Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with These Handcrafted Treasures

Our Polish pottery is one of our customer favorites. In honor of St. Paddy’s Day, we asked our artisans in Boleslawiec, Poland to create a unique earthenware dish. In their centuries-old folk art tradition, our Polish artisans collaborate to create works of functional art, such as our oval St. Patrick’s Day Platter and our Shamrock Dish. Each piece is crafted of local clay, hand-painted with carved sponges, high-fired for durability, and is naturally non-stick. Two groups of artisans work side-by-side: those who form the shapes of native clay, and those who adorn them by painting our festive motifs with carved sponges. Their ceramic creations will spark luck upon any table setting.

This year, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the traditional way: with Irish soda bread –perfect for being served in our Polish pottery collection.

“Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread” (from AllRecipes.com)

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup margarine, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

For an added touch, add raisins for flavor!

Polish Pottery Shamrock Dish

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