Neighbour Ware

February 9, 2012 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Have I mentioned recently how much I love my neighbours?

They’re the best – I honestly couldn’t have asked for better. Some of our closest friends live within shouting distance, and there is a wonderful sense of community on our street. Everyone is respectful of space and privacy, but it’s almost impossible to ever feel lonely or isolated living here. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

My only gripe with my neighbours is this: they steal my plates.

Not on purpose, of course, but over the past few years I’ve watched my stash of surplus china diminish incrementally. And that’s because whenever I send out cookies or cake or brownies, it’s almost always on an old, nondescript plate which blends innocuously into whichever drying rack it ends up on.

I’ve decided the best way to deal with this is to invest in a dedicated set of neighbour ware. Serendipitously, Peters of Kensington had these plates on sale for $6 each ($25 for a set of four)…

Part of the Johnson Brothers “Born to Shop” range, these porcelain plates are 20cm (8″) in diameter…

It’s hard to pick a favourite, but I think this one might be it. Not part of the four-set, it came separately, with a matching breakfast cup and saucer…

The plates are all dishwasher safe, and hopefully unusual and distinctive enough to ensure they make it back to our kitchen!

PS. Pete has just accused me of using this as an excuse to buy more china.

Posted in Food & Friends | Tagged Johnson Brothers Born to Shop | 69 Comments

69 Responses

on February 9, 2012 at 12:08 am thecompletecookbook

What fun plates Celia and such a clever idea!
:-) Mandy
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:46 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Mandy, even if it doesn’t work, I had great fun searching for just the plates I wanted! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 12:10 am niasunset

They are all so beautiful. I loved them all. Thank you dear Celia, with my love, nia
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Nia! I love them too! I used one for breakfast this morning, which is not what they’re meant for at all. But it made my breakfast quite cheery! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 12:11 am heidiannie

Love these!
I give away the plates and baskets and plastic ware hoping NOT to get it back-(I have a surplus from my mom’s stuff.) and yet it keeps coming back even when I say” keep the dish/basket/whatever”!
Tell Pete you don’t need an excuse- buying china- like make-up/shoes/perfume- is a woman’s prerogative..
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thank you darling, I’m going to tell him exactly that! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 1:10 am SallyBR

Oh, the nerve! Excuse to buy more china? How could he ever think you would sink so low? ;-)

lovely plates, Celia! I wish we lived closer, I would gladly sample the goodies you sent my way on those plates, and would send them back to you right away, with chocolate truffles on them
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  I know, Sally, the hide of the man! Here I was, just trying to be a good neighbour.. ;-)
  
  I wish you lived closer too, we’d have some wonderful dinner parties! Could you imagine you and Phil at dinner with my Small Man? I’d never keep up with the dinner conversation! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 1:24 am Claire @ Claire K Creations

That’s a wonderful idea Celia. I bet receiving cakes and cookies from you is fantastic enough already but getting them on a fun plate is even better.

In fact that’s such a good idea I might even copy it myself.
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Claire, you share so much of your food that you really do need dedicated neighbour ware! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 1:39 am Misk Cooks

In our neighbourhood, we have a ‘rotating’ plate. We fill it with cakes or biccies or bread and leave it at the door as a surprise, and it always re-appears filled with more cakes or biccies or bread.

Last year the postman took the cakes off the plate which was left for a neighbour. He did leave the plate though. Reckon he thought he was Santa. :)
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Misk, that’s so funny! The postman clearly knows you all very well! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 1:41 am C

They’re gorgeous Celia, and what a clever idea for getting your china back! I don’t quite have that problem, but always make sure I take my tins home from work before they can walk. Especially so if I use tupperware that’s more useful for other people. The difference being my actions are motivated from a negative view and yours are positive – at least your neighbours only keep your plates inadvertently!
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  C, it’s absolutely inadvertently! It’s just that the plates I used to send were so boring, I don’t think anyone remembered who they belonged to! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 2:22 am gillthepainter

What a shame your plates don’t find their way home, Celia.
Although it’s not a lack of care from your neighbours, it’s just one of those things.

But I like your thinking in buying new travelling plates. Clever.
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Gill, I’m pretty happy with them, and the plates are so appropriate for what’s being sent across the road and around the corner! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 2:41 am cravesadventure

Love these:) Thanks for sharing!
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thank you! I love them too.. :)
on February 9, 2012 at 2:55 am Just A Smidgen

Sooo pretty.. and any excuse to buy new china, I’m in! I usually indulge around any holiday (my excuse is food photography!) My girlfriend did this and specifically asked me to keep the plate! I don’t think I’d be giving these away!! xo Smidge
- on February 9, 2012 at 2:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Smidge, I’m still hunting for those measuring spoons you had on your blog before Christmas! They were absolutely gorgeous! I try to restrain myself to just a few pieces a year.. :)
on February 9, 2012 at 3:06 am Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide

