Lawrence potter crafts distinctive dinnerware used at Hank Charcuterie

Never underestimate the importance of a fashionable plate.

At Hank Charcuterie in Lawrence, many of the menu items — from the salt-roasted beets to the confit duck sausage to the smoked pork chop — are presented to the diner on striking 12-inch unglazed earthenware plates.

“I look at it as a big presentation canvas,” says Vaughn Good, Hank Charcuterie’s chef/owner.

In addition to the names of farmers who supply the restaurant with meat, produce and dairy products, the name of Lawrence-based ceramic artist Mike Crouch is listed on the menu.

Crouch began crafting pottery a few years ago. His first project was a bonsai planter. He soon wound up making mugs for Decade, a Lawrence coffeeshop at 920 Delaware. Then he got the order from Hank Charcuterie, which opened in 2014 at 1900 Massachusetts.

A wood-fired kiln Crouch built is the centerpiece of his north Lawrence backyard. A hut made from a mixture of clay, sand and straw serves as his studio.

Crouch uses diamond-encrusted sandpaper to polish the surface of the plates, but the fire and elements in the clay give his earth-toned pieces a distinctive patina.

To see more, follow @hankcharcuterie on Instagram, or contact Crouch at 785-766-4293 or mcrouch.earthen@gmail.com.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Lawrence potter crafts distinctive dinnerware used at Hank Charcuterie."