The Mark of Beauty - 2013/03/21 - The Donabe pot

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Mar. 21, Thu.

The Donabe pot

This time we feature the quietly rising popularity of donabe - earthenware pots. They are both a utensil for simmering food and a fine centerpiece for the table. They have to be functional with good durability against heat, heat retention, sturdiness etc. and also have the beauty of a table ornament. The most prized dish at the old, luxury ryotei restaurants of Kyoto is the turtle hotpot. But what's unusual about the pot!? What is the particular beauty of the earthenware pot from the Iga region so beloved of Masako Shirasu?! We also introduce rare earthenware pots from around the world, exploring the little-known beauty of these simple yet warm utensils.

Earthenware pots are an essential table item for winter.
Ever so quietly, their popularity has recently soared.
We pop into a pottery shop in Tokyo to see the modern colors and designs.

Pottery shop owner, Mr. Matsui
According to Mr. Matsui, the owner of this pottery shop, "Earthenware started out as the main item in the kitchen but I think that now that it has been transferred to the table, it has become more of an ornament than a cooking pot."
The fact is that earthenware pots aren't only for cooking. They also adorn the table.

Lift the lid and there is a happy beauty inside.
In Japanese cuisine, this kind of hotpot is known as a yosenabe.
People of Edo, the city that became Tokyo, especially loved their yosenabe, which they filled with fish and vegetables.

But why are the pots this shape? We asked the mistress of an old restaurant who has been in the business for 40 years. She says, "The handle is shaped for functionality, not decoration. It is shaped this way so that it doesn't get too hot and you can lift it even with your bare hands."
There are also holes in the lids to let steam out and prevent the pot from boiling over, and the smooth curves let the flames spread around it gently and evenly.
Yes, these beautiful pots are highly functional.

What shall we put in? What kind of pot should we choose?
We want it to look good and taste good, too.
Today, we introduce the beauty of earthenware pots.

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part 1 of 1: http://go4up.com/dl/1TuSmFSxlSAU