If you’re like us, there’s still a sense of child-like joy when a package arrives on our doorsteps, no matter what time of year it is.

If you recently ordered a stack of plates, a set of mugs, or a bundle of bowls you might be pining for your pots right about now. We know it’s hard to wait! Our fulfillment team is working hard to pack up those orders and you’ll get a shipping confirmation when they’re on their way home.

In the meantime, you might find yourself plotting your next gorgeous tablescape, or daydreaming about inviting a friend over for a cup of peach oolong in your new mugs. It’s the perfect time to slow down and consider those little practices of everyday care that may seem mundane, but are really an opportunity to experience something sublime.

Take dishwashing for example.

It could fall into the category of dreaded household chore. But what if it could be approached differently? What if that sink full of dirty pots gave you a moment to pause and take a breath, to bask in the warm water cascading across your hands, to let everything else you’re carrying slip away while you stand at the sink? Over time, those little gorgeous moments of intentionality add up to wellness.

We designed our pots with practicality in mind. But you still might want to know how to care for your new vessels. Look no further. We’ve got answers.

Pot FAQs

1) Can I put my East Fork dishes in the dishwasher: Yes, absolutely. Our dishes are used in commercial dishwashers in restaurants and coffee shops and are plenty happy in your home dishwasher. The plates fit great in there, too.

2) Can I put my dishes in the microwave: Yes, absolutely. Our Director of Ops, Zoe Dadian, tried to break a plate in a microwave by cooking a whole, frozen Honeybaked Ham in it for like 45 minutes and couldn't do it. Then she microwaved like 15 servings of frozen bacon to see if that would do the trick.

Still no luck. However, if your pot already has a hairline fracture in it, moisture might get in there and pop it open. So don't microwave cracked pots.

3) I've been using my dishes for a while and I'm noticing some scratch marks. What can I do?...

1. Choose your scouring powder—either something commercially available like Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend, or make your own by mixing lemon juice and baking soda.

2. Find a scrubber—we found that the harsher side of an ordinary sponge worked fine, but this scrubber was a little extra abrasive, so we didn’t have to work as hard. 

3. Spread the powder or paste to your pot and scrub for about a minute or two.

4. Rinse the pot. Make sure you clean with soapy water before eating on its surface. Voila! It's that simple.

Caring for Brass

We love brass. If you haven’t scrolled through the tabletop collection on our site recently, please give it a look and ogle the brass beauties.

But we often get a lot of confused and saddened emails lamenting bright and shiny brass pieces that start looking splotchy and awkward upon use. Your brass will patina. It's supposed to. Once it goes through an awkward teenage phase of being splotchy in some places and shiny in others, it'll all even out to a muted, worn brown-gold that I think it just gorgeous. 

If you want to buff it up now and again, though, here's how:

First, the most important thing to note is that brass should never go into the dishwasher. Ever. It'll start pitting, which means getting little holes all over the surface. No good!

You can buff your brass shiny in one of two ways:

• Option 1: create a paste with baking soda and lemon juice. Use a soft cloth and run the past in circles on your brass until it's all shined up.
• Option 2: same thing, but with Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser or other brass polish found at your hardware store.