Mosaic Monday # 8. Emma Bridgewater Factory Tour.and a sandwich.

Anyone visiting my blog for the first time recently might wonder why I called it Normandy Life as the last few posts have been about anywhere other than Normandy, France.
That's what happens when NL goes travelling......................

And so it is once again this week as I invite you, dear reader, to join me for a brief tour of  the Emma Bridgewater factory in Stoke on Trent, the heart of the Potteries and situated less than an hours drive away from the holiday cottage we stayed in recently in the pretty village of Crudgington.

I have been collecting Emma Bridgewater's Black Toast for a long time, occasionally adding to my extensive collection of coffee mugs with other patterns such as Tulips, Pansies and a pair of commemorative ones for the Queens Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
I love it so much I even included it in my blog header photo.

It's no surprise that this came home with me.
Although I don't think it'll be staying long.
In fact I know it won't!
The tour was a fascinating glimpse into the production of this very popular pottery and we saw the whole process from the making of the clay,

through the forming of the pieces including the hand thrown bowls and plates,

a Fettler cuts off the excess clay and seals the joins

before the piece is fired

the fettling

to the first firing

the application of the décor using hand cut sponges

details of a personalised mug

for Sam

 and the final firing.

After a suitable length of time spent browsing the EB store we headed to the café for a late lunch.
The SP decided on the Soup of the Day (beetroot) and I ordered an egg and cress sandwich which was delicious.
Here in Normandy I sometimes can find bagged watercress at the supermarket but I've never seen the small cartons of mustard cress which, as every English school child will know, is one of the easiest things to grow on a piece of damp cotton wool placed on a sunny kitchen windowsill.
So as we stocked up at the supermarket just before heading for the Eurotunnel I popped some mustard cress into the trolley along with a bag of fresh watercress for good measure. A box of 6 large duck eggs and a white Hovis sliced loaf came home with us too.
The very next day for lunch - voila!

Since making these delicious sandwiches I have googled mustard cress and found quite a few different suppliers of seeds so we'll never have to be without egg and cress sandwiches again!

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