Ceramic canisters in the kitchen have a long history. Stoneware crocks were kitchen storage in colonial America and during the expansion to the west. Europeans used stoneware or pottery canisters in their kitchens to hold cooking staples. Today there are ceramic canister sets to complement any kitchen decor, and most of them function in their intended storage capacity.
Ceramic kitchen canisters come in several sizes, depending on what is to be stored. Traditional cooking methods required that flour and sugar be available at hand, so these staples usually have a place in a canister set. And because they are used so often during a typical day, coffee and tea also had canisters, albeit usually smaller ones, in the standard set. Then there might be matching spice canisters, the smallest of the group, in the same design. These might number from two to a dozen or more. Finally, a salt and pepper shaker in the same design might be available.
When there are graduated sizes in the canister set (there are some where all the canisters are the same size), from largest to smallest would be flour, sugar, coffee and then tea. In Europe the named canisters may be a little different. I know of a German set that has a ceramic canister for rice instead of tea. This set is also of made of four canister of equal sizes. I know the intended contents for the canisters because they are labeled.
Often the canisters would also be labeled, perhaps to help the first time householder. The canisters may also be labeled when the canisters are the same size, which is more helpful, so the cook doesn’t have to rely on order to find the needed ingredient, or open the canisters until the desired contents are found. In modern kitchens, the canisters may hold packages of other food products instead of the loose ingredients, depending on the uses of the kitchen and the needs of the cook.
Functional kitchen canister sets should be impervious to light, which porcelain canisters are and glass is not, and should be tightly sealed to prevent air, moisture and bugs from getting to the contents. In some ceramic canister sets, the weight of the lid, which is not particularly heavy, is used alone for this purpose, with less than first-class results. Many of these sets are more for looks than use anyway, and come in colorful shapes. To-be-used ceramic canisters will have either an air-tight seal or a clamping mechanism, or both. With a tightly fitted cover and a rubber sealing ring, a tight seal can be made between the canister jar and lid.
Decorative ceramic canister sets come in many shapes. They are usually brightly colored and can be in the form of fruits and vegetables, or animals like chickens and pigs. Even more fanciful canister sets can be found in the shapes of nearly any animal (or parts thereof, like horses heads) one might want, or means of transportation, like cars or railroad cars. If there is not a set in the shape of your favorite collectible or hobby, there will be a set with that item painted on it. The standard round shape can be and is decorated with any motif.
Ceramic kitchen canister sets can make a bright addition to your kitchen counter, or provide essential storage for materials used daily. Choose yours with care, because, barring accidents, you will have it for a long time.
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