seeping and smoke flavor

[copper_oxide]

I poured olive oil to sit in two small ceramic jugs. One earthenware with only glaze on the interior & neck and the other in a higher fired and glazed overall jug. I wanted to see how much the olive oil would seep through the pottery.

Comments

[mjorg]

So when did western Civ. begin high firing their pottery? Thanks for sharing your research testing.

[copper_oxide]

Widespread high firing is actually fairly recent, there is still a lot of use of earthenware in other countries. But the Germans began experimenting with salt glazing as early as the 13th Century and it was imported by the Renaissance.
Westerners stole (literally) the recipe for porcelain in the 18th Century.

The bacteria and beasties in the pot walls must have been a factor in Medieval food. Did milk naturally yogurt itself? Did flour and water naturally sourdough itself?