My Style Supply

Posted by olivieragustin on May. 22nd, 2006 in Recipes | 5 comments

a few of my favorite pieces … see those egg holders?

Some girls collect bags and shoes. I collect plates, spoons, cups, ramekins, pie servers … you get the idea. I adore anything that can even remotely be classified as kitchenware. My sisters think that I’m the biggest bore to shop with because Mango and Zara are about as enticing for me as watching cake icing melt. That’s not to say that I don’t like shopping for the latest Havaiana slippers (I own 4 pairs) or my favorite, scouring little stores for more food t-shirts, but I love shopping for kitchenware more. I’m as attracted to vintage dishes as some women I know are attracted to vintage Gucci.

geometry revisited

And just like anybody else with a passion for collecting, I have my own sources for where I get my stuff. I’d like to think that these sources are known only to me, thus “secret,” but really, how long does a secret remain secret? I’m about to spill the beans on a source that I thought I’d forever stay silent on. After all, there’s nothing like keeping people guessing. But like the juiciest gossip that I’m simply itching to share, I want to tell you where I get some of my most favorite kitchen pieces.

ramekins in all sizes

This company is responsible for uplifting the dismal state of my then-current plate-ware into something that’s now truly camera-worthy. I first chanced upon them at the San Lo Sunday Market which has moved to the parking lot across Greenbelt 1, behind A.I.M. The company is called DST, and they sell a whole slew of stuff they loosely term as “general merchandise.” They make ceramics, dishware, restaurant ware, porcelain, and kitchen accents. I’m particularly wild about their plates that come in all sizes and shapes, often with geometric accents. They stray away from the conservative – none of their plates are round — how cool is that. Of course there are their ramekins in an astounding array of sizes, good for everything from crème brulee, to individual servings of bread pudding and quiche. I also sometimes use the smaller ramekins for my ingredients when prepping for a dish.

how very zen

DST is most known for these individual teapots-for-one and the accompanying cups. Often painted with a simple flower or idylls depicting rural Oriental life, the pots come with a strainer so that you don’t get any errant tea leaves swirling in your drink. As for the cups, it’s a three-piece genius: there’s the cup itself and then a (detachable) strainer of sorts which is built right into the cup, and a cover for keeping your tea hot. As a bonus, the cover flips upside down and can be used as a “parking slot” for the strainer while you drink your tea. Nifty, huh?

If you dig back into my archives, you’ll recognize that a lot of the plates photographed here were used in those shoots.

the hidden Mickey and assorted spoons

As almost every good chef will agree, white is the color of choice for a plate. As a pure hue, it lets the food stand out. As someone who loves to photograph food, I prefer to style my food on white plates for the same reason. Plus, food photographs well on white plates. These plates are also all about function and presentation: they’re ovenproof, so they go straight from the oven to the table and to the refrigerator. I love them.

DST General Merchandise
204 Del Monte Avenue,
Quezon City
414-0928
mobile: 0917.455-7292

DST is also at San Lo market every Sunday from 7am-2pm.