Boston - June 18, 2007

It’s the Fuzz

Touch Porcelain

You’re of the opinion that every meal should result in a full-on sensory experience.

Taste, smell, sight, touch. Yes, Touch, as in the latest line of porcelain from renowned German design company Kahla.

These otherwise austere white dishes, cups, and bowls feature raised velvet panels in vibrant red, orange, or contrasting black. Stroke the soft segments as you nosh or guzzle and the blandest of (fill-in-the-blank) diet dinners becomes enticing.

Best of all, the dinnerware is dishwasher and microwave safe, sparing you the agony of seeing yet another fuzzy favorite decimated by normal wear and tear (Pat the Bunny, we hardly knew you).

There’s no grand purpose to all this velvety goodness — it’s merely “porcelain for the senses.” But the whimsy alone has already garnered fans among tactile types everywhere.

Which gives a whole new meaning to the term intelligent design.

Available at Lekker Home, 1317 Washington Street, South End (617-542-6464 or lekkerhome.com). To see styles, go to kahlaporzellan.com.