30 TRAVEL+LEISURE | OCTOBER 2019
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After four years off the
air, the upper-crust
Crawley family returns
on September 20 in
Downton Abbey (Focus
Features). The film picks
up in the late 1920s, on the
eve of a visit from the king
and queen. Many of the
film’s sets are real-life
locations and open to
travelers—these four are
worth a stop. — L.H.B.Your Favorite
Brits Are BackHIGHCLERE CASTLE
Playing the show’s namesake
house, this estate is a must-
visit. Book a stay at one of
the outbuildings, or, starting
in 2020, Belmond’s Downton-
themed train rides to the
castle. high clerecastle.co.uk.
BEAMISH
This 350-acre open-air
museum, with a town, farm,
and more, was used for exte-
rior shots of Downton village.
Go for a glimpse of life in
England from the 1820s to the
1950s. beamish.org.uk.
NORTH YORKSHIRE
MOORS RAILWAY
Ride a steam locomotive
24 miles through Yorkshire,
with a stop at Pickering, a
re-created 1930s train sta-
tion that was the stand-in
for Kings Cross in the film.
nymr.co.uk.
HAREWOOD HOUSE
This 18th-century home, one
of England’s finest, was the
setting for a ball attended by
the king and queen. Allow
plenty of time to see the 100-
acre gardens. harewood.org.OAXACA IS FAMOUS for its pottery,
and the clay comes in nearly infinite
variations—each differing slightly
according to the terroir and
microclimate where it is found. But one,
a prized red clay from the small town
of Santa María Atzompa, just outside
Oaxaca City, is said to be earned by
birthright, used only by those living on
the lands from which it is sourced. This
is the medium of the artist Francisco
Martínez Alarzón, whose ceramics
workshop, Pitao Copycha (951-246-
8480) has gained international acclaim
and a devoted following among
restaurateurs. (Instagram fans include
Joshua McFadden, chef of Ava Gene’s,
in Portland, Oregon, and Rosio
Sanchez, chef of Hija de Sanchez,
in Copenhagen.)
“Whatever is in that earth, it makes
amazing stuff,” says T. J. Steele, chef at
the Michelin-starred Oaxacan restaurant
Breaking
the Mold
In southern Mexico, a boundary-
pushing workshop is putting a spin on
traditional clay—and earning a cult
following. BY HANNAH WALHOUT
Claro (clarobk.com; entrées $16–$32),
in Brooklyn. Steele first met Martínez
while doing research for his mezcal
brand, El Buho, and the pair soon began
making ceramics together—Steele even
commissioned Martínez to make all
the plates and bowls for his restaurant.
While the town of Atzompa is
considered a capital of Oaxacan pottery,
known for its unique green glazing
style, Martínez has developed a special
technique that sets his pieces apart:
once they have been glazed, he adds
leaves and branches to the hot kiln. The
smoke and burning plant matter create
artful spots, patterns, and mottling on
the surface. Each piece is unique.
Martínez also makes unconventional
vessels, like a large, flat stewpot and
irregularly shaped mezcal cups. “I love
that every time we get a new batch, one
piece might have an orange spot or a
crack in the glaze that the others don’t,”
Steele says. But, as the chef points out,
these pieces aren’t just for show: “I have
a few of his ollas, giant pots for making
Oaxacan-style black beans. You can put
them directly on the fire, and it’s
amazing the way beans cook in an
earthenware vessel. The clay breathes.
It’s magical.”Message the artist on Instagram
(@pitao_copycha) for workshop visits
or purchase inquiries.Pitao Copycha’s mezcal copitas.A tuna tostada at Claro, in
Brooklyn, served on a custom
plate from Pitao Copycha.