Monday, January 11, 2010

what to do

when it is too cold to work in the studio? (Disclaimer: I know that other potters, more ambitious than I, would be out there cold or not, sick or not. But not I!)
I've gone through my collection of test tiles--tossing a bunch out and organizing others so they are more workable as a tool for me. But that is about all I could figure out to bring inside to do.
So I've decided to try to develop a sourdough starter. I've read tens of recipes/directions from the web. Amazing how many variations there can be to one project! I think I've finally gotten it started--not ready for making a loaf yet but it is bubbling up and expanding--not quite doubling itself yet. Jim asks eagerly each morning if it is ready to make bread! It does seem like an endless but that is nice now since it seems like the cold weather is hanging on endlessly! And the great thing about this endless project is that it only requires about 5 minutes of involvement each day!
Being in the kitchen more these days I've become interested in making pots for slow cooking in the oven. I know that we say our stoneware pots are oven safe provided proper care. But I think I want to have earthenware, unglazed pots for my slow cooking. If anyone out there has suggestions, guidance, experience to offer I'd love to hear from you.
Warm days are ahead, I believe, to be followed by another round of this atypical weather here. But spring will follow eventually!

6 comments:

Bert Gibson said...

I'm sure our northern neighbors are getting a good laugh at our unusually cold temperature and how we are coping. Cousin set up his turkey fryers under his frozen pipes to thaw them out. We thought it might be a new line for Jeff Foxsworhty's "You might be a redneck if...". lol Been below freezing for so long that ice had formed on the area lakes here in Dallas. When was the last time that happened?

I brought some clay inside the house and planned on doing some slab work. That was about the best I could come up with in these conditions.

Ann said...

Floridian here....it's been waaaaaay too cold to be out in my unheated garage studio. Alas, because I bought myself a slabroller in December and it still sits in boxes on the pallet on which it was delivered! Ack! Getting lots of other indoor household stuff done though. Soon we'll be back to our regularly scheduled temps, I'm sure ;-)

Sister Creek Potter said...

Bert, my sister who lives in Maine does laugh out loud when I complain about our 'cold' weather! But we are not built for it like those in the northern climes--our buildings or our bodies!

Ann, it seems like you have been harder hit than we--certainly harder than San Antonio who has not had it as bad as Dallas--and you are as ill prepared as we. I hate seeing all that wonderful food-stuff at risk.

Today maybe the day to get back into the studio. I just realized last night that I had not worried--or done anything about protecting--my clay that is stored in plastic bins outside the studio--on the north side. Don't know if that will hurt the clay--but probably did not enhance it! I'll report on it later.

Jamie in Vegas said...

This is one of those few times when menopause might actually be a plus. Nothing like a hot flash to warm one up! I've been working in a tee-shirt, despite temps these temps... toasty!

Stay warm, everyone!

Barbara said...

Good luck with your sour dough. I've never started one, but kept one going for a number of years. Bet it smells good.

Sister Creek Potter said...

Intriguing. A message from Asia, maybe? But I can't read it or know how to reply. Would be nice to have a pottery friend in Asia. iGoogle translates the message as:
How can you over a sea, but forget it blue? .........................
Anyone out there have a better translation?