Ireland Hopping / By Margaret M. Johnson
Few people passing through Kilkenny fail to stop — or shop — at Nicholas Mosse, the renown Bennettsbridge pottery shop that celebrated 40 years in business in 2016. I know I couldn't resist on my last visit to Ireland, and I was treated not only to a tour of the pottery, but also a cup of tea in the café, a meet-and-greet with the affable Nick himself and his wife, Susan, and an up-close-and-personal encounter with his beloved pet goats who roam the beautiful property next to the old mill.
But first the pottery: Nick, a Kilkenny native, decided to be a potter from an early age. He studied ceramics in London and Japan and returned to Ireland to found his pottery in 1976. Impressed with the veneration the Japanese hold for their traditional crafts, Mosse opened up his own workshop in an abandoned cow shed and determined from the start to work in a traditional mode. From finding inspiration for designs in the Irish countryside to working exclusively with native clay and water, Nicholas Mosse Pottery is the quintessential Irish operation.
Every aspect of the work here takes the community and environment into consideration, from employing local craftspeople to generating electricity from the nearby River Nore. Heritage and restoration are also part of the Mosse mission, with the shop, café, and pottery itself all housed in an old mill that was “rescued” and restored by Nick and Susan, who also have a passion for reviving lost pottery processes such as sprigging and copper plate tissue printing that they’ve added to their spongeware decorting abilities.
All of the pieces in the Mosse collection begin the same way — with Susan Mosse’s design. A botanical artist by profession, she takes her inspiration from the hedgerows and wild flowers of the Kilkenny countryside. She starts by drawing and re-drawing the design and then plays with it in different colors on paper and on sample pots until she arrives at a combination that works. Once developed, Nick’s team adapts it to varying sizes that will fit the more than 60 shapes and sizes of jugs, bowls, plates, and mugs.
Nicholas Mosse introduces his
beloved pet goats to your columnist.
Mosse pottery is unmistakable for its intricate and whimsical designs, all created by tiny sponges that are dipped in pigment and hand applied. A stroll through the shop is akin to walking through a ceramic wonderland: Irish pine cupboards and tables are chock-a-block with ktichenware including jugs, plates, and bowls of varying sizes; serving pieces including platters, tureens, butter dishes, creamers, and sugar bowls; and ovenware ranging from tiny custard cups to casserole and quiche dishes. Lovely original patterns like Old Rose, Clematis, and Wild Flower Meadow are complemented with a new range called “Lawn,” subtly textured solid color pieces that stand alone or can be used to blend with existing patters to add a more contemporary look.
These recipes from the café are shown on Mosse pottery: the raspberry cake is pictured on a dark blue “Lawn” lunch plate and the lemon cake on a “Forget Me Not” rectangular serving dish. To learn more or to order pottery, visit www.nicholasmosse.com.
RASPBERRY AND ALMOND CAKE
SERVES 6 to 8
This fruity sponge cake with a crumble topping and the Lemon Drizzle Cake that follows, are two of the many delicious sweets served on the second floor of the shop. For the raspberry cake, make the crumble first and refrigerate it while you prepare the cake; better yet, make a double batch and freeze some for another time.
For the crumble topping
8 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
For the cake
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup almonds, ground
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups (fresh or frozen) raspberries
Whipped or clotted cream, for serving
- Make crumble. Combine butter, sugar, and flour in a food processor and pulse 4 to 5 times until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in almonds and transfer to a small; refrigerate.
- Make cake. Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 9-inch springform pan and dust with flour; tap out excess.
- Sift together flour and baking powder and stir in almonds; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in two eggs and half the flour mixture, and then beat in remaining eggs and flour until smooth. Transfer half the mixture to prepared pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle half the berries over mixture and repeat with remaining batter. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and sprinkle remaining berries on top, pressing some into cake. Sprinkle crumble over berries.
- Return to oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center ocomes out clean. Let cool slightly before removing sides of pan. Cut into slices and serve with whipped or clotted cream.
LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
MAKES 1 LOAF
For the cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
Zest of 2 lemons
For the syrup
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
Icing for decorating (optional)
- Make cake. Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with wax or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and flour with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in lemon zest.
- Transfer mixture to prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes, invert onto wire rack, and then return to upright.
- Make syrup while cake bakes. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and lemon juice. Stir until bubbling and smooth. While cake is warm, brush syrup on top; repeat until all syrup is used. Let cool completely and then drizzle with icing, if desired.
Margaret Johnson’s “Recipes” page expands this year to “Ireland Hopping: Adventures in Food, Drink, and Travel.” For further details on her work, visit www.irishcook.com
