Reddit mentions of Stone (Granite) Mortar and Pestle, 7 in, 2+ cup capacity

This: http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Granite-Mortar-Pestle-capacity/dp/B000163N6G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417471719&sr=8-3&keywords=mortar+and+pestle

Most people don't have them, and they are a fantastic kitchen tool.

In the end it comes down to personal preference, but I always use a [granite mortar] (http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Granite-Mortar-Pestle-capacity/dp/B000163N6G/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1334685490&sr=1-6) when I want to make garlic paste. It's efficient and I also use it to grind spices to make rubs etc.

I gotta upvote the mortar and pestle. It's so much easier to clean, and a a nice, large one can be used to serve whatever you made in it.

I use this one in the three cup size. I make 3 avocados worth of guacamole in it, and can then serve the guac right out of the mortar! I'd prefer stone to cast-iron, though.

Sometimes they are used in powdered form, and sometimes they are used as seeds. Since you obviously can't convert the powder back into seeds, I've always found it easier to buy them as whole seeds.

You can grind the whole seeds into a powder by using a spice grinder, or a mortar and pestle as needed (I personally would go with the mortar and pestle as they do not require electricity. The best one's in my opinion are granite ones such as this.) and they are very durable. Spices also retain their flavors for far longer when they are still whole.

This is a difficult problem to deal with.

I worked with a spice chef a couple years ago & it really leveled up my cooking game. For starters, he primarily only worked with fresh spices that he had dried and/or ground himself. I was blown away by two things:

1. How much different spices taste fresh (I would say that most people in America have never actually tasted truly fresh spices...herbs, yes, garlic, yes, but not many people are familiar with how bright & "alive" freshly-ground spices can be!)
   
2. How the different combinations can bring a whole new world of flavor to your dishes
   
   I now divide my spices into two flavor categories:
   
   
3. Living
   
4. Dead
   
   A dead spice is one you get off the shelf, like McCormick's. Dead doesn't mean bad, but a "living" spice is an entirely different world of flavor. Prior to working with my spice-oriented chef buddy, I had only used off-the-shelf spices, which are fine, but not nearly as potent. What I've learned is:
   
   
5. Fresh spices are potent for about a month at "100%" max output
   
6. Fresh spices fade to "normal" within 6 months
   
7. They last for years after that, but you lose that
   
   Rules for storing:
   
   
8. Keep them in an airtight package or container
   
9. Keep them out of sunlight (in a dark cupboard is preferred)
   
10. Keep them in a cool, dry place
    
    This article has a good explanation:
    
    https://www.salon.com/2010/05/20/how_long_do_spices_last/
    
    >"Once the spices are ground, right away there's a sharp drop in their flavor. Spices are filled with volatile oils, which are what give them their flavor and complexity. When you grind them, you release those oils, and they begin to dissipate.
    >
    >In two weeks to a month after grinding, you have the sharpest drop in flavor, a rapid loss of those oils. But then it plateaus, losing its flavor at a more gradual rate.
    >
    >For the next few months, they're pretty much the same, but by six months, you've really lost their complexity. It's not just about potency and strength -- for that, you can just add more of the faded spice. But you can't ever get back the complexity. Black pepper from a year ago might still smell like pepper, but it won't smell like orange and clove, the interesting aromas that a really fresh pepper has.
    >
    >After six months, it's still totally usable, but it's just a matter of what you want out of it.
    
    For preparing spices, I use these tools:
    
    
11. Dehydrator (I currently use a Breville Air combination countertop oven)
    
12. Smoker (I use a small plug-in unit with food-grade wood pellets)
    
13. Roasting (oven)
    
    These are my primary tools for spices:
    
    
14. Zester
    
15. Mortar & pestle
    
16. Krups coffee grinder (I'm not a coffee-drinker, I actually only & specifically use it for spices, haha)
    
    part 1/2

If you cook with spices at all, this mortar and pestle.

Best purchase I have made for my kitchen all year.