.

SOUP or BRIE BOWL

All these beautiful bowls and the tureen are hand made in British Columbiaby some of Canada’s finest pottery artists. The pottery is available from Side Street Studio, Oak Bay Village, Victoria, B.C. or on line at www.sidestreetstudio.com

SOUP TUREEN & LADLE (BOWL)

Marlyn & Dave – of Quasimodo Pottery have been creating beautiful functional pottery for many years. They have written some good tips for caring for their pottery to help you use & enjoy these superb pieces for years to come;

Food Safe

This hand made pottery has been fired to a high temperature that makes it suitable for everyday use for food preparation and serving. No lead or other harmful materials have been used in the clay or glazes.

LARGE RIMMED SALAD BOWL

Oven Proof

This pottery may be used in a conventional electric or gas oven. But to avoid ‘temperature shock’ we recommend NOT to place cold pottery directly from a refrigerator into a pre heated oven; rather allow time for the piece to warm to room temperature as you pre heat the oven. Similarly, do not place hot pottery directly into cold water or a refrigerator. Avoid placing hot pottery directly onto any surface including marble or other stone countertops. Use a heat mat underneath.

COVERED CASSEROLE

Microwave Safe

This pottery is safe to use in a standard microwave oven. The glaze contains no metals that may spark or react.

FAT MUG

Dishwasher Proof

Our pottery can be cleaned in a standard dishwasher and is durable enough to withstand everyday use and cleaning.

HINT; For easy clean up – fill with soapy water, let soak for a few minutes and then use a plastic scrubber to remove the worst bits of food before placing in the dishwasher.

BRIE BOWL

Candleholders

Do not pry wax out of the candleholders or you risk breaking the rim. Use hot water to soften and then easily remove the wax.

CANDLEHOLDERS

Spouts

Be sure not to bump spouts on teapots, wine carafe’s or decanters etc while cleaning or filling.

WINE CARAFE WITH HANDLE

Protecting your Table

Use cork pads on decorative ware or dinner ware to protect scratching glass or wood furniture and use a mat under any pot containing water.

CHEESE PLATTER & KNIFE

You can find this superb pottery at Side Street Studio, Oak Bay Village, Victoria, B.C. Canada. You can also purchase on line at www.sidetreetstudio.com

Len Menard writes; “I spent a good part of my working career in the floor covering industry, both selling and installing.  I retired in 2003 on disability due to back problems, and my wife and I moved fromSurreywhere we had lived for 30 years, to the peaceful sea side City of Powell River.  This city maintains much of its original small town flavor and is a haven for hundreds of very talented artists and musicians”.

MAPLE BURL & TURQUOISE BOWL

“My wood all comes from local sources such as urban foresters and local land owners who have to remove trees.  Like every other turner I’ve ever met, I have a great reverence for wood, and feel a duty to reveal the best in each piece I turn.  Often this requires a lot of extra time and effort to include natural defects that create the distinct one of kind look of the piece.  I also spend a great deal of time on my sanding and finishing to ensure that each piece gets the finish that will best compliment the grain and colour of the piece.

MESQUITE & TURQUOISE BOWL

I use Tung oil to finish the great majority of my work.  I put on anywhere from 3 to 5 coats of oils with drying and sanding between each coat.  This method requires at lot of time however I like the deep sealing and hard wearing, lustrous finish that this method provides.  The final finish is a coat of museum conservator’s wax which prevents fingerprints from showing on the surface”.

YELLOW CEDAR BURL BOWL

“Turning not only brings me pleasure and fulfils the desire to create something beautiful; it is also a therapy for the winter blues.  I’m back to singing and playing guitar again since I moved here, and I go out to the farmer’s market to perform every Sunday, as well as doing most of the festivals that occur here every year”.

SPALTED BIRCH BOWL

You can see more of Len’s beautiful work at www.sidestreetstudio.com

 A casserole, from the French word for “saucepan”,is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a “casserole dish”. (Source: Wikipedia)

Large Casserole

A rich red wine flavored casserole of chicken, bacon, onions and mushrooms. Serves 4 – 6, (hot). Perfect for a cold winters day!

