gourmet glow: bespoke
The excitement levels were high when we received an email from Suze, founder of the incredible Gourmet Glow, who has created a platform where food lovers can unite and enjoy the real-life magic of flavourful dishes.
We’ve made several bespoke pieces for Suze in the past, but this time we were asked to make a unique terracotta ramen bowl, a clay we don’t work with regularly, but that we love experimenting with.
We knew this bowl would be the vessel for many delicious creations and wanted to ensure that it was worthy of such finery.
Remaining sympathetic to the rustic appearance of the clay, we hand-formed the bowl into a perfectly imperfect shape with nuances of character. Layers of off-white glaze were hand-painted onto carefully considered areas of the clay, to work in beautiful contrast with the rich tone of the terracotta. After the glaze was applied we used foliage from one of our many woodland walks to make interesting markings and create a subtle texture.
Once fired the dark and earthy tones of the clay were revealed and the glaze was peppered with speckles of terracotta from where the foliage had made its mark. We couldn’t wait for Suze to see the finished result!
You can see our ramen bowl on the Gourmet Glow instagram page and of course on the Gourmet Glow website.
Perfect for the Christmas season, Suze has created a delicious chestnut recipe that we can’t wait to try and recreate.
PEPPERED MAPLE BUTTER CHESTNUTS
‘The Two most Powerful Warriors are Patience & Time’
Nothing can be truer of Roast Chestnuts. They take love and care to prepare but you will be rewarded by their creamy, sweet texture, the epitome of the comfort of Fall & Winter.
Ingredients:
500g Chestnuts
200g Unsalted Butter
3tbsp Maple Syrup
1tsp Black Peppercorns, crushed
4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes
Method
Preheat oven to 180c. Lay each chestnut on its flat side and cut an X through the skin, trying not to cut too deep into the flesh.
Soak the chestnuts in a bowl of boiled water for 10 minutes, then drain. Lay the chestnuts on a baking sheet with the X facing up. Roast for 25-35 minutes or until the skin has peeled back and the chestnuts feel tender.
Meanwhile heat the butter in a small pan over low heat until melted, increase the heat and bubble until the milk solids begin to turn brown. The bubbles will slow, and the butter will begin to smell toasted and biscuity.
Remove from the heat, stir in the maple syrup, pepper, and rosemary, and set aside.
Peel the chestnuts while still warm, taking care to remove all the inner membrane which can be tough and bitter.
Add the chestnuts to the pan of butter and stir well to coat. Tumble into a serving bowl, sprinkle with salt flakes and serve.
Enjoy!