Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I need another M&P, the white porcelin (?) kind that looks more like something from a chem lab than a cooking supply. I've looked for them lightly online and in person.

Any directions anyone could give me on where to find one?

Hopefully the real deal will post here....

Amy

Are looking for something like this?

Ceramic Mortar and Pestle

or

Porcelain Mortar and Pestle

What would the functional difference be between the ceramic and porcelin? I grind a lot of cumin and fennel seeds, plus other assorted kitchen spices. I like to put it in the dishwasher.

Looks like a huge price difference.

Thanks for that site. And for not referring me to "let me google that for you"

Any reason you need the porcelain/ceramic one? I ask because I have one of the Mexican ones made of basalt, which grinds things so much faster than any of the smooth porcelain or marble ones, I almost never use my others any more, except to bruise caraway seeds for bread!

I treated mine after grinding a bunch of rice in it, to get any grit out of it, and as a result, I can put it in my DW, with no problems (and it is over 20 years old now). I soaked the pestle, as well as the mortar with food grade polyurethane, letting it cure between soakings, until it would not soak any more in, then let it cure totally for a few weeks. I also put some silicone "feet" on the three legs, to keep it from slipping on, as well as scratching the countertop.

I never get any grit in any of the things I grind up in this, and it grinds up dry spices almost as fast as my spice grinder. And there's nothing like it for making a Thai curry paste! Then I just pop it in the DW, to get all the aromas out.

One drawback: it is a little big, if you need to move it around much.

Dave

I got mine at TJ Maxx's. And it looks like yours.

Hi Dave,
I tried one of the big stone ones that you are referring to. Read the directions, ground the rice, again and again. I just could not get it to the point where I felt I was not generating sand in with my spices. Maybe I did not try hard enough....it went into my Goodwill pile about three years ago. Also, your dishwasher use is surprising, it did not occur to me that you could do that.

Your point about chasing around the cumin is a good one, it does take some determination to get it started. Never did take to using the small coffee grinder for spices, just prefer the pestle. Those also went to GW.

Maybe I can look at Goodwill for another stone one to give it another try.

We use the ceramic in the pharmacy because the porcelain can be too smooth to grind well, but the ceramic can stain. I have a small ceramic one at home, but I don't use it very often.

Kurt,

Both of those look way too small to do anything with. I have a huge old Wedgewood unglazed porcelain M&P, much more effective. Mind you, it weighs about 20lbs, so not for the lightly muscled. No idea where you'd buy one though; mine is older than I am.

Oh my gosh, that is a beauty. Super lust worthy.