We are not huge fans of statuettes, but the exhibition that is now on in Deruta ceramic museum is really very special. It’s about a collection of 100+ small ceramic sculptures made in Deruta between 1930 and 1950 for Perugina, THE Italian chocolate factory. 
They were sold in special packs with chocolates, Easter eggs (our Easter eggs are pretty big) and the timeless Baci – don’t tell us you know nothing about Baci …
This donkey statuette was our favorite!
By Tiziana Manzetti
The tradition of pottery making is very strong in Liguria, dating back to the Middle Ages and evolved into Modern Art in the last century.
Albissola is probably the most popular city in this respect, but definitely not the only one. Everywhere you go, you can find the sign of people’s love for this art. Here you can see the statues decorating the front of the Oratorio di Sant’Andrea in Monterosso, a tiny church on the beach that would go unnoticed if it were not for these unique and precious ceramic works.
The key events in the life of the Saint Andrew and Saint Dominic are narrated by ceramic tiles that are combined to form a statue of the Saints. A lovely spot in an otherwise very “touristy” place.
By Tiziana Manzetti
In this video, Enzo Scardino from Ghenos, paints a lovely Madonna with child. You can see the various steps that lead to an authentic masterpiece! Enjoy the performance.
Candle holders and candlesticks are the perfect accessory to create the right atmosphere in your home. They add style to your decoration, offer the perfect light for your family parties, create coziness in an instant and their flickering light is just magic in your Summer evenings outdoor.
We love handmade ceramic candle holders, with their strong personality and authentic artistry!
By Tiziana Manzetti
A pumo is popular symbol of good luck in Grottaglie and more in general in the region of Puglia. Every family celebration and important event is sanctified by the gift of a ceramic pumo, rigorously handmade.
Its name, from the local dialect “Pumo de’ fiure”, means flower bud and it derives from the Latin “pomum” from Pomona, from Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruitful abundance. The bud is round, with a slightly pointed end, and it rests on acanthus leaves, symbols of immortality or, if you will, resurrection.
As you can see the references to good luck are endless, explaining the popularity of the pumi: there is always a good reason to purchase a pumo or give it as a gift to wish someone a good start in a new activity. Typically, a new family will not move its first steps in the community without its brand new pumi, installed at every corner of every balcony of the new nest.
Wandering in the steep streets of Grottaglie and the neighboring villages, you’ll find yourself unable to keep your eyes at ground level: the show is on the first and second floors, where the whitish buildings boast their beautiful balconies with colorful pumi’s on each corner. You will see majestic palaces, once owned by noble families, decorated with elaborate pumi, modest houses taking pride on their simple ceramic buds, each having found its distinctive symbol of prosperity, fertility and abundance.
Pumi are made by hand by Grottaglie potters in a large variety of styles and sizes: you’ll find simple, solid colored traditional pumi as well as colorful, fancy ones. Follow your taste and bring one home, they are beautiful interior decoration accents, indoor and outdoor and … we all need good luck, don’t we?
By Tiziana Manzetti
Sgraffito, in English “to scratch”, is a pottery decorating technique first used in Egypt and the Middle East in the 7th century to have pottery look like precious metals. Around the 10th century it crossed the Mediterranean, influencing Italian and Spanish potters.
A layer of colored liquid clay, called engobe, is applied on a leather hard pottery piece. When dry the potter decorates the piece, scratching the superficial layer to form a design and revealing the clay color underneath. At this point the piece can be kiln fired for the first time and, if necessary, colored glazes can be applied before a second firing.
In the picture we see Francesco Fasano at work in his studio. Thanks for the picture, Francesco.
By Tiziana Manzetti
In a city like Grottaglie, where pottery making is one of the main resources, Francesco Fasano’s ceramics stand out for their unusual designs, sophisticated elegance and technical superiority.
Francesco’s ancestors established in Grottaglie in the 17th century and his family has been in the ceramic business for generations. He grew up in his father’s Cosimo ceramic studio and the passion for pottery was enhanced by his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, where he learnt to use different methods and was very much influenced by the patterns and decorative motifs of the Eastern cultures.
As a matter of fact Francesco’s pottery and dinnerware are a harmonious blend of styles, so unique that his pieces cannot be mistaken for anybody else’s. His favorite production method is known as “sgraffito” – in English “scratched”. He applies a layer of engobe or liquid clay on a leather hard pottery piece. When dry he scratches the layer to form a design and reveal the clay color underneath. After the first kiln firing he applies glassy, intensely colored glazes, one by one, firing the pottery up to 3 times.
The result is just amazing: a real treat for Italian pottery lovers.
By Tiziana Manzetti
Essential kitchen knives A set of quality kitchen knives is what you need for a good start in serious home cooking. Having made this fundamental point, the next question is: which knives should be included in the essential kitchen knives set?
1 – CHEF’S KNIFE
A chef’s knife is a must-have in the kitchen: it cuts, minces, slices, dices, and chops. You’ll spend a great deal of time together, you and your chef’s knife, so take your time to select the chef’s knife that you feel is right for you and be prepared to drop a pretty penny on it. One thing you should not absolutely compromise on is the quality of the stainless steel: it must be premium quality, high carbon steel.
2 – PARING KNIFE
A paring knife is good for precision jobs, like peeling, coring and larding. It’s the ideal partner of the chef’s knife and its opposite in many ways: a paring knife is small, light, with a thin blade that usually tapers to a point. You may even want to purchase two of them, one with a straight edge, and one with a serrated edge.
3 – BREAD KNIFE
No other knife is able to slice perfectly through a freshly made croissant or a crunchy loaf of bread without smashing them into crumbles. It does an excellent job with ripe tomatoes and anything that has a hard shell with a soft inside. A good bread knife lasts a lifetime, as a serrated blade maintains a sharp edge for many years.
We have just visited Eugenio Ricciarelli in his studio in Deruta and he was about to open his kiln after the firing. It was loaded with lovely serving bowls, fruit bowls and other geometric pottery.
We took some pictures to show you one of the most breathtaking moments in the life of a pottery maker: will everything be safe and sound? By Tiziana Manzetti
We’ve mentioned that Grottaglie has been popular for many centuries for the quality and variety of its functional pottery. We’ve found a great picture to show you.
This is an old “pignata ferrata”, a vessel used to cook legumes, tasty ingredients of the local cuisine. Indeed, one of the most popular dish in the area is broad beans & chicory.
The iron net you see on the pot was applied to add resistance to the vessel!
By Tiziana Manzetti
