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By Sérgio Carvalho, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile
About a 3-minute read
Before plastic and stainless steel, there was clay. The alguidar is one of the oldest and most understated pieces in the Portuguese home: a wide bowl, with open rims, made of fired clay and often glazed on the inside. It is not an exceptional or ceremonial piece. It is a working piece, of hands dirty with flour and of pig-slaughter days, and it is precisely for that reason that it has almost disappeared.
What is a clay alguidar?
The alguidar is a pottery vessel, wider than it is tall, with walls that slope outwards. The shape is not decorative: the open mouth allows you to knead, stir, salt and serve with room for your hands. Clay, being porous and slow to heat, keeps a stable temperature, and that makes a difference to almost everything that happens inside it.
What is an alguidar used for?
For centuries, the alguidar was at the centre of tasks that today we divide among several utensils. Bread and broa cornbread were kneaded in it. The pork was salted in it after the slaughter. Olives were seasoned, cured meats were scalded, rice pudding was beaten to cool. And it was served at the table, from the same alguidar in which it had been cooked: the migas, the porridges and the sweets. It was, at the same time, worktop, pot and platter.
How is the clay made?
Every alguidar is born on the potter's wheel, from local clay, and is fired in a kiln at high temperature. In Gondar, black clay is born from the soenga, a firing without oxygen that turns red clay black, with no paint or glaze. No two are exactly alike: the thickness, the colour and the sheen depend on the clay, the hand and the kiln. It is craft made for use, not for the display case.
Why is it disappearing?
Utilitarian pottery was among the first victims of industrial production. It is cheaper to make plastic and stainless steel, and the traditional kilns closed one by one. Few potters remain working everyday-use clay, and each piece that survives carries a knowledge that is no longer learned by mass production.
How do you care for an alguidar?
Before first use, it is best to cure the piece: soak it in water for a few hours so the clay settles. Wash with warm water and avoid harsh detergents and sudden changes of temperature. Well cared for, an alguidar lasts generations, because that is what it was made for.
Ra-Ro brings together an alguidar in Gondar black clay, forged in the soenga by César Teixeira, one of the last potters to master this ancestral technique.
Frequently asked questions
What material is this alguidar made from?
It is made of Gondar black clay, one of the most singular potteries in Portugal. The black colour comes from the soenga, an underground firing without oxygen that turns red clay black. No paint, no glaze.
Can I use the alguidar to serve food?
Yes. Traditionally, Gondar black clay is used to serve olives, bread, dried fruit and nuts, and salads. It is not recommended for very acidic foods or foods hotter than 100°C. Ideal for serving cold or at room temperature.
How should I care for and wash the alguidar?
Wash by hand with warm water and a mild detergent. Do not use a dishwasher or abrasive scourers. Dry immediately. Before first use, soak in water for an hour to seal the pores.
Who is César Teixeira and why is this alguidar rare?
César Teixeira is one of the few potters who still masters the soenga and the low wheel in Gondar. At 18 he became an apprentice of these ancestral techniques, today at risk of disappearing. Each piece is unique and curated by Ra-Ro.
