Lockdown and Lucia Ware

Lockdown and the lack of freedom to explore beyond the garden gate, left me exploring online.  Exploring online is not as exciting as rummaging through second hand shops and discovering long forgotten treasures at a bargain price.

Finding an interesting item online, lacks the charm of talking to the seller and perhaps negotiating a different price for the item. It also lacks the tactile experience of touching it and imagining where it will look best in one’s house.

I like most South African studio pottery, but never really explored the earlier commercial studios like Globe Potteries and the Boksburg East Potteries. Boksburg East Potteries produced Lucia Ware. Lucia Ware, produced predominantly in the 1950’s, included a selection of pots, figurines, plates and tiles in bright and strong colours.

I am sure almost everybody at the time must have had a piece of brightly coloured Lucia Ware in their homes. As I was exploring the online world of vintage pottery, I came across an Instagram post with four white jugs. I was quite surprised to discover that it was Lucia Ware. When I hear Lucia Ware, I see bright yellow, blue, green, red and pink fish, shells, dogs, fawns and so on. 

Somehow these four classic white jugs caught my eye and I liked them. I decided to buy them and after contacting the seller, I paid the asking price. Because we were under Level 5 lockdown, I had to wait until courier services could operate again before I could receive delivery.

Not knowing when the restrictions would be lifted, I waited patiently for my four jugs. Fortunately, the universe worked in my favour. Just days before my birthday, the restrictions were eased and I could receive my parcel with the four white jugs.

I found little information about Lucia Ware during my information search, but there are several serious collectors out there. In the SA Garden and Home magazine, July 2017 issue, there is a short history of Lucia Ware, but no research source reference that I could consult. 

The short history of Lucia Ware reads as follows, “Established in 1946, South African Glazing Company specialised in the making of wall tiles and ceramic electrical insulators. In 1950, in order to fill extra kiln space, a subsidiary, Boksburg East Potteries, started producing a range of fancy goods. These included Lucia Ware, Joy China and Bepware. Early works were hand-painted, sometimes hand-thrown and often quite refined. These labour-intensive and costly designs were soon replaced by slip-cast wares, which were loosely decorated and often garishly glazed. For almost two decades, Bepware and Lucia Ware produced medium-priced items such as ashtrays, aquarium ornaments, aviary goods, bookends, vases, faux Delft and souvenir and commemorative items. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, 10% of their merchandise was exported to the rest of Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Production ceased sometime in the 1960s.”

Lucia Ware has a retro charm, but I might rest with my four white jugs as the sole representatives of Lucia Ware in my ceramics collection.

Outydse soetkoekies

Gedurende die tydperk van isolasie en beperkte besoeke aan winkels en die supermark, het ons geleer om meer tuisgemaakte produkte voor te berei en geniet. Ons het laas in Desember 2019 ‘n winkelbrood gekoop. Heeltemal reg, ons het toe nog nie geweet wat wag vir ons met die virus wat in China kop uitgesteek het nie. Maar reeds toe het Keith begin soek na gesonder opsies vir winkelbrood. Winkelbrood is gestroop van alles wat goed is in brood.

Keith se brood bakkery het ons natuurlik goed te pas gekom gedurende die grendeltyd. Met net ‘n paar frustrerende tekorte aan steengemaalde meel aan die begin van die isolasie periode. Die reuk van varsgebakte brood het die kombuis gevul met nostalgiese herinneringe van kleintyd.

Die Skrif sê, “‘n mens kan nie van brood alleen lewe nie”, en dit is baie waar. Mens het darem so ‘n soetigheid nodig saam met ‘n lekker koppie tee.

Keith het besluit om klein koekies te bak vir die bederf saam met die oggend en middag tee. Die keuse van klein koekie resepte in die historiese kookboeke in die Towerwater biblioteek was eindeloos. Maar wat is nou meer eg Suid Afrikaans as ‘n baksel outydse soetkoekies.

Outydse soetkoekies bak is soos om plaat vir plaat herinneringe in die oond te steek. Die reuk van speserye vertel ‘n storie van skepe wat van Portugal om die Kaap van Storms, of soos dit in die 15de eeu bekend gestaan het, “Cabo das Tormentas”, geseil het na die spesery eilande.

Ek hou van die woord “Tormentas” om die Kaap te beskryf. Enige een wat al in die Kaap was tydens ‘n sterk Suidooster, weet watter marteling dit kan wees. Die spesery eilande of Molukke was die enigste plek waar naeltjies en neutmuskaat gegroei het. Die feit dat skeepvaarders bereid was om die onbekende oseane aan te durf om hierdie speserye te bekom, is ‘n bewys hoe waardevol speserye was. Vandag kan ons gelukkig enige spesery by die naaste winkel gaan koop. 

