Larken Stoneware Platter - Multi

This is an oval serving platter in stoneware, 26cm long, 17cm wide and 4.5cm tall, a modest size made for side dishes and sharing plates rather than a whole roast. The well dips gently from a broad rim that rises at the edge, which keeps dressings, juices and sauces on the platter rather than on the tablecloth. The glaze is multicoloured and speckled, darker in some places and paler in others, and a pattern of raised lines runs across the well and out over the rim, catching the glaze so the relief stands out. Colour variations may occur because of the nature of the glaze, so the platter you receive may differ a little from the next.

It suits roasted vegetables, a wedge of cheese with crackers, sliced fruit, olives, a small salad or bread for sharing. It earns its place on the kitchen table for everyday meals and comes into its own when friends are round and food goes out in several smaller dishes rather than one large one. On a buffet or a long table it holds one dish neatly while guests help themselves. Between meals it can rest on a dresser shelf or sideboard, where the glaze brings a little colour to the shelf.

It is made from 100% stoneware and weighs 0.65KG. Stoneware is a dense clay body fired at high temperature, which is why it stands up well to daily use. Care is straightforward: it goes in the dishwasher, in the microwave for warming a portion, and in the oven, so you can heat a side dish and carry it to the table in the same piece. For styling, the multicoloured glaze sits happily with plain glassware and a bare wooden table, and it looks best beside plainer plates so the platter stays the piece people notice.

What is the platter made of?

It is made from 100% stoneware, a dense clay body fired at high temperature, and it weighs 0.65KG.

Can it go in the dishwasher, microwave and oven?

Yes to all three. It goes in the dishwasher, the microwave and the oven, so you can warm a side dish and serve it in the same piece.

How big is the platter?

It is 26cm long, 17cm wide and 4.5cm tall, a good size for a side dish, a small cheese selection, sliced fruit or a salad for sharing.

Will every platter look the same?

Not exactly. Because of the nature of the glaze, colour variations may occur, so the speckling and shading on yours may differ a little from one platter to the next.

Can I serve food on it?

Yes. It is made for food, and the shallow well and raised rim suit side dishes, salads, fruit, cheese or anything with a little dressing or sauce.

What shape is it?

It is an oval with a broad, raised rim and a pattern of raised lines running across the well, so it sits somewhere between a plate and a shallow dish.