[Sca-cooks] mortar and pestle questions

[Stefan li Rous]

Tia asked about mortar and pestles:

<<< I'm on the hunt for a good mortar and pestle set and need advice.  
What is better for practical uses? Wood, porcelain, stone? What about  
size? Would a smaller one grind more completely, and would a larger  
one just stir things around without really grinding them? >>>

It probably depends mostly on what you are planning to use the mortar  
and pestle for. For herbs? for larger food items? For gems or  
minerals? In period, as today, there seem to have been a number of  
sizes made and different materials used.

There is this file in the FOOD-UTENSILS section of the Florlegium,  
although I'm not sure there is much on which size and shape to choose  
for different purposes.

mortar-pestle-msg (12K)  3/26/05    Mortar and pestles. Sources.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****