While we’re here, let’s talk East Fork pots. The clay is durable. You’re talking to someone (so clumsy!) who has dropped mugs and bowls from considerable heights onto a multitude of floor surfaces: the only thing that got wounded was my pride.

But East Fork glaze is durable, too. We get questions about dishwashers and whether it’s best to wash our dishes by hand to preserve the vibrancy of the glaze. Nope! 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.

What about the microwave, you ask? Yes, absolutely. Our Director of Ops, Zoe Dadian, tried to break a plate in a microwave by cooking a whole, frozen Honeybaked Ham and even after 45 minutes still couldn't do it. Then she microwaved something like 15 servings of frozen bacon to see if that would do the trick. Still no luck. That must have been a rough day for the microwave, but not for the plate.

The Caveat! 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.

If you’ve been using your dishes for a while, you might notice some scratch marks, probably from using your knife, twirling your spaghetti, banging your spoon around while stirring your coffee or otherwise enjoying yourself at the table. We salute you! Here are some easy ways to deal with those scratches:

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 more abrasive, so we didn’t have to work as hard.

3. Spread the powder or paste or your plate, bowl or mug and scrub for about a minute or two.

4. Rinse well. Make sure you clean with soapy water, too.

Et voilà! It's that simple.

Questions about caring for your pot, cutlery, or other kitchen tools found on East Fork? Comment below!