Description
The history of La Chamba collection
This La Chamba baking dish was made using a process that has been used in Colombia for several centuries.
La Chamba potters’ village is located on the banks of the Magdalena River, in the state of Tolima. For generations, the know-how of their ancestors, the Panche and Pijao tribes, was maintained. These people initially made this type of ceramic for ceremonial use.
Heirs to this technique, the new ceramists created objects for domestic use. They filled their canoes with pots and sailed to nearby villages to sell them on the markets.
Today, the artisans of La Chamba make cookware of red and black ceramic with mud extracted from their land.
Women are responsible for grinding, kneading and molding the mud. Men get the wood and cook the pottery in artisanal ovens, after they have dried in the sun. After being dried, semi-precious stones are used to polish each piece and make them shine.
Then comes the final stage known as “smoking”, which allows the clay to obtain its characteristic black colour.
Instructions for use
Before using La Chamba cookware for the first time, we recommend that you fill your dish three-quarters full with water or skimmed milk and place it uncovered int the oven for 30 minutes to one hour at 200°C. This ensures that your dishes are not porous. Although the sealing of your cookware can also be achieved after being used several times for cooking.
This pottery is primarily intended for the oven and use on gas should be secondary, especially with regard to flat-bottomed pieces. It is very heat tolerant. However, you should be careful with sudden temperature changes, such as moving it directly from the refrigerator to the oven.
Clean La Chamba dishes with soap and sponge or soft cloth. If food is difficult to loosen, soak (not too long) with hot water. We advise you to avoid abrasive sponges and the use of the dishwasher. Indeed, they will gradually alter its shine and make the clay more porous.