Some of my favorite kitchen tools are the most straight forward.  Just like a t-shirt and jeans, these things just work.  Plain and simple.  A mortar and pestle can get you out of having cabinets full of electric gadgets and doo dads that are hard to store and hard to clean.  Anyone with a small kitchen will appreciate the storage dilemma of a food processor, blender, mixer, etc. and all of the blades and parts that go with them.  While these kitchen tools are all wonderful they are not always necessary.  After all, the mortar and pestle worked for all of the peasants and Mediterranean mamas long before Cuisinart came along.

Easy to use and easy to clean and easy to store these work horses deserve a nook in your crowded kitchen.  It’s also very therapeutic for any of us looking to grind our troubles away.   It’s great for breaking down whole seeds and spices into powder for dishes that require that.  One of my favorite things to use a mortar and pestle for is crushing a clove garlic and a teaspoon of salt into a creamy pulp.  Drop this into olive oil and red wine vinegar for a wonderful salad dressing or into a stew just before serving for a great ka-powie of flavor.   Try it mixed with some mayo to perk up a turkey sandwich.  You won’t be sorry you passed up that food processor/mixer/blender.

When choosing a mortar & pestle you have a variety of material and size choices.  I like mine smallish.  Something that could comfortably fit an orange.  This is easiest for me to hold and grind.  If you like crushing up avocados for a lovely guacamole, then by all means consider a big mama version but think about your hands and how you think you might use one most.  For material choice a hard wood, porcelain or stone are all good.  Again, consider the weight of the pestle in your hand.  Heavier can make it easier to crush but may not allow you to use it as easily or give you the ability to choose how smushed you want everything.