History
Louisville
Stoneware
Bachelor Button
pattern
Louisville Stoneware My Old
Kentucky Home Music Box
they provided a marketing tool for
the vendors by providing space for
printed labels.
As communities grew, Louisville
Stoneware met demands for
bakeware and serveware with
stoneware designs for plates and
bowls. Flowerpots became popular,
as did cookie jars, bird houses, and
garden ornaments.
Over the years, numerous companies
like Kentucky Fried Chicken, have
commissioned Louisville Stoneware
to create unique designs that reflect
their industries. Dinner plates and
salt and pepper shakers in the image
of the Colonel are collector items.
The C21 Museum Hotel in Louisville,
voted top honors five years in a row
by Condé Nast Traveler’s annual
Reader Choice survey, recently
turned to Louisville Stoneware to
create “Proof” dinnerware for their
Proof on Main restaurant. Louisville
Stoneware miniature red penguins
were inspired by the 4-foot tall
limited edition plastic penguin
sculptures exhibited throughout
the C21 properties.
We toured the Louisville Stoneware
art factory in the Paristown Pointe
district of Louisville. The company
uses natural stoneware clay up
to 250 million years old. Pale grey
with an earthy aroma, it is as fine
as icing sugar.
Under the guidance of Nancy
Stephen, the Director of
Communications & Tourism
Development, Louisville Stoneware
is playing a major role in the
marketing of Louisville to the world.
“Everyone who works at Louisvile
Stoneware has the opportunity to
have personal satisfaction on every
piece,” Nancy said.
chopped small
½ cup (125ml) shredded
Parmesan cheese
Melt the butter in a saucepan over
medium heat. Remove from the
heat and stir in the flour, whisking
constantly until smooth.
No fewer than 20 people touch each
stoneware creation as it transforms
from clay into functional art. The
artists work visually, sensuously,
intuitively, and passionately to
perfect each design.
Continue to whisk while slowly
adding the milk. Place the saucepan
back over medium heat.
Factory tours bring the history of
stoneware to life. Visitors can work
hands-on to creatively complete
mugs, bowls, and figurines.
Whisk constantly until the sauce is
thickened and the flour is cooked.
Stir in the white pepper and grated
cheddar cheese. Stir until the
cheese is completely melted.
The Louisville Stoneware Hot Brown
Baking Dish is a popular souvenir
with Louisville visitors. A Hot Brown
is a hot sandwich originally created
at the Brown Hotel in Louisville.
Most Louisville area restaurants
serve their version of the
smothered-in-sauce dish. The
variations on the Hot Brown are as
inventive as the chefs’ imaginations.
If the cheese sauce needs to be
thinned, add milk 2 tablespoons at
a time. Toast the sourdough bread.
Divide and layer the turkey slices
evenly over the slices of toast.
This is our version of the Hot Brown.
Spoon the cheese sauce over the
sliced turkey.
Louisville Open–Faced
Hot Brown
Top the cheese sauce with the
chopped bacon and chopped
tomato.
Makes 2 large servings
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over
the bacon and tomato.
Baking dishes stay hot after removal
from the heat. Platters and wine
coolers stay cool long after removal
from the freezer or refrigerator.
April 10, 2014, the Louisville
Stoneware Art Factory unveiled
its newest dishware pattern—the
Mercantile Collection, The thinner,
lightweight dinnerware and
serveware are designed to
complement today’s home chef
and entertaining lifestyle. The bold,
solid colors include cantaloupe,
cornflower, iceberg, mustard, onyx,
parchment, plum, stone, and tomato.
Expanding on its earth-to-table
tradition, Stoneware has partnered
with other Kentucky craftsmen to
showcase and sell their products out
of the renovated retail space inside
the art factory. Demonstrations in
the renovated retail store will utilize
a GE Monogram Experience Kitchen
to allow customers to smell, touch,
and even taste the results of The
Mercantile Collection in action.
The new four-ounce dessert
bowl is designed to bake the 1815
Mercantile Dessert Drops-a no mix,
convenient way to bake individual
servings directly in Stoneware in
less than 30 minutes.
The Graffiti pattern created by
David Mahoney represents Louisvill