Rare Spanish Vessel

In the Spanish heat, a botijo kept your drinking water cool without a scrap of ice. Found in Montpellier, this is one of them, a black clay jug with a handle arched over the top and a little spout to drink from, the body made to be filled and carried out to the field or set on the table. The clay is left unglazed on purpose, so a trace of water seeps through and evaporates, drawing out the heat and keeping the rest cold, and its black color comes from firing in a smothered, smoky kiln the old Catalan way. Sylvie stands it on a kitchen counter with the days freshly foraged flowers.