/ Register

Granite mortar and pestle performance

Discussion in 'Cooking Equipment Reviews' started by lord manhammer, Feb 23, 2010.

  1. Feb 23, 2010 #1
    lord manhammer

    lord manhammer

    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    10
    Exp:
    Home Cook
    I'm interested in an 8" granite mortar and pestle.  I've heard great things about the model offered by Import Foods, and I wonder how it stacks up to the Libertyware model.  The Libertyware model is half the price, so I'd rather get that if they perform similarly.
     
  3. Feb 23, 2010 #2
    kyheirloomer

    kyheirloomer

    Messages:
    6,367
    Likes Received:
    129
    Exp:
    Food Writer
    I can't speak about brand names. I got mine locally for 15 bucks, and have been very satisfied with it.

    Just guessing, but I don't think there's too much they can do wrong to one of them. I'd go with the cheaper of the two.
     
  4. Feb 23, 2010 #3
    lord manhammer

    lord manhammer

    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    10
    Exp:
    Home Cook
    I was thinking the same thing; it's just a piece of rock, after all.  Still, I'm concerned that the texture of the bowl may differ between brands, as reviews of the Import Food mortar and pestle suggest it is very smooth.  Is yours smooth as well?  Oh, and thanks for the advice.  I often find it's little bits of information like this that make the biggest differences in my progress.
     
  5. Feb 24, 2010 #4
    amazingrace

    amazingrace

    Messages:
    929
    Likes Received:
    18
    Exp:
    At home cook
    I have a small mortar and pestle,  purchased at Cost Plus for under $10.  I'm very pleased with it.  The inside is not polished.  It appears to have most of the roughness that was left by the reaming tool.  I'm not sure you would want something that is too smooth.  The object is to grind or pulverize foods to a finer consistency.  If there is nothing to provide resistance, the food will just slip around inside the bowl.     
     
  6. Feb 24, 2010 #5
    kyheirloomer

    kyheirloomer

    Messages:
    6,367
    Likes Received:
    129
    Exp:
    Food Writer
    Yeah, mine is smooth. But if the one you get seems too rough there are all sorts of ways to smooth it down---if that's really an issue. Sometimes rough is what you want.

    I've got mortar's in several sizes and materials, and the granite has become my fave.
     
  7. Feb 24, 2010 #6
    amazingrace

    amazingrace

    Messages:
    929
    Likes Received:
    18
    Exp:
    At home cook
    I also have another one; it's stainless steel, with little factory bumps inside.  Wasted my money on that one!   I use it so seldom,  I'm not even sure where it is right now.  Whenever I do run across it,  I'll probably put it into the box I'm filling for my next yard sale.