Gift Guide, Day 15

December 15, 2012

You know how some bowls just call out to you, begging to be picked up?  Daniel Bellow’s ceramics have that effect on me. I find myself wanting to wrap my hands around them. Shape is what interests Bellow – his glazes are very simple – and each one of his plates, cups and bowls has an earthy, tactile, sense. 

I like just about everything he makes, but these little pots – they’re just 2 or 3 inches high – are my favorites. They are endlessly useful. I fill them with nuts and olives and put them out with cocktails. I use them as eggcups.  I put them in the refrigerator filled with leftover pancake batter. And on a dinner table these “babies” (that’s what Bellow calls them) make superb little vases. They’re also the perfect size to hold a shot or two of bourbon on a cold winter night.  

I'm partial to these particular pots, but time is getting tight, and if you don't want to kick in for postage, consider alternatives: small pretty containers don't cost much (these are $15), and they make themselves welcome wherever they go. So look around. A cook can't have too many tiny containers.

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