How to Mix and Match your Fiesta Dishes

This is the year that the Homer Laughlin China Company, of Newell, West Virginia, is celebrating its 175^th anniversary. Have you seen their new Marigold color? It’s finally here! I had the hardest time waiting for it! Word of mouth from pottery workers allowed me to know when I could bring home the latest edition to my Fiesta collection. I have the entire mixing bowl set – all 5 graduated sizes – tiny to huge!

My all-time favorite color, however, is scarlet. I absolutely love it! Usually when a new color is introduced, it takes a while before it grows on me and I begin to appreciate it. Not so with scarlet. I was wild about it at first glimpse. At last - a true, tomato-red!

The best thing about Fiesta is the joy of endless color mixing and matching. It jazzes up mealtimes and keeps us from tiring of our tables. An entire table set with scarlet is exciting, but I love the way it mixes with my periwinkle and white for summery meals. It will also be spectacular with juniper and white on my Christmas table. The entrance to the Homer Laughlin main office had some striking sample displays. The company is showed off scarlet with black and white dishes for a sassy, sophisticated table setting. There was also a casual, patriotic arrangement of scarlet, white, and blue.

In addition to scarlet, there are currently fourteen colors in production at Homer Laughlin: sunflower, tangerine, shamrock, plum, cobalt, turquoise, peacock, ivory, chocolate, lemongrass, paprika, marigold, black, and white. I’m sure everyone has a favorite. I have two special seasonal collections. For my Easter buffet and spring entertaining, I can always count on compliments for my combination of sea mist, yellow, rose, turquoise, and lilac. It looks great with either a solid pastel tablecloth or a bunnies-eggs-daffodils printed cloth. For my Christmas brunch and all through the winter, I mix juniper, cinnabar, periwinkle, and cobalt. These are my “comfort colors” for blustery, snowy days.

These Fiesta colors are no longer in production: apricot, rose, periwinkle, sea mist, persimmon, heather, evergreen, yellow, chartreuse, lilac, juniper, gray, and sapphire. Some of these, however, are still available on the company’s website. (Check out www.fiestafactorydirect.com, or phone 1-800-452-4462.) If you have some pieces in these colors, especially if they are in excellent condition, you might want to pack them away. They just may become pricey antiques and/or collectibles in the future. I have a friend who is storing an unopened 20-piece set of lilac in her basement. She’s been offered $500 for it, but it’s not for sale. I don’t blame her a bit, although I use all my colors daily. I enjoy them too much to box them up.

Don’t wait too long to own marigold. I predict this hot new color will be in great demand, especially the limited edition soup tureen. By using Fiesta, we have the unique opportunity to show and share a beautiful, practical product made by friends and family right here in the U. S. A. Buy it - use it - display it - brag about it - present it as a gift. What represents our country better?

I could not be more thrilled with my new dishes. I am proud that our hard-working neighbors made them. Congratulations to the Homer Laughlin China leadership for their vision and their guidance. Congratulations to all Homer Laughlin employees for their caring and their sweat. There is no substitute for this spectacular product. Better get your Fiesta now, before I buy the entire stock in the outlet!