Let’s be honest. Does anyone actually know what stoneware is?
Or the difference between fine bone and new bone china? Are pottery and ceramics even the same thing? Don’t fret, we have the answers!
For starters, ceramic refers to the general term for any item made from clay. This can cover anything from items like bakeware and plates to cool things like spaceship parts and ancient wonders of the world. In fact, you might be surprised just how often we use clay objects every day.
It’s natural and looks beautiful when glazed! Can you tell that we are fans? What’s not to love about ceramics?
Perfect For The Whole Family
Finally gave your old, chipped dinner plates the toss?
It’s time to get a new dinner set! You’ll often find that the material is listed as stoneware. This type of stoneware ceramic is perfect for everyday use. It’s as easy as scraping off any uneaten veggies (oops) into the bin and popping it in the dishwasher. In most instances that is! Please refer to the care instructions for your stoneware dinner set as the type of glaze used can affect this.
Stoneware also retains heat well. The heat is easily distributed through the product, making stoneware a great material for oven-to-table bakeware. Pasta bake and apple crumble anyone?
Sorry, we got distracted.. back to dinnerware! Not only is stoneware more cost effective, but there is also such a great variety of shapes and finishes available. Who doesn’t love options?! This is where the use of reactive glaze makes all the difference. It can create a dappled high gloss effect or create a more textured organic finish. Whether your dinner vibe is casual and laid back, or something more special — there’s a reactive glaze dinnerware set to match. The hardest part is picking one!
You can even mix and match your stoneware dinner plates, side plates and soup bowls to bring some bright fun and colour to mealtime. Or as we call it, takeout time — no judgement here!
Not Your Grandma's Bone china
Does every family have special plates? The ‘it’s only for very special occasions’ Fine Bone China?
Despite the name, the translucent look and the lightweight nature of the dinnerware, this type of material is still strong and durable. Actually, here at salt&pepper we fire our New Bone China dinnerware twice to further strengthen the product. What’s the point of having something that you don’t use!
This is where New Bone China comes in. The key difference is that it uses calcium oxide to create that white finish (which bonus — makes it even more durable). It is also a lot more budget friendly than traditional Bone China, so you won’t feel guilty using it every day! So why not bring out your favourite tea cup or coffee mug (or espresso cup) and indulge? All you need now is some tasty afternoon treats (there is nothing wrong with store-bought!).
Ceramic also makes a great material for your work lunch. Some of our lunch on the go bowls and mugs are created using New Bone China. The result — durable, stylish and convenient! Simply take it with you and heat it up at lunchtime. Easy as that!
How To Care For Your Ceramics
Good quality ceramics can withstand plenty of home cooked meals, Uber Eats orders and dishwashing cycles. But make sure you show your dinnerware some love and check the care instructions first!
There are different types of glazes, decals and pattern printing techniques that can help determine the best way to care for your favourite dinnerware. But don’t worry, that’s what we are here for. We will always share with you the best way to care for your new salt&pepper dinner set!
Here are a few extra pointers to make sure you and your new dinnerware have a long and happy life together:
Stoneware
Just make sure you avoid any super acidic or lemon-y dishwashing liquids as they can discolour your precious ceramics. Stay away from using any metal or abrasive scrubbers and choose something softer to get off any pesky stuck-on food.
New Bone and Fine Bone China
New bone and fine bone China can be sensitive to extreme temperature changes — don’t dunk them in icy cold water after a piping hot tea!
How is our ceramic knowledge feeling? Good? Like you can win a very specific round of trivia? Or maybe you can simply walk into the kitchen and know exactly what every ceramic is.
Win-win!
Always refer to the care instructions of your specific dinnerware.