Café Au Lait Bowls: These gorgeous café bowls have been collected with love throughout the flea markets of Provence.
 
Café au Lait bowls, known as bols de café au lait, have a deep history rooted in French coffee culture. Originating in 17th-century Paris, the bowls were used to drink coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. The tradition of serving hot drinks in bowls is believed to be influenced by Turkish and Chinese practices.
 
The term Café au Lait translates to Coffee with Milk, traditionally serving equal parts good, strong coffee with steamed milk, and the wide lip of the bowl is ideal for dunking croissants or pastries. As a side note, my sister and I once drank wine from café au lait bowls when there was nothing else available!
 
While each bowl exhibits typical signs of age, such as patina and hairline cracks, the Tulip bowl has a beautifully worn 1/4" chip on the edge of the bowl. What story would it tell? A shocking revelation? A child's mistake? Or someone lost in thought during after dinner wash-up?
 
Four bowls:
 
Polka Dot: 4 1/4" W, 3" H
Tulip: 5" W, 3" H
Gingham: 5 1/4" W, 3" H
Double Stripe: 51/4" W, 3"H