This is a fun and time-worthy 1-hour drive daytrip from the Merrimack Valley and only 20 minutes from Portsmouth. Their “craftery” and mega factory store are under the same rustic roof, so you can both see the creative action and shop. They always have factory seconds which are priced at discounts for the sake of some flaw that’s often not even visible to the average eye. Among the things that we love are their soup bowls with handles, individual size oval casseroles, tealight tart candle burners, crocks for utensils and my all time favorite, butter bells. This ingenious invention lets you keep real butter at spreadable room temperature. The design of these is that the lid has a cup attached to it, which holds the butter. the base is a vessel that holds water. When you invert the lid over the base, the butter cup is sealed by its rim being submersed in the water so no air can get in to make your butter rancid. But what’s great about the ones at Salmon Falls is that the butter cup is narrower at its top so the butter can’t come loose and drop into the water. (Usually it doesn’t, but it’s been known to happen with my previous one.)
What’s fairly new to their collection are their toilet bowl brush holders which hide the unsightly beasts behind a handpainted façade, yet keep them accessible without drips or spills on the floor, and the whole unit is easily washable.
Their super practical line of wares come in a variety of patterns, from whimsical to nautical to floral. All their bakeware is happy in the oven, microwave and dishwasher, and Andy the Awesome Potter (owner) makes his own clay so he can be sure nothing toxic is in it. Being highly suspicious of anything made in China for export when it comes to food safety, this is important to me when it comes to something like crockery which I envision as being pourous, whether it’s sealed or not.
Note that while young children need to be supervised with your attention on them in the store because there are oh-so-many attractive touchables on shelves at their eye level, Salmon Falls Stoneware folk welcome requests to go into the back room where their working potters are only too happy to show how pottery is shaped and thrown. It’s fascinating for all ages.
Love that place!
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