Warm Table Settings for a Cold Winter’s Day

Wherever you go in Japan, you’ll find pieces of tableware with a character all their own. They reflect the country’s cultural diversity and the vision of the artists who made them. Their presence adds sparkle to everyday surroundings. In this series, the owner of a tableware gallery showcases tableware that brightens your day and lends color to the season.

For this installment we visited Eto Aya, proprietor of the gallery Natsutsubaki, and asked her to show us table settings for a cold winter’s day. She selected several items perfect for enjoying a hot meal with close friends in winter when the sun sets early.

Dishware that adds warmth to the dining table

“I’ve combined deep, rich colors without being overelaborate, envisioning a cozy gathering around a hot meal on a relaxed winter day. The first thing that came to mind to add warmth to the dining table was this heat-resistant dish with its beautiful amber glaze. I’ve used it here for gratin, but it could equally well be used for quiche or apple pie. The great thing about heat-resistant crockery is the way it keeps things warm. Stainless steel is better for heating food quickly, but this type of dish is perfect for preventing food from losing heat and keeping it warm. It lets you serve food to guests piping hot from the oven. All you have to do is put it on the table, and it’s picture-perfect. What’s not to like about it?”

This heat-resistant dish is the work of Yamamoto Noriyuki of the Iwai Kiln in Tottori. It looks striking with its deep hue and distinctive, sturdy appearance. Noriyuki also made the multipurpose earthenware casserole and the gray dishes with their ash glaze.
“When I select tableware to use for years to come, I look for things that are as free of daintiness as possible. Plain they certainly are, but dishes like this exude warmth and good taste in their design, colors, and earthy texture while eliminating every trace of daintiness. I don’t think you’ll ever grow tired of using them.”

“The milk warmer is also by Yamamoto-san. It’s designed for warming milk, but I use it to warm other beverages as well. I add coffee to make café au lait, for example. This vessel retains heat well. Once you’ve heated a drink in it, it stays warm for quite a while. I’m very fond of it.”

The aura of unglazed stoneware

Another type of tableware that Aya strongly recommends for a cold winter’s day is yakishime or unglazed stoneware.

“Things like white porcelains tend to get all the attention because they’re easy to use, but unglazed stoneware with its plump, rounded contours also has its charms. It has a powerful aura that highlights the food and makes the meal picture-perfect — even an unelaborate meal like this consisting of just green salad with bread and gratin. There’s tableware that plays up the food by fading into the background, and then there’s tableware with an aura worth enjoying in its own right. That aura may take various forms. Crockery of unusual colors or designs doesn’t go well with everything, but it can be enjoyed in its own unique way. This unglazed stoneware, on the other hand, presents no such difficulties despite its distinctive aura. Its hefty appearance highlights the food. Some people may wonder whether something as solid-looking as stoneware or slipware is really going to match their dining table. But when a table setting is bit too light and airy because the tableware is white, adding a single such dish will create quite an impact, yet it will still blend in with the other dishes. You should definitely give it a try.” Aya urges.

“This stoneware is by Ichikawa Takashi. Besides this stoneware series, he also makes a series of white ceramics known as shirashi. What sets his pieces apart are their convenience and suitability for daily use. After all, he cooks himself.”

“The wooden plate with the bread on it is the work of Suda Jiro. People think maybe they shouldn’t use wooden dishes for anything wet or juicy. They’re worried they might stain. But this plate is surprisingly versatile. It’s warm and has its own special aura, which is why it’s one of my favorites.

“When you first use these plates, it’s a good idea to serve oily foods on them as much as possible so the plate absorbs the oil. After that, care for them as you would leather by regularly applying drying oil. That way they won’t stain, and you’ll find them easy to use.”