One of the most important characteristics of Chilean Creole cuisine is its cooking vessels; the clay pots from Pomaire. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, from the classic olla (pot), to casseroles, pitchers, water jars, plates and bowls; they hold heat wonderfully and impart a special flavor to food, and can be used in the oven or directly over a flame. A pastel de choclo (corn pie) or paila marina (seafood stew) is almost unimaginable in anything else.

Pomaire is a village of 10,000 or so, some 35 miles SE of Santiago, Chile and an attractive tourist destination for visitors who come to buy the world renowned pottery and enjoy the Chilean Creole cuisine. The city’s pottery has put it on the map in the culinary world.