Ceramics class

I took ceramics classes throughout my childhood—hey, it was the ’70s—but I never made anything half so nice as the simple little clay pots I’ve been buying lately at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. What makes them so lovely is not their glaze or anything like that, but the creamy, subtle yogurt they have inside them. (The pots are actually returnable; you pay a $1.25 deposit on them.) The yogurt comes from St. Benoît, in Sonoma County, and it’s made in the French style from Jersey cow’s milk, topped with a delicate layer of risen cream and with a tart, cool quality. I like the plain, mixed with homemade granola (that’s the ’70s popping up again) and topped with strawberries or blueberries; but the plum, with a layer of not-too-sweet jam to stir in, is also really nice. It’s also available at Whole Foods and at the Davis farmers’ market; for other outlets check www.stbenoit.com.