Mortar and Pestle anyone still using them?

[Bakemehappy]

Do you still have a mortar and pestle in you kitchen? Do you still use them up to this time where time is no longer a luxury?
I still use mine and for some reasons it adds charm to my kitchen. I love something that reminds me of the past like the good old cooking of my mom and granny where they cook from the scratch.

 

[winterybella]

No, I do not have a mortar and pestle and it really has nothing to do with me being busy. I just don't have one and I am trying hard to remember if I saw my mom use it much growing up. It's an interesting one you brought to the forum. I'm eager to see who actually has one and how they might be using it.

 

[Morning Glory]

I could't answer your poll because I use both pestle and mortar and a spice grinder! I use both to grind spices. The spice grinder does it faster and to a fine powder. The mortar is more controllable if I want a rough grind. It also depends on my mood! I cook a lot of curries which require dry roasting the spices and grinding to a powder. I sometimes make this in quantity and store in jars. The spice grinder is much easier and more efficient for that. I also use the mortar to mush up garlic cloves and other ingredients for a marinade or rub.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have both a lovely stone pestle and mortar plus a coffee grinder for much larger quantities of spices to be ground up in. I do sometimes find the coffee grinder does not do a very good job with the lighter spices which just fly around the top and don't get ground so the pestle and mortar come into their own there.

 

[Morning Glory]

I have both a lovely stone pestle and mortar plus a coffee grinder for much larger quantities of spices to be ground up in. I do sometimes find the coffee grinder does not do a very good job with the lighter spices which just fly around the top and don't get ground so the pestle and mortar come into their own there.

I mentioned my spice grinder in another thread. It has an insert for exactly this problem. Brilliant! Its a James Martin Wahl. Retails under £20.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I mentioned my spice grinder in another thread. It has an insert for exactly this problem. Brilliant! Its a James Martin Wahl. Retails under £20.

until the coffee grinder breaks, finances do not allow for replacement.

 

[Berties]

Use one a lot ,roast spices down and grind them hot ,find they release any oils this way!

 

[Caribbean girl]

I have not seen a mortar and pestle in ages. I can remember my mother using this when I was quite young. Whenever we have our Independence Day and want to showcase items of yesteryear, the mortar and pestle is usually one of the items put on show. I have not seen one of these in years. These days people find much easier ways to grind whatever it is they want to grind. I would say it is a good way to exercise the arms though. I don't even know if the mortar and pestel are still sold in stores today.

 

[Morning Glory]

I have not seen a mortar and pestle in ages. I can remember my mother using this when I was quite young. Whenever we have our Independence Day and want to showcase items of yesteryear, the mortar and pestle is usually one of the items put on show. I have not seen one of these in years. These days people find much easier ways to grind whatever it is they want to grind. I would say it is a good way to exercise the arms though. I don't even know if the mortar and pestel are still sold in stores today.

Fascinating. They are really common here. You can even buy them in some supermarkets.

 

[Diane Lane]

I use both a mortar and pestle and coffee grinder. I use the grinder more for spices and hard type items, while I use the mortar and pestle for crushing leaves and sometimes for nuts, if I want larger pieces. I also have a small chopper that's larger than the coffee grinder, and I can use that for other items as well, such as chopping onions.

 

[winterybella]

I have not seen a mortar and pestle in ages. I can remember my mother using this when I was quite young. Whenever we have our Independence Day and want to showcase items of yesteryear, the mortar and pestle is usually one of the items put on show. I have not seen one of these in years. These days people find much easier ways to grind whatever it is they want to grind. I would say it is a good way to exercise the arms though. I don't even know if the mortar and pestel are still sold in stores today.

Caribbean girl, to stay in the conversation we are going to have to go out and find ourselves a mortar and pestle. In my case it would probably end up as an ornament but since the top chefs here are using it I would probably try a thing to improve my ranking. I am wondering if we could even easily find one and what quality it would be. These modern appliances might not be anything near what our parents used.

 

[Maggie Magpie]

I couldn't be without my pestle and mortar. We do have a grinder thingy buy I never use it. Apart from the one that is specific for my coffee beans and if anyone puts anything other than coffee beans in that then better look out.
MM

 

[Corzhens]

We always have a mortar and pestle in our kitchen and we cannot live without it, I guess. Most of our dishes are sauteed food and the ingredient for a sautee is crushed garlic and the only way to crush garlic is with the use of the mortar and pestle. When our ceramic mortal was broken, we bought one that is made of wood. But it develops cracks after some months so we had to buy another one. The vendor said that we should wipe it dry before keeping the mortar because wet wood really tends to develop cracks.

 

[cupcakechef]

I have one in my kitchen cupboards but it's not used all that often. Last time I used it was when I was making a Thai dish, and the recipe actually said to grind the spices using a mortar and pestle to get the best flavor results - so I did as the recipe asked!