Apple Design Casserole

1. Defrost 4 skinless chicken breasts & cut into 1 inch pieces. Slice bacon into small 1 inch strips. Peel & slice onions & wipe then chop the mushrooms. Finely chop garlic.
2. Melt 1 -1 ½ oz butter and fry bacon & onions until they just start to colour. Then add the garlic for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove to casserole and keep warm. Fry chicken pieces in the same butter until they are just browning. Remove to casserole.
3. Pour the red wine into the pan and bring to the boil; lower the heat and slowly to reduce the quantity by ½. Add the stock and bring to a slow boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt & black pepper. Pour this sauce over the chicken in the casserole. Add herbs. Bring to the boil. Then remove to oven and cook for 45 – 60 minutes.
4. While the chicken is cooking melt the remaining butter and cook the mushrooms. Add to casserole for the last 20 minutes of cooking time.
5. Serve with green beans and baked potatoes.

Covered Casserole

4 skinless chicken breasts

4 rashers smoked bacon

2 medium onions

12 – 16 mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

2 oz butter (olive oil can be substituted if desired)

½ pint inexpensive red wine

½ pint good chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried parsley (2 – 3 sprigs of fresh parsley if available)

1 sprig thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme.

1 bay leaf.

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees F or 160 degrees Celsius.

Small, medium or large, all of our casseroles are unique and hand crafted in B.C and will grace even the most discerning of tables. All are of course, oven, dishwasher and microwave proof. Foodsafe. Our casseroles make outstanding gifts just for you or for that someone special. www.sidestreetstudio.com

Pear Design Casserole

‘Pit Fired pottery is the oldest known method of firing clay and the ultimate source of all the modern firing variations used by potters. Each vessel is burnished twice, once when it is leather hard and then again when it is bone dry.  This picture shows the second burnishing.  Various shapes and sizes of agates, quartz stones etc. are used’. 

‘After the second burnishing, the pots are bisque fired in an electric kiln to cone 012.  If they are fired any higher it would cause the pots to loose their shine.

‘A 3” layer of shavings is put on the bottom of the pit and then the pots are nestled into the shavings’.  ‘Each piece is layered with combustibles such as dog food, pine needles, fine sawdust, coffee or anything else that is available’.

‘Paper and kindling is added on top and the fire is started.Usually I use alder and maple firewood, simply because that’s what is available’.  ‘More wood is added until I’m happy with the amount of hot embers’. At some point the metal lid is dropped and the fired is allowed to burn down for at least two days. 

‘Most of the combustibles will have burned away but there is usually enough ash to protect the pots’. ‘It’s so exciting to see the finished process’.  ‘The fire leaves flashes and patterns as does the combustibles; each pot wears the result of its experience during the firing’.

‘Many more hours are spent washing the pots and then they are left to dry.  When completely dry they are finished with a coat of paste wax and a good polishing to protect them’.

‘My pit fired pots have a high sheen and that is very important to me as the high shine seems to give the pieces some depth rather than the pattern from the fire just being on the surface’.

Maeva lives & works on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and you can see more of Maver’s fabulous work at www.sidestreetstudio.com

Honica writes; “To give you fair warning….you’re in the “Danger Zone’….power and passion are the attributes of the colour red, so prepare for adventure. Whether your design is extravagantly complex, or simply elegant it embodies the desire for the exotic and the extraordinary.

As I craft these designs in red, I pay assiduous attention to detail. To work the metal, I use hand and electric tools. I shape, tumble, punch, clean, cut, hammer, texture, antique, satin-brush and coat the brass forms. Then I am ready to complete the composition.

I have collected a huge variety of beads in the flame-hot hues of scarlet, crimson, ruby, cherry and wine reds. I pay particular attention to shape and texture so that transparent ‘jewels’ drop like ripe fruit and light dances on smooth polished surfaces”.

