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gurus gone? is it safe? teabowls, etc.

updated sat 16 mar 02

 

Connie Waring on thu 14 mar 02


Ok, let me ask this.....

In stores (like Cost Plus, Pier 1, or in china town
in San Franscico, etc.) I see alot
of tea sets, sake sets, sauce dip sets, etc. that
have crackle glazes on them, or appear to be some
other sort of raku. I thought that is was unsafe to
have crackle glaze on a food surface?

thanks,

connie

==============================================
Connie Waring - Systems Specialist Americas Technology Center
SGI, 11490 Westheimer, #100, Houston, TX 77077
281-493-8361 cwaring@sgi.com

Bruce Girrell on thu 14 mar 02


Connie Waring wrote

> I thought that is was unsafe to
> have crackle glaze on a food surface?


If you plan to store food in the container for a long time or if the
container is to be used for public consumption, then it is not a good idea.
But if you are talking about an item for personal use, especially one for
short term use like a bowl or a cup, then there is no problem. People have
been using porous vessels and cracked/crazed glazes for centuries.

In short term use any bacteria that might be lodged in the crazing do not
have time to reproduce to a dangerous level. Also, the bacteria that you
will find lodged in the crazing are the same bacteria that you live with in
your house every day. A healthy body immediately recognizes these bacteria
and destroys them before they can do any harm.

In reality, we actually need to be exposed to pathogens - at a low level -
in order to keep our immune systems working. If we lived in a sterile
environment we would never be able to leave the environment because we would
not be able to fight off the sea of microorganisms that surrounds us.

Bruce "going buggy" Girrell

Ababi on thu 14 mar 02


Yes it is unsafe.
The Japanese ( so I heard) Made their tea balls once firing, drinking
and dumping, or as it was once firing , was so weak, broke by itself.
To friend that ask me about cups they have bought, is it safe, I ask,
what is the color, to be sure it is not a barium glaze to you I
suggest: If you don't know who makes it, suggest the worse: Lead glaze,
You know who is the potter, you trust him/her: You can drink at least
once. You want to drink again , to be sure not to have microbes in the
crackles: fire it to 150C in your kiln stove or microwave.

All this to tell you, Raku here in "America" or even here in Israel,
is a decorative ware
Ababi Sharon
Kibbutz Shoval- Israel
Glaze addict
ababisha@shoval.org.il
http://members4.clubphoto.com/ababi306910/
http://www.milkywayceramics.com/cgallery/asharon.htm
http://www.israelceramics.org/



---------- Original Message ----------

>Ok, let me ask this.....

>In stores (like Cost Plus, Pier 1, or in china town
>in San Franscico, etc.) I see alot
>of tea sets, sake sets, sauce dip sets, etc. that
>have crackle glazes on them, or appear to be some
>other sort of raku. I thought that is was unsafe to
>have crackle glaze on a food surface?

>thanks,

>connie

>==============================================
>Connie Waring - Systems Specialist Americas Technology Center
>SGI, 11490 Westheimer, #100, Houston, TX 77077
>281-493-8361 cwaring@sgi.com

>________________________________________________________________________
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Imzadi D. on thu 14 mar 02


cwaring@SGI.COM writes:

<< I see alot
of tea sets, sake sets, sauce dip sets, etc. that
have crackle glazes on them, or appear to be some
other sort of raku. I thought that is was unsafe to
have crackle glaze on a food surface? >>

Traditionally, the best raku teabowls considered the best to drink out of
were
the ones with crackles. It was believed that the craclkes allow the flavoring
of the tea to seep into the porous clay and thus flavor the cup. So actually,
a cup drunk out of 100 times is better because after a while the cup starts
inparting flavor into the new batch of tea. Of course, those people died at
earlier ages than now. Could be from all the bacteria in the cups as well as
all the other factors back then.

Imzadi

Janet Kaiser on fri 15 mar 02


My family has always done the same with teapots, Imzadi. They are
rinsed out after use, but never washed up in soap or detergent. They
get "de-gunked" once or twice a year, but the tea never tastes right
for a week or two after...

Yes, tea tastes much better from a teapot with a tea patina, so I buy
the idea that the teabowl with tea-impregnated body would taste better
too! I cannot see where bacteria could lurk... Doesn't tea posses mild
antibacterial properties?

Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----

> Traditionally, the best raku teabowls considered the best to drink
out of
> were the ones with crackles.
> It was believed that the craclkes allow the flavoring
> of the tea to seep into the porous clay and thus flavor the cup. So
actually,
> a cup drunk out of 100 times is better because after a while the cup
starts
> inparting flavor into the new batch of tea. Of course, those people
died at
> earlier ages than now. Could be from all the bacteria in the cups as
well as
> all the other factors back then.