88 MARCH 2020
CL AY: An earthy mate-
rial that is plastic when
wet and hard when dry,
according to Merriam-
Webster. Clay vessels
accumulate heat, unlike
metal, which is good at
conducting and reflect-
ing heat.
CERAMIC: Clay that has
been fired to remove
water content and
harden.
VITRIFICATION: The
process of heating clay
until it becomes a glass;
vitrified materials are
impermeable to liquid.
EARTHENWARE: Clay
that is fired at a low
temperature to harden
but not vitrify so it is
still somewhat porous.
Terra-cotta is the most
common earthenware for
cooking.
STONEWARE: Clay fired
at a high temperature
so it becomes imperme-
able to liquid; it may be
partially or fully vitrified.
Bean and soup pots
are typically made of
stoneware.
FLAMEWARE: Ceramics
that can tolerate thermal
shock (sudden tempera-
ture changes) and are
highly resistant to chip-
ping. Unlike earthenware
and stoneware, flame-
ware can go from freezer
to oven and can sit over
direct heat when empty.
THE
LANGUAGE
OF C LAY
2
1
7
8
15
20
19
18
13
6
12
14
