I've spent the last hour looking for a pretty pestle and mortar. Because I need one to mash, bash and muddle my limes, for that mojito recipe I gave you earlier. They're just all so horrid and dull. Just because they're for bashing stuff, doesn't mean they have to be boring and ugly! Can't someone throw a pretty pattern on one?It's taken the last hour to track this pestle and mortar down, but it's stunning and is winging it's way to me as I type. It's £27 (down from £30) from House of Fraser. I'm going to have to start keeping an eye on them.
It is lovely, but I'm always shocked at the prices of pestle & mortars. I found this black marble one at Ikea for a fraction of the price:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10100419
I think because they're often made of marble, they're pricier than most kitchen utensils. They're often crafted from the same piece of stone (or, indeed, wood) so there's a lot of work gone into them.
ReplyDeleteI'm just more shocked that you can't get unusual ones. Even ones stained a different colour, or painted. I'm left quite uninspired by most of them.
Sally Mccubbin does some lovely ones!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sallymccubbin.com
You can find some unusual ones on specialist kitchen websites (sorry - you've probably looked everywhere but I'm in awe of the unusual prettiness of this olive wood afair: http://www.servewell.co.uk/categories/pestle--mortar/products/olive-wood-pestle--mortar/)
ReplyDeleteBut I agree with the lack of...well, quirky pestles. Shame :( I'd never really thought about them in that way. That's probably the fundamental problem!
Function does tend to rule here which is a shame. There's nothing *wrong* with the majority they're a bit bland. And all very manly too, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteWell, that was until I saw those ones from Sally McCubbin! Great find, C&P!
Yes, they are gorgeous!! Good find. The other stuff on there is very cool too :) Loving the "book-shaped" liquor bottles!
ReplyDeleteblandness is the flip side of functional...the more boring the better in my opinion
ReplyDeleteheres some more
http://pinterest.com/meyvelitepe/mortar-collection/