Polish Earthenware to Make Martha Stewart Proud

(Gerry Furth-Sides, earthenware photos courtesy of Janelle)  Just one look at this striking, gorgeous Polish earthenware brings proud Polish-American lifestyle icon Martha Stewart to mind.  In fact, I’ve done that myself whenever a few of the colorful pieces on a store shelf caught my eye.  Now Elle Łoś-Englander makes this pottery available for online and store sale in thousands of patterns.  And it turns out to be as practical as it is beautiful.

Elle’s offerings help promote Poland’s distinctive cultural preferences and traditions surrounding tea.  It makes it stand out among tea service of so many ethnic cultures around the world.  Łoś-Englander, founder and owner of the world’s largest Polish stoneware store Janelle Imports, pointed out the key elements essential to a “proper Polish tea”.  They are:

• Poles tend to favor the English tea style with black tea preferred, served with lemon, honey or sugar along with warm milk or cream
• Freshly brewed tea served in pre-warmed cups or mugs elevates the tea drinking experience by providing the comfort of holding the warm vessel that also keeps its contents at an optimal sipping temperature
• Charming teapots, infuser/cups, mugs, male/female shaped ware, plates and biscuit platters complete the tea drinking experience, bringing whimsy and grace to intimate or larger gatherings over tea and sweets

• Confections commonly served with tea in Poland range from lemon sandwiches (Cytrynowe Ciasteczka) to any number of traditional Polish cakes, pies or pastries and  Babka. Martha Stewart often celebrated her family’s their Polish ancestry through these sweet and savory tea favorites.
• Raisins, dates, honey or fruit syrups are alternative sweeteners to sugar or liquors
• The local clay in Bolesławiec, Poland creates a sturdy, heat-maintaining stoneware vessel, for keeping beverages like tea, sipping cocoa and coffee warm for extended periods, or for setting it atop a tea candle warmer.

Founded in 2003 by Elle Łoś-Englander, Janelle Imports LLC has the world’s largest selection of authentic hand-painted earthenware stoneware for baking, table top display and decoration.  There are over 60,000 pieces and 9,000 combinations of patterns and shapes in classic, traditional and contemporary themes.  They are created in Manufaktura in the small village of Bolesławiec, Poland, where the time-honored tradition has its roots.   Each piece of stoneware is free of chemicals and is produced with natural local Bolesławiec materials such as regional clay and glazes which enable pieces to go from microwave or oven to table, and are freezer and dishwasher safe.

“Enjoying a cup of tea alone, with family or friends, is a relaxing, soothing experience,” says Łoś-Englander. “We are seeing an increase in sales,  a good indication that people are looking for a way to slow down and savor life’s special moments,” Łoś-Englander reports.   You can see her explain the proper tea cups and pots on Facebook videos.   The earthenware is available at Janelle Imports’ vast retail warehouse at 7 Moody Street in Enfield, CT and online at PolishPotteryBarn.com.