Ramekin is thought to come from a Dutch word for "toast" or the German for "little cream."




Name

Ramekin

Variant

Ramequin, Ramekin dish.

Pronounced

(ramə kin)[RAM-ih-kihn]ræməkin

Function

English Noun

Plural

Ramekins

Hypernym

A type of dish

Purpose

Cooking

Etymology

French Ramequin from Low German ramken, diminutive of cream, circa 1706. middle Dutch rammeken (cheese dish) dialect variant of rom (cream), similar to old English ream and German rahm. Ancient French cookbooks refer to ramekins as being garnished fried bread.


Meaning

1. A food mixture, (casserole) specifically a preparation of cheese, especially with breadcrumbs and/or eggs or unsweetened pastry baked on a mould or shell.

2. With a typical volume of 50-250 ml (2-8 oz), it is a small fireproof glass or earthenware individual dish similar in size and shape to a cup, or mould used for cooking or baking and serving sweet or savoury foods.

3. Formerly the name given to toasted cheese; now tarts filled with cream cheese.

4. A young child usually between the ages of 3 months and 11 years exhibiting a compulsion to force or "ram" their head into various objects and structures.

These days, a ramekin is generally regarded as a small single serve heatproof serving bowl used in the preparation or serving of various food dishes, designed to be put into hot ovens and to withstand high temperatures. They were originally made of ceramics but have also been made of glass or porcelain, commonly in a round shape with an angled exterior ridged surface. Ramekins have more lately been standardized to a size with a typical volume of 50-250 ml (2-8 ounce) and are now used for serving a variety of sweet and savoury foods, both entrée and desert.

They are also an attractive addition to the table for serving nuts,dips and other snacks. Because they are designed to hold a serving for just one person, they are usually sold in sets of four, six, or eight. Ramekins now are solid white, round, with a fluted texture covering the outside, and a small lip. Please bear in mind that whatever you ask for them on Internet auction sites, someone is still getting the same thing in an op shop for peanuts.

However, there are hundreds of decorative ramekins that came in a variety of shapes and sizes. They came in countless colours and finishes and many were made by our leading artists and ceramicists. My collection has ramekins with One handle only, fixed to the body at one point only. If it has no handle, it is a bowl. If it has two, it is a casserole dish. But the glory day of the Australian Studio Art ramekin is well and truly over. See some here, ask questions or leave answers.

P.S. Remember, just as real men don't eat quiche, real ramekins don't have lids or two handles. Also remember, two handles makes it a casserole dish. Also, please note If it aint got a handle, it's just a bowl.

P.P.S. To all you cretins who advertise your ramekins by associating them with "Eames" or "Eames Era". Get your hand off it, you are not kidding anyone. The Eames people have told me that they never made ramekins.

P.P.P.s To all the illiterates out there in cyberspace, just as there is no "I" in team, there is no "G" in Ramekin. I am the Rameking, they are ramekins.

If you have a set of Grandma's ramekins at the back of a kitchen cupboard, have a look through the site, maybe you will identify them. Thank-you for looking.

There are many of you out there that have knowledge of Australian pottery. Please let me know if you have anything that I can add to the notes. It is important to get the information recorded. You probably know something that nobody else does.

Please note that while your comments are most welcome, any that contain a link to another site will no longer be published.

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

Arabia


Designer        
Ulla Procopé (1921-1968)
Maker
Arabica
Marks
Stamped “Arabica Finland” to base
Flame motif above
Material
Glazed stoneware
Description
Mould formed, heavy brown matte glazed to inside and outside of bowl.  Indented pourer to outside of rim.  Flattened rim extending outwards from bowl.  Hollowed straight stem handle angled slightly upward from outside of rim.  Unglazed flat circular base.
Condition
Very Good
Number
No number
Production Date
Late 1960s
Width at rim
130mm
Width at Base
65mm
Depth
43mm
Length (with handle)
192mm
Weight
288gm
Volume
250ml
Acquisition
Mill Antiques, Daylesford Victoria.
18 Dec 2016
Rameking Reference Number
ARA 001

This ramekin is shown in the Arabia catalogue as a “Sauce Boat”..  It is more appropriately considered a “saucier”, or as they refer to them in some of their literature as “open sauce boats.”  The closest in design to those in a catalogue is the “Ruska” design.  This isn’t one, but is similar, so it was probably made in the 1970’s.

The Arabia factory was set up near Helsinki, Finland, in 1873 by the Swedish company Rörstrand. They chose Finland for its close proximity to Russia, where they wanted to expand their market. Within a few years the Arabia factory was producing half of Finland's total ceramics output. The Arabia factory was managed by Gustav Herlitz who had previously worked for Rörstrand in Sweden. The range of wares was expanded to include art pottery, domestic and utility wares, sanitary wares, tiles and even bricks.

During the first World War Arabia passed into Finnish ownership and by the outbreak of the second World War was larger than any producer of porcelain in Europe in terms of output.  Expansion continued during the war and into the second half of the twentieth century. Affiliations were forged with other companies and by the end of the century Arabia and Rörstrand were again part of the same group.  Rather than me stealing from their website, it is probably better if you go there and see their story for yourself.

The designer of 'Ruska' series was Ulla Procopé (1921-1968), who worked for Arabia from 1948 to 1968.  She's also creator of the beautiful and practical - unfortunately also discontinued - fireproof 'Liekki' (Flame) series, (see next para) and the gorgeous hand-painted 'Valencia',  'Anemone', 'Rosmariini', 'Koralli' and the colorful 'Purpurinjenkka' pattern.  Production of 'Ruska'  discontinued in 1999.

The stamp to the base is not shown in any of the lists for Arabia.  Above the three crenelated crown is a flame motif.  The stamp is only partial and the word “Arabia” is only partially legible.  This sauce-boat is most likely from the later part of her career.  The simplicity of design is classic scandinavian.