Speserye is nie net ‘n geurmiddel vir kos nie, maar inspireer menige digters en skrywers om hulle lof te besing. Selfs D.J. Opperman se herinnering aan vroue in sy lewe word gekenmerk deur die reuk van speserye. So verwoord hy die plesier van onthou in sy gedig Sproeireën, “My nooi is in 'n nartjie, my ouma in kaneel, daar's iemand... iemand in anys, daar's 'n vrou in elke geur!”

Soos plaat na plaat outydse soetkoekies uit die oond kom, word die huis gevul met die warm reuk van naeltjies, gemmer en kaneel. Ek onthou hoe my ma in Oktober elke jaar begin koekies bak het vir Desembermaand se kuiergaste. Daar is niks beter om ‘n honger kind tevrede te hou tussen etenstye as ‘n outydse soetkoekie in elke hand nie.

Die resep wat Keith gebruik het vir die outydse soetkoekies is as volg,

Outydse Soetkoekies

Bestandele

• 6 koppies (1½l) koekmeel
• 1 teelepel (5ml) kremetart
• 1 teelepel (5ml) koeksoda
• 1 teelepel (5ml) sout
• 1 teelepel (5ml) fyn gemmer
• 1 teelepel (5ml) fyn kaneel
• ½ teelepel (2,5ml) fyn naeltjies
• 2½ koppies (625ml) suiker
• 1 koppie (250ml) botter
• 1 koppie (250ml) vet
• 4 eiers
• 2 eetlepels (30ml) brandewyn

Metode

1. Sif al die droë bestandele saam en meng dit goed. Voeg dan die suiker by en meng dit verder saam.
2. Vryf die botter en vet met die vingerpunte in die droë mengsel.
3. Voeg die brandewyn en die geklitste eiers by en meng tot dit ‘n stywe deeg vorm.
4. Rol die deeg dun (3mm) uit en druk dit met ‘n koekie drukker uit.
5. Bak dit vir 10 tot 15 minute lank in ‘n warm oond by 200 °C 

In "Hilda's "Where is it"? of recipes", gepubliseer in 1891, het ek die volgende resep gekry vir zoete koekies.

"TEA CAKES ("ZOETE KOEKIES")

(Very old Dutch Recipe. Mrs. Van der Riet.)

Ingredients 

4 lb. of Flour.

3 lb. of good clear Brown Sugar.

1 lb. of Butter.

½ lb. of Sheep-tail Fat.

1 lb. of Pounded Almonds (or 200 Almonds pounded without blanching).

4 Eggs

1 tablespoonful of Potash or Carbonate of Soda.

1 tablespoonful of Cloves (finely pounded).

2 tablespoonfuls of Cinnamon.

A tumbler of Dark Wine (Claret)

First rub flour, sugar, butter, spices, and soda well together; lastly, add the wine; knead all well together. If potash is used, it must be dissolved in the wine - is best mixed over-night. Roll the dough out with a rolling-pin; make into shapes with a wineglass or any thin shape.  Bake on buttered tins. The old Dutch people put a small piece of citron preserve in the centre of each little cake. Bake for twenty minutes in a tolerably brisk oven. Very good."

Van die resepte vir outydse soetkoekies wat ek aanlyn kon kry verwys na die gebruik van rooi bolus in die tradisionele resep. Outydse soetkoekies is moontlik met rooi bolus gekleur in die tyd voor voedsel kleursel geredelik beskikbaar was. Die rooi bolus word beskryf as ‘n “ferrous oxide” wat dit dus ysteroksied maak.

Die resepte vir soetkoekies in die resepte boeke van A.G. Hewitt (1890), H Duckitt (1891), E.J.Dijkman (1891), M Higham (1917), S. van H. Tulleken (1922) en H Gerber (1950), gebruik nie een rooi bolus in die resep nie. Ek weet nie wanneer rooi bolus die eerste keer in 'n soetkoekie resep gebruik is nie, maar dit kom nie voor in die vroegste gepubliseerde tradisionele resepte nie. 

Ek het wel 'n resep vir "Boere Koekies" in A.G. Hewitt se resepte boek gekry wat "roode bolus" bevat maar die resep bevat geen speserye nie. Sy het wel 'n resep vir "Old-fashioned Sweet Cakes" wat speserye bevat maar geen rooi bolus nie. 

