My Flat Plate Odyssey
What should I serve on a flat plate?
In my camp, the flat plate is the most versatile piece of tableware, seeing the most action. For breakfast, I pile on the family's bread and fried eggs(I eat the warrior's meal mentioned earlier), and for dinner, I boldly arrange the main meat dishes or stir-fries. Sometimes, I even artfully display snacks for drinks. Unlike deep bowls or small dishes, the greatest joy of a flat plate is that it completely changes its expression depending on the food served, precisely because you can create a presentation that utilizes the empty space (the "decoration") of the plate itself.
What are the requirements for a flat plate?
My requirements for a flat plate consist of the following three articles. My journey to find the ideal plate that satisfies these began.
"Color" and "Negative Space" to enhance the rations It must be a hue that does not interfere with, but rather enhances, the vibrancy of the ingredients. Also, it must provide enough negative space to look beautiful when food is piled in the center.
"Robustness" and "Lightness" to survive daily fierce battles It must be tough enough to withstand the harshness of daily use without being overly sensitive about maintenance like washing. Furthermore, "lightness" for easy handling is also highly valued so that it does not become a burden on the arms during serving and cleanup.
"Appropriate size" to support the clan's appetite I want a plate with enough depth of character to not only serve individual portions but also to hold a heap of side dishes for the whole family at once. It needs an exquisite scale that is neither too big nor too small, fitting perfectly into the battlefield of the dining table while firmly accommodating everyone's appetite.
My Flat Plate List
From here on, I will introduce the reliable, battle-hardened flat plates of different personalities that have supported (and still support) the battlefield that is my dining table.
1. Overwhelming cost-performance and convenience: 100-yen plates from the Aeon pottery section
There is no need to show examples of food serving
When I first set up my camp for living alone, this plate supported my dining table with overwhelming cost-performance. Despite the bargain price, it had a toughness that never wavered even with daily rough use. The peace of mind that my heart wouldn't ache even if it broke was full of reliability. Because it is simple, it is easy to match with any dish, and it is an existence that can be called the origin of my self-catering life.
(Currently, I have disposed of it as the number of plates has increased)
2. 2025 Shigaraki Pottery Festival Plate purchased at
Awakened to the path of ceramics, this is the one piece I fell in love with at the first "Shigaraki Pottery Festival" I traveled to, and welcomed into my camp. The texture of the clay, unique to Shigaraki ware, is irresistibly rugged and tasteful. Every time I use it, I remember the heat of the pottery festival.
3. My army's ace: A plate purchased at a certain kiln in Owari
The absolute ace of my camp. It is a masterpiece I selected after traveling directly to a certain kiln in Owari. It satisfies all three articles I seek: "color, lightness and robustness, and appropriate size." The pleasant weight when held in the hand and the dignity when food is served are truly the vessel of a commander. It greatly boosts the morale of my home dining table.
Summary
Starting with 100-yen plates, moving on to dramatic encounters at pottery festivals, and finally meeting a specific kiln. Looking back, my journey with flat plates has been nothing less than a 'warrior's training' in deepening my attachment to and discernment of tableware. It is not about which is good or bad; each served its purpose at different times, and they are all precious comrades-in-arms that have cultivated my current aesthetic eye. I wonder if there are plates with their own unique histories sleeping in your cupboards as well. I shall continue to travel to various kilns and pottery festivals, searching for new 'flat plates' to carve a new history into my camp.
[Afterword] New Realizations and Future Ambitions
While washing dishes after finishing my daily meals, I realized a significant truth. The ease of removing oil stains differs like heaven and earth depending on whether the surface of the plate is glazed or not. Plates coated with a glassy glaze allow even stubborn oil stains to slide off beautifully. On the other hand, unglazed plates that utilize the simple texture of the clay tend to absorb oil, making them a bit of a chore to maintain (though I consider it acceptable since it feels like I am 'nurturing' the plate). To think that it affects not only beauty like appearance and texture but also the practicality of maintenance to this extent... the world of pottery is truly profound. In my next pottery tour, I plan to visit various production areas with this new strategy of 'presence or absence of glaze' in mind, in addition to color and shape.