Plantians

[Pie]

Originally Posted by LittleWolf

I hope your molcajete is seasoned, or at least that you have a dental plan. :S

I'm still fighting with my sis-in-law for my mum's seasoned molcajete. My mums isn't even dead yet.

Interesting. It's not seasoned, but it seemed like any granite mortar-and-pestle jobbie -- I've used quite a few in India. No teeth were lost or broken.

Can you elucidate this concept of seasoning the molcajete? Inquiring minds want to know, and think you could do a more interesting job of describing it than mere googling.

[LittleWolf]

Originally Posted by Pie

Interesting. It's not seasoned, but it seemed like any granite mortar-and-pestle jobbie -- I've used quite a few in India. No teeth were lost or broken.

Can you elucidate this concept of seasoning the molcajete? Inquiring minds want to know, and think you could do a more interesting job of describing it than mere googling.

Molcajetes are all made from porous volcanic rock. Before you use your molcajete, we are taught to season it by grinding hard maiz kernels, or raw rice, anywhere from a few days to weeks depending on the type of molcajete you have.

The reason for this is because every time you use it, you will dislodge little bits of volcanic rock fragments into your food. While there is no health threat to this, it makes for sand-like texture and taste.

I have used many mortar and pestles, but molcajetes have an advantage because of the pores and jagged peaks. Taste won't lodge there necessarily, but the effect this has is a more throughout mashing job, giving a lot of taste.

If you want to compare, run the palm of your hand inside a normal mortar and pestle, and then try to do that in a molcajete.

My mum's molcajete was passed down from my great-grandmother, so it is very well seasoned and what we call "tamed".