Dripping with their vibrant glossy glaze, French antique confit pots are a humble yet gorgeous collecting area. We discuss their culinary history, what to look for when buying a pot, and how to bring their magic into your interiors.
What's in a name?
Confit pots were made for culinary use and they quickly became staples of the French kitchen. ‘Confit’ comes from the verb confire, to preserve, which inspired the French preserved duck dish of the same name. Confit pots served as the all-important preserving vessels for confit. Luckily, many of these earthenware pots have survived and we encounter beautiful 19th and early 20th Century examples. The great irony of these pots is although they were produced en masse, every single one is unique.
Confit: the culinary history
Prior to refrigeration technology, people embraced any method that could extend the life of edible goods. Duck or goose confit originated in Gascony and remains a delicacy of the South-West regions. To make confit, salted meat is cooked and preserved in its own fat. This last step is vital, as it provides a protective layer and infuses the meat with flavour.
The end result is far more appetising than the process might suggest. Trust King Henri's taste, who was born and raised in Gascony. When he became King of France, Henri missed his beloved duck confit so much that he ordered literal barrels of it from his home region.
The role of the confit pot
Once the cooking process was over, confit pots stored the meat ready for preservation. Cellars had an earth ground so that these vessels could be buried and left alone until they were ready. This explains the distinctive partial glaze we see on French confit pots. The larger unglazed section allowed the cool earth to reach the meat inside. Terracotta is the ideal material for this process because it absorbs moisture and has a cooling quality. Meanwhile, the glazed top section acts as a measuring mark to show how deep to bury the pot.
The cook would label the pot with the date he buried it so he knew when to take it out – a primitive ‘best before’ date. Confit pots always have high lateral handles so they could be lifted back out of the earth.
This method allowed cooks and heads of households to plan ahead and ensure there were always reserve stocks of food. Indeed, confit de canard was first made in Gascony to keep locals fed during the long and cold winter. The dish's popularity has endured long after the need for such a primitive technique.
It wasn’t only France, nor only duck, involved in this process. Indeed, once our ancestors realised the merits of this preservation technique, they used it for everything from meat to fruit. So, how did the confit pot go from a kitchen essential to an avid collector’s area?
Different sorts of confit pots
Confit pots are not a pretentious collectable. There are no maker’s marks, nor special features to enthral the beholder. During their heyday, these vessels were an everyday necessity – no different to our fridge today. Confit pots were designed to be durable, not delicate. They have a broad, sturdy form rather than an elegant one. Yet it is these same features that make them so utterly gorgeous.
You may never have noticed the confit pot in Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers.’ It isn’t the main attraction, but it is there in all its rustic glory nonetheless. In this world-famous painting, the sprawling bouquet sits in a charming and classic confit pot with the tell-tale yellow glaze at the top. Indeed, traditional French pottery features in a few of his still-life paintings. Van Gogh found this humble vessel a suitably attractive subject for his art, and so began our love affair with confit pots.
The pot featured in ‘Sunflowers,’ with its shapely body and mustard yellow glaze, is the most common style of confit pot. Less common, but just as beautiful, are the green-glazed examples. Pots with a spout and/or a lid are actually cruches, which were used to hold olive oil or vinegar. You also find lidded versions, blue examples, and entirely cream examples. These variations on the classic confit pot were likely used for slightly different purposes, but share that same rustic unadulterated beauty. Beguiling confit pots also originate from elsewhere around the world, particularly Italy and Spain.
So, what do you need to look out for? A genuine antique confit pot will have no glaze on the bottom and any remaining glaze around the outside should be luminous. These pots were not for display and were heavily used, so you can expect chips and wear. More petite pots, which would contain one or two servings, are much harder to come by and coveted by collectors.
Styling your antique confit pots
As is the case with all antiques, choosing a confit pot is up to personal preference. Some collectors love examples with next to no glaze left, exposing the naturally patinated terracotta. You might favour the classic yellow, or perhaps the more unusual punchy green or earthy brown pots. If you wish to build or expand upon a collection, a range of colours with varying levels of wear will create a layered visual. Confit pots share a natural rustic colour palette, so they are sure to complement any interior scheme.
Indeed, clustering confit pots together gives them an immense decorative presence. Make use of open kitchen shelving or a dresser base to create that authentic country kitchen feel. You don’t have to limit your pots to display only. They make for excellent kitchen utensil holders, paintbrush holders or vases. However you use them, confit pots provide an interior with history, texture, colour and authenticity. You can’t go wrong!