Before refrigeration, the French trusted their pot de confit — the rustic kitchen essential designed to preserve duck confit — that "slow cooked in its own fat" delicacy we all dream of. These squat and sturdy quintessential French clay vessels are instantly recognizable by their glazed tops and earthenware bottoms. Typically, the upper half of a confit pot was glazed a beautiful yellow color. From mustard to honey to a bright sunshine yellow, it was Vincent Van Gogh who gave these colorful yellow pots their brush with fame, painting them alongside his iconic Provençal sunflowers. 

The word confit, from the French confire, literally  means "to preserve," and once the duck was cooked and cooled, the pots were covered and either buried in the cellar or tucked into a stone-lined larder. Why the unglazed bottoms? Because the glaze tended to peel when stored in the cool dirt. Practical and chic, n’est-ce pas? Properly stored, confit de canard (duck confit) could last the entire winter, sustaining local families through the cold months.

And while most pots held enough duck to feed a household, the tiniest single serving pieces are the hardest to find — and the most collectible. No wonder King Henri IV, born near Gascony (home to France’s finest ducks), had barrels of confit shipped to him in Paris during his reign. Some cravings really are royal.