Sunday 18 September 2016

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!

22 comments:

  1. Thank you Maggie for hosting and for the very interesting tour of Emma Bridgewater -- I would love that experience because the pottery is absolutely beautiful; I love your collection. And Bill would love it because he loves to see how things and people work... when we were full-time RVers we went on many factory and craftsplace tours in different states. (And obviously with our background, I understand traveling away from home base and enjoy your trips vicariously!

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  2. I do love pottery and seeing how it is made. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Now I know a little more about you. Such fun to see your pottery.it really is a beautiful,collection.

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  4. Thank you Maggie for another so charming post and for hosting me today, as well !
    Hope your week is off to a good start I'm sending hugs and ever much love to you
    Xx Dany

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  5. Now that would be so interesting to me--to see how pottery is made--especially my favorite. Thanks for hosting and sorry about the false title. Somehow the link place decided that was a good title and slipped it in without my noticing and I don't know how to change it!

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  6. That mug with the dogs has captured my heart ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  7. Hello Maggie, the pottery is beautiful. I love both the dog and rooster mugs. It would be interesting to visit the factory and see how the pottery is made. Thanks for sharing your visit and for hosting MM. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week ahead!

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  8. It's always so interesting to see how something is made...especially something you love! I think I'll search for more about these beautiful dishes. Maybe I need a mug? lol Happy Mosaic Monday! Hugs, Diane

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  9. Maggie, thank you for taking us along on this interesting tour. You know I appreciate and admire handmade pottery. I'm a fan of Emma B. too. The Black Toast pattern is my favorite. I fondly remember eating off your special dishes. Off to KC soon. No time for a newblog post at Hyacinths this week.

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  10. Good morning from the Pacific Northwest Maggie, where it is raining steadily right now. I really enjoyed your Emma Bridgewater post. I am happy to say I've been to the store in September of 2013 and brought home a little souvenir, a hedgehog mug. I do love her pottery. We weren't able to take the tour but browsed and had a treat in the cafe.

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  11. Black Toast is my fav of EB pottery How fun to go therel

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  12. The sandwich looks so yummy - and the pottery is great - what a wonderful place to visit. I would not be able to resist most of their treasures.

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  13. You are making me want to head to England this very day with all this talk of wonderful pottery and beautiful photos. And then lunch to die for! Oh, yes! I'll come along with your travels, no matter where you are!

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  14. Maggie what a wonderful Emma Bridgewater tour you shared today (well that and that cress and egg salad/sandwiches). Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday, it is always a pleasure to visit you and join in. Now to see where Emma Bridgewater is sold in my area.
    Joy

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  15. Wow...so many lovely mugs!! A beautiful series of pictures; and lots of aspects about pottery. Your sister for sure will enjoy the gift! So nice! many thanks for sharing all of these with us. A very good day and week, as well!

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  16. I want to replicate your time in England! A tour of Emma Bridgewater would be so great! Lovely mugs - her work is just wonderful. I'm visiting today, but don't have time to join in - hopefully next week.

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  17. What an astonishing variety of pots, decors and designs! Thank you for the tour Maggie!

    This early autumn is such a busy time, I hope I have more time in October...

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  18. I love the pottery and knowing that it is handmade makes it even more special. I pass on pretty dish because so much of the new things are made in China. The enamel chips and who knows if it has lead in it. So I love that you have found hand made, beautify dish ware. Did you find the Kitchen Aid peeler? It is worth the investment if you like to cook and bake. I use to peel potatoes--when I peel them--, I've sliced zucchini. It is especially quick and handy if you want slice garden vegetables for the freezer.

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  20. A delightful post. Such beautiful pottery!

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  21. I receive regular emails from the Emma Bridgewater company and drool over the various patterns. Lucky you to visit the factory!! I'd consider that a great treat.

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  22. I'd love to visit the Emma Bridgewater Factory. I don't collect but I do remember Susan Branch sharing a spectacular tour on her blog. And you had a lovely lunch to boot! We have watercress here but I don't see it used so much in anything. We had friends from Germany visit and they made a simple salad with watercress and a vinaigrette. I continued to make it for quite a bit of time after. It had a great peppery last. Now you've jogged my memory. How do you make the egg and cress sandwich? And...do duck eggs taste at all like chicken eggs? I can't even imagine where I could find them but I'm curious. My husband laughs at me, if we ever make it to Europe, and England is my first choice, He thinks I am going to eat my way around the country!! Yeah!

    I appreciated your comment to my last post. I think we all have these thoughts...where we are going, where we will be 2, 5, 10 years from now. As much as I want to roll with the flow, I have some goals to reach and the clock is ticking. I was wondering if you were going back to England for good. I hope you are happy and content with your choices.

    Jane

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Thanks for stopping by, your visit just made my day!