How many ways can I use this?

I recieved a package in the mail last week and inside there was a beautiful Polish Pottery item. The website calls it a dip dish. Yet, when I look at this, I see so much more. Yes, it clearly serves its original designation as a dip dish quite well. I found several condiments that would look lovely served on a table for a nice dinner party or a buffet. Maybe you are watching your favorite sports game while nibbling on chips and salsa?

I got to thinking about all the mundane utilitarian ways I could use this item of Polish Pottery, in order to welcome it with open arms into my virsitility capable kitchen. Space is at a premium here and unless you can do quadriple duty you just can’t stay. This bowl is a lucky competitor, uniquely adaptable to many utilitary functions in your kitchen. I found its size generous enough to contain my unrully stainless steel scrubby. The bowl is perfect for functioning as a ladle holder. And, do you need another option to corral your soap bars? Yes, this will also work as a soap dish too. 

Clever storage uses aside, serving use is also a vastly important task in a tiny kitchen like mine. How many hundreds of ways can I use this piece to serve the members of my family? Turns out quite a lot actually! During an on par day in my house, I have a snack or two, so do my pets. This dip bowl is perfect for the well spoiled house pet. It is clearly capable of also serving multiple kinds of snack foods for the  human residents as well. We eat lots of dates and olives. This size bowl is perfect. Any kind of food that produces waste, this dish is a perfect for thoses snacks. Peel an orange or an egg, nosh, and use the dish to deposit the shell or rind into the trash can. These dishes would look nice laid out on a table with the snacks presented for a cocktail party. The little handle is perfect for hob nobbing amongst the crowd as you meander from friend to friend, snack on the go. Excellent! 

How does this smallish dish fare in the world of cooking? What wonderful ways can I use it to enhance cooking a meal? My mind is racing with ideas. Two which popped out at me right off the bat were: spice prep and easy access. As it turns out, a out a spice mill, which can make a huge mess, looks rather striking sitting in the bowl. While it waits its turn to make your meal flavorful and savory. I also liked the idea of using it as a salt cellar. It held quite a lot of salt. More salt than I would ever use in an average day. The handle was a nice rest for the spoon and made picking the spoon up much easier than my salt box. If you are making a multi spice dish: like a curry, balti, tanjine, or a tandori, these bowls are perfect for pre measuring and pre mixing spices. Think Garam Masala and rib rubs, or all the wonderful spices you put into your soups, roasts, and stews. Speaking of cooking, I can imagine that this dish would reheat a leftover portion of lasagna quite nicely for lunch. It could serve a small portion dinner entree’ for the diet minded crowd. How about that leftover cinnamon roll for breakfast? (Someone once said to me, “what is a leftover cinnamon roll?” Coco’s cinnamon rolls are as big as my face. I always have left over cinnamon roll.) I forgot to take the photo before I ate it today. Sorry! But, yes, the dip dish works perfectly for warming up leftover breakfast items. 

How does this bowl hold up for dessert? Absolutely, hands down, this bowl will easily serve you sweet treats. Ice cream and cookies, only, don't have any ice cream to artistically nestle into my bowl, to show you. Please accept this photo of delicious coconut cookies sitting in there, waiting quietly for a dollop of your favorite ice cream. I can see the kiddos going gaga over these bolws, when used for dessert offerings. The bowls are not very heavy and the handle is the perfect size for smaller hands. To make that sugar conscious parent happy, this bowl is perfect for portion control. I just happen to like 3 cookies a serving.