Circuitous

Got an email this morning, asking after the octopus French butter dish in stock on my website, shipping to the East coast. I sent the usual answer, What's your address, I'll pack and get the shipping cost, pay by check card or PayPal, then, as an afterthought:

PS I'm curious; how did you find my work/website?

Usually, the answer is I/my child/my partner went to school in Eugene/saw you at Market/bought something from you at [fair] and sent it to me. This time, though, the answer was... a little surprising.

I found your work searching for salt cellars and then butter crocks on etsy actually. The “HouseofBlix” page had one of your crocks (with an owl) and listed your name as the creator…I really liked your style and was intrigued what other pieces you make so I googled you and found your very informative and entertaining website! and i’m glad i did.

So I went to the site and, sure enough, there it was. Along with a variety of other pots, vintage clothing, LGBTIAQ-friendly embroidery and patches. Vendor is from Portland, obviously a re-seller. I'm thinking they may haunt thrift stores, creaming off the good stuff to post on their Etsy. Funny thing, though. Of all the pottery, only two of us were identified by name: myself, and Kalapuya Pottery's Debrah Wolf. And if they got my piece in a Goodwill, how did they know my name? I don't sign my work, preferring to use a stamp.

It's a mystery.

In any event, I thought I'd share the piece from HouseofBlix, as well as the Octopus pot my correspondent is getting. The owl is only $40 online... or you could order one direct from me for $27 (plus shipping), provided you can wait until my late September firing.

Odderday

Saturday, August 22 is another odd-number-booth day at Saturday Market. See you there!

Cobbled together

Well, the Lutherans' apple tree next door seems to be finally running out of (salvageable windfall) apples, just as our own Cox's Orange Pippin is hitting harvest. And still, so many blackberries.

Asked Denise for suggestions, and she asked for Cobbler. The recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook seemed needlessly complicated (being basically a peach cobbler with substitutions, wanting you to cook the fruit on stove-top for 20 minutes. Nah...). The internet gave me a variety of choices; finally defaulted back to Betty, with a simpler recipe. Original was for an 8-inch square baking dish. I made one-and-a-half batch, used my big squared crisp pan. (I suspect a small squared baker would work as well*)


Blackberry Cobbler

4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups granulated sugar

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1.5 cups milk
3/4 cup melted butter

Mix berries and sugar together in a medium bowl and let stand 20 minutes to let syrup develop.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in milk. Stir in melted butter. Pour into ungreased dish, then spoon berries over the top. Bake 40-55 minutes. (I went for the high end of the range, could probably have given them five minutes less.)

There's just enough Vanilla Bean Ice Cream left in the freezer for two servings; after that, we'll have to improvise.

*Required pottery content.