How the Exclusive Olive & Clay Tagine Is Made
Author: Hamlet Fort | February 24, 2025 | Time to read: 5 min
A Legacy of Low and Slow
If you’re new to tagine cooking, first of all: Welcome. If you’re well-versed, then you already know. There’s something magical about this ancient tool, the way it circulates moisture and history, seeping flavor into our food and stories into our lives.
The Tagine honors this legacy. But we have a thing about updating traditional tools for the modern kitchen (we can’t seem to help ourselves). So that’s what we did here. The exclusive Olive & Clay edition brings together centuries of Moroccan craftsmanship, an artist’s heartfelt vision, and our obsession with making practical tools that perform for today’s home-cook.
The Science of Steam
Here’s a quick rundown of how a tagine works, and why it works so well. The genius lies in its distinctive conical-shaped lid that creates a perfect cycle of steam and condensation that bastes your food naturally as it cooks. From tender, fall-off-the-bone meats, to caramelized vegetables spiced with saffron, cumin, and cinnamon, the results are extraordinary. It’s the kind of low-and-slow cooking that lets you step away from the stove and actually enjoy the company of whoever’s gathered in your kitchen.
We took this old, proven wisdom and added thoughtful modern touches, like seamless integration with both the ceramic nonstick and Cast Iron Always Pans, plus a steam release function that puts you in control of your flavors and consistency.
The Process
Each Olive & Clay Tagine takes between eight and nine days to create. During a recent team trip to Morocco, we immersed ourselves in the methodical and intentional process, performed by artisans’ hands. First, each Tagine is hand-poured into its mold. Once it is set and removed, a knob is hand thrown onto the lid, and the lid is hand finished, measured, and tested onto our cookware (so it rests securely on top of our Always Pan, and can allow for the lid to retain steam while cooking). The Tagine is then bisque-fired and hand-glazed with its colors. After that, the accent colors are intricately painted by hand before an additional firing.
As always, we made some careful choices about materials. Our lead and cadmium-free glazes are (to us) just as beautiful as traditional decorative finishes, but they keep your cooking clean and pure. Because you should never have to compromise your wellbeing for performance or the desire to try something new in the kitchen.
Watching the Tagine come to life brings the story full-circle. From form-shaping to hand-painting to firing, witnessing the journey from raw material to finished product bestowed upon us an even deeper appreciation for the skill, patience, and care involved in creating each one.
A Story Within
Our collaboration with Tangier-based Palestinian artist Nina Mohammad (founder of the Artisan Project) paints an extra layer of meaning to each piece — quite literally. Her Olive & Clay design weaves together two powerful narratives: Olive pays tribute to her grandmother Fatima, who planted olive trees in their homeland, while Clay celebrates the earthen material that has shaped tagines for generations.
Through multiple rounds of sampling and close collaboration with Nina, we ensured the final product embodied her vision. But, the partnership goes beyond aesthetics: It is also about preserving cultural heritage and supporting Palestinian relief efforts, an example of our embedded belief in the transformative power of home cooking and the uplifting act of sharing a meal.
For Your Eid Celebrations
We chose to launch this special collaboration during Eid al-Fitr, when families gather together to share food and celebration. As Ramadan draws to a close, the smells, tastes, and joys of unhurried cooking fill homes around the world. The Tagine is perfect for feeding extended family and friends that drop by throughout the day, a beautiful reflection of Eid’s traditions of community and abundance.
A Small-Batch Heirloom Designed for Gathering
Each Olive & Clay Tagine is unique. That’s what making something by hand renders — a completely one-of-one piece that is entirely yours. The combination of timeless craftsmanship and personal touch, laid over a foundation of centuries-old cultural heritage, creates a singular piece of art wrapped in a beloved traditional kitchen tool. Whether you’re using it to prepare iftar during Ramadan, a celebratory feast during Eid, or a cozy weekend dinner, it carries forward a tradition of thoughtful cooking and shared dining that feels more vital than ever.
Looking for a place to start? We recommend this Chicken Tagine With Preserved Olives and Lemons — it’s the perfect introduction to tagine cooking. Have fun with it!
Hamlet Fort
Hamlet Fort is a copywriter and photographer based in Los Angeles. Outside his role on the Copy team with Our Place, he creates images for musicians, artists, and brands across various industries.