You can find more of Honica’s beautiful ‘Danger Zone’ jewellery at Side Street Studio, Victoria, BC.

http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=danger+zone&x=14&y=4

 Once you own a fine piece of Honica jewellery, please take a moment to read these suggestions for proper care.

TOFINO BLUE NECKLACE

 Each piece of Honica’s hand made jewellery is dipped in an anti-tarnish coating to protect and maintain the finish. Do not apply hair spray, perfume or other sprays and cosmetics while wearing jewellery as this may affect the finish.

DANGER ZONE BRACELET

Handle and store gently! Do not stuff unprotected jewellery into pockets, a purse or suitcase as earring backs may be loosened or bent and the jewellery may become scratched or broken.

CLASSIC BLACK ONYX BRACELET

Makeup and natural skin chemical affect jewellery finishes over time. Occasional wiping with a soft cloth and warm soapy water will prolong the life of your brass jewellery. Sterling silver may be cleaned as needed with good quality silver cleaner.

ELEMENTAL AMBER NECKLACE

Check for loose clutch backs on your earrings – if they become loose or worn please replace them to avoid loss.

PASSION FOR PURPLE BRACELET

 We hope that you will enjoy your Honica jewellery for many years to come!

www.sidestreetstudio.com

 Silver, the whitest of the precious metals, will tarnish with exposure to air. Copper, present in the sterling silver, oxidizes with the sulphur in the air.

This reaction causes the silver to turn dark. So care is important. To slow this process down, store your silver jewellery in a closed jewellery box.

To clean tarnished silver jewellery, use a jeweler’s cloth (a rouge cloth) or clean with toothpaste and a toothbrush under warm water. This method will also brighten precious stones.

www.sidestreetstudio.com

Since ancient times, silver has been closely associated with the moon and lunar influences.

Diana the Roman goddess of the moon hunted with a silver bow.

“As a self supporting professional potter and since graduating from art school in 1976, my partner Harriet and I moved to Cobble Hill and  established our studio; Cobble Hill Pottery in 1988.  We have enjoyed our life of carrying on a time honored traditional handcraft with a huge scope for personal creative experimentation and fun!”

            “During my career I have followed my passion through the clay world, working in earthenware, reduction stoneware, and raku and primitive firings. This current body of work consists of high fired, reduction stoneware, glazed in a palette of personally formulated glazes perfected during my years of experimentation. I enjoy utilizing brushes I construct consisting of various animal hair glued and wired to bamboo, to apply combinations of oxides and under glazes to enrich and enliven the glazed surfaces.”

     “My work is mainly thrown on the wheel, altered and trimmed while damp, then bisque fired once dry. Some of my regular production items are made by flattening clay with a slab roller and then formed over a plaster or Styrofoam hump mold; while damp they can be decorated with stamps I have carved from wood or plaster.  After the initial bisque firing the foot of each piece is coated in glaze-resistant emulsion and then dipped into the liquid glaze. At this point the oxide brush work, scraffito, glaze-on-glaze, wax- resist brushwork, or other decoration is done. The downdraft propane kiln is then carefully loaded, taking all of its idiosyncratic hot and cold spots (where only certain glaze combinations will reach temperature) into account”.

“An overnight warming is started  to lessen the occasion for pots cracking and then a 12 hour firing to reach maximum temperature of 2350 degrees F., the kiln is then quick cooled to 1800* to achieve the desired glaze effects. The kiln needs at least 24 hours to cool before it is opened, the pots removed, the bottoms sanded to ensure furniture friendly texture and carried to the showroom. From there each piece of pottery will set out into the world.”

“When time allows I also work in other mediums, painting, mixed media wall pieces, assemblages with wood and metal. These are a creative outlet as well as fun. The other passion in my creative life is as a jazz musician playing the string bass with different jazz bands in the Cowichan Valley and Victoria area”…

You can find more of John’s beautiful and functional work at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=80499