John Myers
The term mortar comes from Latin and goes back to the word mortarium, a rudimentary mortar for grinding and mixing dairy products, spices and herbs or for kneading dough.
A mortar is perfect for crushing dry spices, for example after roasting. You can crush pepper in it in a classic way, and grate sesame seeds, but you can also make great sauces. By crushing garlic and salt in it, and adding some olive oil and parsley or basil, you get a delicious pesto.
What do you do with a mortar?
With a mortar, coarse starting materials can be ground into fine powders, which can then be mixed more easily with other ingredients – for example for an autumn pumpkin soup. By crushing, seeds and grains are gently broken up and their valuable aromas unfold.
Which mortar for pesto?
If you value the excellent properties when crushing dry spices, one of Skeppshult’s cast iron mortars is certainly the best choice for pesto and co.
What spices in the mortar?
The following spices are particularly suitable for mortaring: cumin, pepper, aniseed, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cinnamon, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, bay leaves, cloves, juniper, turmeric, vanilla. Always make sure your mortar is of good quality. Wooden mortars, for example, are very sensitive to moisture.
Which herbs can you use in a mortar?
Ideally, fresh herbs should be used for the mortar. Rosemary, thyme, and sage are particularly popular. Classic kitchen herbs such as parsley, chives, and mint are also well suited.