Wat ek wel uitgevind het is dat yster oksied wat as voedsel kleursel gebruik word deur die Europese Unie as Yster Oksied E172 gelys en dit kan in swart, rooi en geel voorkom. My mening is dat dit die koekies ‘n bruiner eerder as ‘n rooi kleur gegee het. 

In die boek, Outydse Reseppies uitgegee in 1952 deur Maskew Miller is die volgende resep vir outydse soetkoek met rooi bolus in,

"Outydse Soetkoek

6 koppies fynmeel
1 koppie  botter
1 koppie  varkvet
2 koppies suiker
3 eiers
1 teelepel koeksoda
2 teelepels kremetart
1 teelepel rooibolus
1 teelepel fyn kaneel, gemmer en neut gemeng

Meng al die droë bestandele en vryf die botter en vet goed daarin. Meng alles met die eiers, knee deeglik en rol dun uit. Sny in vierkantjies of druk af met 'n vormpie en bak in warm oond (400° F) omtrent 20 minute." 

Misty mornings and mushrooms

As the seasons change from autumn to winter, the sun’s path shifts to the North and Towerwater spends the winter in the shade of tall Bluegum trees growing on a neighbouring property. Spending the period of lockdown at Towerwater, means that we experience different aspects of the garden which might ordinarily be missed.

Mornings are misty until about noon. Then, a weak sun breaks through to warm up the day for a couple of hours before it cools again in the early afternoon. Raking the ever-present oak leaves, allows me to better observe life both in and on the lawn. The Cape Robbins are my constant companions in this exercise. When I begin raking, they are quick to catch any insect or worm disturbed in the process.

With some excitement, I noticed rings of mushrooms under the oak trees. I instantly had visions of delicacies prepared with our own mushrooms. Firstly, I needed to identify them and find out if they were edible or poisonous. I discovered that Mycology is a very interesting field of study. I was unable to identify the mushrooms on the lawn with certainty and decided to avoid the risks of eating them.

What I did discover about the purpose of fungi growing under the oaks, left me in awe of nature’s wisdom. It made me realise again that there are many fragile ecosystems constantly at work in one’s garden.

Mushrooms growing under the oaks is a sign that the soil is healthy. The symbiotic relationship between the oak and the mushrooms is another amazing way nature works. The mushrooms promote the health of trees. They assist in the decomposition of the falling leaves in autumn. The oak tree knows that it needs assistance with the decomposition of the leaves in a natural environment.

Trees share a symbiotic relationship with types of root fungi called mycorrhizae. The mushrooms are the reproductive bodies of these fungi. The fungus provides nutrients to the trees and the tree provides carbohydrates and an environment within which the fungus can reproduce.

The top and bottom of two kinds of mushrooms growing under the oaks

The fungus forms a sheath around the tree's root tips. Here, it accumulates minerals that would otherwise have been lost to the tree. The tree absorbs the nutrients and then in return, produces carbohydrates specifically for use by the fungus.

The top and bottom of a third kind of mushroom growing on the lawn

All the fine roots of oak trees in the upper soil layers are ectomycorrhizal or in a mutually beneficial relationship. In return, the fungi also protect the trees from the poisonous effect of pollutants.

Mushrooms heading for the compost

Before I knew to this extent what the purpose of the mushrooms were, I had been raking them up with the leaves. Knowing that they can be poisonous, I was hesitant in adding them to the compost bins. I soon learnt that one can add any mushrooms to compost, edible or not.

The benefits of mushrooms in compost are that,

1.  Mushroom spawn can act as a compost activator. This is so because the microbial activity breaks down the organic material in the pile. The increased rate of decomposing material will then also increase the heat within the pile, which in turn speeds up the process.

2.  Mushrooms are rich in potassium, copper and phosphorus. All these minerals become part of the compost that feeds one’s plants and garden soil.

3.  Mushrooms are the fruit of the mycelium network. This network releases enzymes that break down into basic sugars and nutrients that efficiently feed plants and help them grow faster. Adding mushrooms to your compost ensures that these benefits go right to the vegetables one eats.

4.  Adding mushrooms to a compost bin speeds up decomposition by spreading filaments and cells that break down tough organic materials, like autumn oak leaves.

On reflection, I decided that the garden benefits more from the mushrooms than any dish I could prepare with them. On a misty morning, the garden taught me so much about the harmony between organisms. It is evident that nature knows exactly what is needed and when. To understand the ecosystems at work in the garden helps me to become a contributor and a beneficiary. Much in the spirit of nature’s own symbiotic relationships.