Just write your name on the bottom! Actually, I was reading someone’s post the other day about how they put their name on masking tape on the bottom. But this works too!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:02 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Greg, I was actually inspired by a wonderful piece in Michael Lee West’s book Consuming Passions. Written about her life in the American South, she described how the ladies there would often keep complete sets of “funeral dishes”, specifically for sending food to members of their church communities at times of bereavement. Labelled, as you say, with their names on the bottom of each plate! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 4:30 am ceciliag

Well, they will come home celia, no-one can steal those without feeling REALLY bad! how lovely to have good neighbours too! c
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:03 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Ha! Celi, why do you think I put a photo of each plate in the post? Now they’ve got no excuse.. ;-)
on February 9, 2012 at 5:20 am Lizzy (Good Things)

LOL, love this idea, Celia… and of course one needs to buy more china on occasion. Men simply cannot grasp the concept of this, LOL. One of my dearest friends, who once was a neighbour for 20 years, always sent my plates back with baked goodies on it! I miss living next door to her.
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:03 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Isn’t it lovely to have such great neighbours, Lizzy? Ours really are fantastic…
on February 9, 2012 at 5:44 am Suelle

I think I’d use the ‘name on the bottom’ technique too – perhaps using nail varnish – but I can also appreciate the need for new china once in a while!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:06 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Suelle, I’ll be honest, I haven’t really mourned the old china that went missing. Most of it was pretty worn! But our everyday china is a large set of Coleport bone in white, and it has lasted 20 years of daily use. Thankfully, I am as enamoured with it as I was when we first bought it! But it’s nice to have an excuse to buy some new pieces!
on February 9, 2012 at 5:45 am Kitchen Butterfly

Oh I love those plates – I have photos of a friends, sadly I never got them but they so funny and beg laughter. It is great to have wonderful neighbours – a true blessing
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:06 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Oz, they really are so funny! I’m still waiting to see how well they hold up to regular use, but I think they’ll be good…
on February 9, 2012 at 6:06 am tania@mykitchenstories

Great idea!, I also seem to loose lots of plates and things to everywhere………
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:08 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Tania, this was the range I wanted to buy originally, but it was so expensive I couldn’t afford to do so. AND then I found out that my neighbour Jane already has them, so the plates would never make it back from her place! :)
  
  http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/Public/iittala-Taika-White-Plate-30cm.aspx
on February 9, 2012 at 6:15 am spiceandmore

Clever idea Celia and a good reason to buy more “stuff” from PoK! My plates always come back but we have inherited a couple of bowls and a plate (white ofcourse) that nobody admits to owning. We have tried asking everyone and in the end accepted that they now belong to us. If I have to send anything to a neighbour I always use of of those bowls or plates in the hope that they just stay there…but they just keep coming back!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:09 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  SG, I’m trying to be good and not buy anything that doesn’t fit into the kitchen! These squeezed onto the plate rack – just! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 7:29 am Kat

I just went back to try to find the post I commented on about the purple beans, but I can’t. Oh well. I found some at the markets last week and immediately thought of seeing them here. They were so much fun! I didn’t realise they were green on the inside :) Might see if I can get some seed to grow them next year!

And love the plates. I also love the Postie story!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:10 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Kat, aren’t the beans great! I love watching them change colour as they cook! They’re quite easy to grow too! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 7:56 am Amanda

Gorgeous plates and a great idea, Celia. They are memorable enough for anyone to recollect where they belong.
My eldest is moving out of home this week so I am sending my older, less desirable china with her. That is my excuse for buying more.
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:11 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Amanda, wow, that’s a big step with your eldest moving out – I guess we’ll be there soon one day. But what a great excuse to buy more china! If you hurry, you’ll still make the Peters of Kensington sale.. :)
on February 9, 2012 at 8:49 am hotlyspiced

What a great find. They are just gorgeous. I think my favourite is the ‘Lead me not into temptation’ plate – so true and so funny. I might have to make a dash out there myself. Great that you live in a street with so many good neighbours – I bet you’ve never had your bin stolen!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:12 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Charlie, I never go to PoK in person, it scares me. :) And I find their online store so much easier to navigate! And no, we’ve never had our bin stolen.. ;-)
on February 9, 2012 at 8:52 am Linda Woodrow

I don’t need any more plates, but I love the saying on your favourite!
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:12 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Linda, I probably didn’t need any more plates either.. ;-)
on February 9, 2012 at 9:26 am InTolerantChef

How much fun! Great price too. I think you should invest in 2 sets- tell Pete it’s really SAVING you money in the long run as you won’t have to replace the kitchen china instead :)
My china is an mish mash of muted colours and styles that still all blend together. I did this on purpose because I hate missing pieces in a matched set…. not that I’m OCD or anything…. :)
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:13 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Becca, I get a little nervy when a plate breaks – thankfully the big bone china set we bought 20 years ago is still going strong! One of my biggest lessons came from that set of Coleport – buy quality, whenever you can. It absolutely outlasts everything else!
on February 9, 2012 at 11:34 am The Wild Wood

Just love your plates; aren’t they gorgeous! I’m sure your plates will have a high guilt factor attached to them! It’s great to have good neighbours.
I’m very fortunate in having the same neighbour for over 30 years.

