Marble Mortar and Pestle (4-in.) by SCI/Scandicrafts, Inc

Sure, you know that whole spices taste better, cost less and have a much longer shelf life than pre-ground, but what do you do when the recipe calls for only a teaspoon of this and a half-teaspoon of that? You use a beautiful mortar and pestle like this one of course! Don't be fooled by the many look-alikes out there. This set is excellently proportioned and finished and well worth the extra two or three dollars. If, after a lot of use, the grinding surfaces lose their "bite" roughen them with some tough 80 to 120 grit silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper. (Hand wash them afterward.) This makes an excellent gift for any serious cook.

This is the first time I am using a mortar and pestle. I bought it to grind down whole allspice when I am seasoning meat and fish. I am very pleased with the results so far. I have not used it for anything else, yet. The mortar and pestle seem to have the tendency to retain the color of the allspice if it is not washed immediately after grinding, so I expect it to be discolored years from now. It is very sturdy though, so I DO expect to get many years use out of it.

Blend your own spice mixes (why pay a fortune for spice blends?), make rubs for ribs and chicken, make small batches of salsa, mash garlic, onions, etc. for recipes.

I sent this to my sister-in-law who is just getting in to growing and drying her own herbs and she loved it! Marble is nice and heavy for its size and does not absorb stains or odors.

Once you are hooked on the mortar and pestle, come back and order a larger one for bigger batches. You'll love this (and will get out some agression too!)

I've had a similar mortar and pestle for years that I love. It's especially great for grinding up small dried chili peppers like birdseye chilis. My brother was over one day, and we were cooking together. (Cooking is a passion with everyone in my family.) He was grinding up herbs and started quizzing me about where I got my mortar and pestle. He's often admired it for its quality and perfect size, but this time told me that he had been looking for one with no luck. I decided to see if I could find it online for him when I saw this one. It's nearly identical to mine and at close to the same price I paid years ago. I think he'll be pleased to see it on Christmas morning.

I love the fact that this is heavy enough not to slip and slide on the counter