Polish Pottery: The BEST Dishes Ever.

Today I want to share with my readers one of the more beautiful things in my home.   I am notorious among family and friends for being the Anti-Collector.  I strive to not collect stuff- it’s an attitude I’ve developed over the years, as I’ve slowly succumbed to life that is clutter free.  Clutter free is the way to be!  And I love it!  But there are two things which I still collect, and will collect forever.  One is snowmen-but those are a Christmas decoration and seldom have to do with food.  The other is my absolutely stunning collection of Polish Pottery.  And that’s what I want to share with you today.

I think I first received a catalog for Polish Pottery sometime around Abigail’s first birthday.  I was instantly smitten, as I turned page after page in this catalog and immediately felt a longing for one of each.   I would flip through that catalog every once in a while and admire the beautiful dishes, and imagine dinner being served in such wonderful treasures instead of the serviceable garage sale finds we were using at the time.  I was intrigued by the fact that well-made REAL Polish Pottery is all handmade- no two pieces are exactly alike, because each one is hand stamped and hand painted in a factory in Poland.   From the pictures, the pottery certainly appeared durable, and the pages claimed that the pottery was sturdy enough to be used in the oven and microwave, and was also dishwasher safe.  It just seemed like the type of thing that would be a great investment.  So much more so than dainty China which needs to be treated tenderly for fear of breaking.  And did I mention how beautiful it is?

Well, some time after I discovered these lovely, lovely dishes, we had an opportunity to visit with Andy’s Mom.  Andy is a proud Polish man, as his his entire family.  I have not a speck- my family descended from other parts of Europe, and I was intrigued as to how “authentic” this stuff was.  Was it a true Polish heirloom type of industry, or was this something created to find a niche in the world today.  As it turns out, the Polish Pottery industry is one of tradition, and my Mother-In-Law was quite familiar with the pottery, and had seen it in many places and at many times.  I confirmed to myself that this was quality goods and began a hope chest in my mind that someday, we would have pieces of Polish Pottery to grace our dinner tables with.  If I only knew…

My wonderful Mother-In-Law filed that conversation away and many months later my very first pieces of Polish Pottery arrived as a gift.  They were even more stunning in person, and these serving bowls would be the star of many a dinner party to come.   I was thrilled to discover that they were indeed, as sturdy as they appeared in the photos.  They’ve been through the paces in my kitchen, and they look as new as the day they arrived on my doorstep.

And then as time passed, and gift-giving occasions would arrive, another piece would show up here and there.  I even bought a few myself when I found some good deals on E-bay.  Though I haven’t done that in a very long time.

I can never decide what I love most about these pieces.  They’re just so incredibly durable for one, but they’re also so incredibly unique.  They’re stunning to look at, but not so stunning that you are afraid to use them.  The coffee mugs, for example, have gotten use every single day since they first arrived many years ago.

Today’s blog post is a post that has literally been four years in the making.  And I’ll tell you why.  Because about four years ago, I was asked if I had any interest in actual place settings for the table- bowls and plates and such.  I was acquiring all these wonderful serving and accessory pieces, but was I interested in everyday dishes?  Oh, absolutely.  And with my acquiescence, an annual gift emerged.  One place setting has arrived every year on my birthday for the last four years.  And as they’ve arrived, they took a place of honor on a shelf I was using to display all these wonderful pieces.   I had determined that other than pulling one out for occasional use, these dishes would not get everyday use until I actually had four place settings that our family could use.  That day has finally arrived.

I mean, look at them! How can you not love this stuff?  Four place-settings with dinner plates, salad plates and cereal bowls.  Each set completely different, and yet, they clearly belong together.  Here’s another shot of them laying out.

They just make me smile every time I even look at them, let alone use them.  I love that you can use them all matchy-matchy, or you can mix up the patterns and play with them a bit.

They really are versatile- they can dress up any table, but they are still casual enough to use everyday.  And they do get used everyday! They truly do hold up and are sturdy and will last forever- I hope! I truly hope these are pieces that my kids will want to claim for their own someday.

Today I did something that I’ve also been waiting four years to do.  As I mentioned, as the place settings have been coming in, they’ve been propped up and put on display on a shelf in my dish cabinet.  Well, today I cleared off that shelf and had to reassess how these dishes sat there, because their purpose was no longer decoration.  They’ve moved on to bigger and better things, and now I have four place-settings that my family can use everyday for meals.  These dishes are now ready to be put into everyday use.  They are stacked up, ready and waiting to be carried to the table or the kitchen to use every single day.

They’re still pretty stacked up instead of spread out, aren’t they! I know you want some!  A simple Google search of Polish Pottery will yield you dozens of results for companies to buy from, but I have to tell you that my Mother-In-Law has found the best company to order from.  Polish Pottery House has an amazing quality guarantee with every purchase.  I have yet to have something arrive from them damaged- they are very, very well protected during shipping.  But should you, for some reason, receive a damaged piece, they will replace it with no hassle.   Oh my, just spend a few minutes on their website, and your wish-list will grow and grow!  Look at all the different baking dishes, and the serving pieces, and the tableware!  Look at all the patterns and pieces I don’t have yet!  And while I may not be into the items that are strictly for decoration, they have those too for those so inclined.

I hope you’ve enjoyed a small peek into something that I cherish very much.   Every time I use one of these pieces, I revel in the colors and the details, and it always makes me think of Andy’s family and his parents who continue to gift me with such beauty.   Because that’s what truly makes these dishes so special- they’re timeless pieces with a story, and most often that story leads towards happy thoughts and prayers for those who have been so generous over the years.   And I hope that as the years go on, these pieces will gather more stories- about the time we filled that bowl with blueberries we picked ourselves.  Or the time we filled that platter with the wild boar chops from the hunter next door.  Or the time we piled that platter high with steaks from the bear shot in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.  Or maybe my kids will more remember the Jello fluff that filled that bowl, or maybe my girlfriends will remember the cold winter night that we had a tea party and enjoyed each other’s company in the midst of that long, snowy winter.

A precious gift these are, and I hope you’ll now better enjoy seeing them show up on occasion here on Tummy Treasure, because they’ve certainly spent a bit of time here before, but the focus has always been about the food inside them.  Today it was high time the dishes got their own story, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed telling it.