On a quite unrelated question; have you seen a metal jam funnel with an opening of less than 4cm (that’s the narrowest I have been able to find so far)
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:15 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  How I wish I could help you, but I’ve been searching for one for years!! We have the metal one and it works well in the salsa jars we use for jam, but it won’t fit into our smaller jars at all. They only seem to make one size of metal jam funnel – I wish someone would make or import a smaller one! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 2:35 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

Haha Mr NQN would say exactly the same as what Pete said. To which I would of course deny it! ;)
- on February 9, 2012 at 3:16 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  He’d probably ask the same second question as Pete as well, which was “where are you going to put it?” :)
on February 9, 2012 at 4:05 pm Marilyn

I think that Mister Pete is on to you. :-)

My grandmother used to scotch tape her address labels to the bottom of her potluck plates. They do not come off. I have her deviled egg plate and that label is still on there.

I think that your chocolate plates are so cute they might just be hard to give back. :-)

Maz
- on February 9, 2012 at 6:06 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  I reckon he is too, Maz. :) “Potluck” plates, that’s the word for it!
on February 9, 2012 at 4:42 pm Craig

Hi Celia,
I love those plates – so practical and they make each offering even more special.
Love your Posts,
Craig
- on February 9, 2012 at 6:05 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Craig! It’s been ages since we last caught up, will email you! x
on February 9, 2012 at 6:16 pm Tandy

ha ha, I would steal those! I have a friend who has ‘borrowed’ numerous things over the years – to live permanently in her house :)
- on February 10, 2012 at 5:15 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Tandy, it’s all a little tongue in cheek – if someone loved a plate and wanted to keep it, you know I’d just give it to them! :)
on February 9, 2012 at 8:58 pm kitchen butterfly

Oh I envy you…and am back to leave another comment because I’ve been pondering on it. Why? Well I have ‘new’ neighbours (known them in the last 6 months since we moved house) and they are wonderful and I’m thrilled to have them. I like to bake a lot…but I always feel fearful about turning up at my various neighbours with plates of anything, for fear that it’ll be rejected and I would feel bad. I know, silly….and making friends takes time. What I really want to say (apart from ramble), is that I am encouraged and inspired by you and your giving, your sharing and your warmth. Sigh. Enough said. Lots of love.
- on February 10, 2012 at 5:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Oz, you are very sweet, thank you! Everything you bake is wonderful, bite the bullet and take a small plate next door. If you already know the neighbours are wonderful, then how can it hurt? I never expect anyone to like what I make, so it’s always a treat when they do… :)
  - on February 13, 2012 at 7:20 am Kitchen Butterfly
    
    Thanks sweetie….I will bite the bullet!
on February 9, 2012 at 9:10 pm Tes

I wish to have that kind of relationship with my neighbor… it’s really a downside of living in the city to be so private and guarded within our little space. And hey…those plates is so much fun :)
- on February 10, 2012 at 5:17 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Tes, you’re so right, and it is hard. We live in a house now with wonderful neighbours, but when we were living in an apartment, we didn’t even know the people who lived next door! They used to hide until we’d gone past before opening their door to leave. I guess when you’re very close together, people are more protective of their personal space.
on February 9, 2012 at 9:37 pm Louise

My budget doesn’t run to new china to give away goodies on (it would make me too anxious about them coming back). However I do buy a few plates, pie/lasagne dishes etc when my local op shop has 50% off just for this purpose!
- on February 10, 2012 at 5:18 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Louise, of course that’s the far more sensible idea.. :) There are some absolutely gorgeous pieces at our local op shops, but I try to resist, or I’ll end up with a whole stack of mismatched crockery!
on February 10, 2012 at 5:37 pm Jan

I love Sting and Field – it’s wonderful for a slow jive. Those plates are such fun. Double fun when they come tootling round the corner with choccy num nums.
- on February 10, 2012 at 8:45 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Jan, you always have the loveliest turn of phrase – next time I’m delivering choccys, I’ll make sure I’m tootling.. ;-)
on February 10, 2012 at 7:22 pm Chris

Very sweet…and would add to the fun of receiving homebaked goodies from you! You’re neighbours are very lucky to have YOU as their neighbour. x
- on February 10, 2012 at 8:46 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  We’re all lucky to have each other, Chris! (But thank you.. :))
on February 10, 2012 at 11:59 pm Anna

Hello again!

I love those plates! You need one with my favourite quote “Forget love. I’d rather fall in chocolate.”
- on February 11, 2012 at 10:05 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Anna, I’m sure you can guess where some of my missing plates ended up.. ;-)
on April 1, 2012 at 12:37 am Norma Chang

Clever idea. The 2nd to last plate is my favorite.
You have good neighbours because you are a good neighbour. Friendship is a 2 way street..
- on April 2, 2012 at 12:35 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Norma, I’m blessed. Our neighbours are absolutely wonderful!