Turning porcelain and stoneware into objects that are not only useful but also beautiful is an art that has been with us for centuries. The world’s great plate makers are not stuck in history, though: they are listening carefully to what we want in terms of ease, functionality, and mood. We explored some of the most stunning plate designs with Rafael Vencio, stylist, cook, urban farmer and TABLE contributor.

Legend has it that Richard Ginori’s Oriente Italiano pattern has its origins in Chinese plates brought back to Italy by Marco Polo in the late 13th century. We know for certain that world Italian design titan Gio Ponti revisited the classic design just after WWII, offering it up in the sort of antidepressant colors that thrill us today. Rafael created a garden-fresh English pea soup that focuses on the growing, glowing color green.

Spring Pea Soup

Ingredients

2 cups fresh peas (10 to 16 oz, or substitute frozen peas)

4 cups preferred stock (chicken, beef, pork, seafood, fish, or vegetable)

2 large leeks, about 1 ½ to 2 cups, thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, about 2 tbsp

½ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream, labneh, vegan yogurt)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Optional: ½ cup bacon or any salted pork product like guanciale or pancetta; cut into large strips and render off the fat to replace the olive oil; use the rendered pork for garnish

Instructions

Sauté leeks and garlic in butter and olive oil until tender. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. If peas are frozen, you can toss them into the mixture to thaw them and to cool the broth.

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree thoroughly. Decant to a bowl. Cover and let rest for an hour or two in refrigerator.

Serve cool in low bowls…and have fun with the garnishing prior to bringing the soup to the table. Or place plates of garnish materials on the table and let everyone create their own garden!

Garnishes

Sugar snap peas

Fresh shucked peas

Red stem choy

Toasted Sesame seeds

Fresh enoki mushrooms

Asparagus tips

Pesto

Dill

Mint

Pea shoots

Fresh Thai chilies

Sour cream or labneh

Tips on how to garnish

The best tip to start with is to work with ingredients that you have at hand before hunting for unique options. Anything that you might use on a salad can sometimes work well with a pureed soup like this recipe.

Texture is another important factor to consider: since the soup is pureed, garnishes generally need to stay firm! Croutons are usually an easy choice, as is anything fried to crispiness, like garlic or shallots. Rendered pork is also a good garnish.

Toasted whole or crushed nuts or seeds are also a good textural contrast with additional flavor.

Raw vegetables are also an excellent source of both texture and flavor. They usually go well with other rich garnishes such as cream or cheeses. Shoots or microgreens are good options, as well as shaved raw vegetables or pickles (naturally fermented like kosher dills).

Spicy heat is a good way to invigorate the palate in between each bite. Herbs add depth and can create contrasting flavors that also complement.