5 Facts About Mortar And Pestles You Might Not Know

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Mortar and Pestle are not a beautiful but also a functional pair of tools to have in your kitchen, especially if you do
a lot of cooking with herbs and spices. But as you already know, I always want to know more about the tools I use, so I
decided to dig up some facts about this interesting contraption you might not have known before:

5 Things You May Not Know About Mortar And Pestles

1. Did you know in some places there were used for meat preparation? Large stone mortars with wood pestles were used in West Asia to grind meat for a type of meatloaf called kebbeh as well as a type of hummus called masabcha.

2.Here is a non-food use of the mortar and pestle: It is traditional in various Hindu ceremonies such as weddings and
upanayanam to use the mortar and pestle to crush turmeric.

3. Mortar and Pestles are a big part of Thai history: The Thai mortar and pestle dates back to the Sukhothai period which was the 1st Kingdom that was founded in 1238 A.D. and was used to grind foods and medicines.

4. the results of your grinding depend on the material of the mortar and pestle. I will get more into the details of that
in a moment.

5. The oldest mentioning of the mortar and pestle stems from Ancient Egypt, in a medical manuscript called the
Papyrus Ebers, which dates about 1550 BCE.

What are the best Mortar And Pestle material for which use?

Ceramic:
stains easily used to create powdered substances

Stone/Granite:
very heavy, durable and sturdy, look for a not so porous mortar for best use. Good for general cooking uses

Wood:
best for griding seeds and salts. Do not use with moisture. Never leave in water so it won’t warp. Delicate.

Porcelain:
Easy to clean, usually dishwasher safe, need salt in order to make grinding easier. General household use

Marble:
the heaviest of them all. Easy to clean, very sturdy, easiest to use. does not absorb odor.

 

Maxam Mortar and Pestle Available on Amazon now

I was recently given the chance to review the Maxam Marble Mortar and Pestle, and here are my thoughts:

My first impression was, that is was as heavy and beautiful as I expected from a marble piece. Of all Mortar and Pestles, I prefer marble as the material, as it is the most functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing, allowing me to leave  in full display, rather than hiding it in the cupboard somewhere. The Maxam Mortar and Pestle is not exception to that rule. With a large bowl,  it is  wonderful to use for the larger patches of spice mixes I tend to make, cutting my work time.  It is almost completely white, with the slight colors I also expect and love from marble. The pestle rests well in my hand and is well balanced, which makes working with this item easier and more convenient. Overall I am very happy with this item, which is available on Amazon at a very reasonable price.

Disclaimer: I was given the Maxam Mortar and Pestle for free in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Stay tuned for some more interesting facts about every day items, you might not have thought about before.

This post is a part of the following blog hops:

Weekend Blog Party

Wednesday Blog Hop

Inspire Me Wednesday

Too cute Tuesdays

Amaze Me Mondays

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Tea Leaf Reading Dictionary Letter G

Hi, and happy Friday! Friday’s – before this April Blogging Challenge started, used to be reserved for gratitude on this blog. So I am going to take advantage of this sentiment, and say that I am grateful for you reading my series, and for being a part of this larger blogging community! Thank you

I have compiled a list of interesting facts about tea for your today. 22 Facts to be exact. I wonder how many of those you know. Let me know which of these surprised you the most:

22 Facts about Tea

1. In Russia tea was traditionally prepared in a samovar, which is a heated metal container that keeps it warm for hours.
2. Ireland is the first nation of tea drinkers per capita, Britain is the second.
3. A tea plant needs at least 50 inches of rain each year
4. It takes 12 years for a tea plant to be able to produce seeds
5. If not harvested, a tea plant can grow up to 52 feet tall
6. Over half of the tea brewed in the US is made from tea bags – about 65 %.
7. Black tea contains tannic acid, which can remove warts
8. In order to appear that they are drinking whiskey, Actors usually get watered down black tea, which looks very similar.
9. The first book about tea comes from China, and was written in 780, and is called The Classic of Tea.
10. Black, Green, Oolong, Dark and White teas come from the same plant, called Camellia sinensis.
11. High tea originated with the working class British, who would return home at 6pm for dinner that always included strong tea
12. According to Chinese Legend, the servants of Emperor Shen Nong where purifying water by boiling it, when leaves from the tea bush fell into the water. It was at that time considered as a tonic and health drink.
13. The most expensive tea in the world is fertilized by Panda waste. It is grown in Ya’An, China, and cost about 200 dollars a cup of tea.
14. Chinese call black tea “red tea”.
15. The best-selling tea brand in the world is Lipton.
16. Tea bags were invented in the US by accident, when customers placed sample silk bags into water, instead of emptying their contents, as it was intended.
17. Tea only contains about half as much caffeine as coffee
18. The only places were tea are grown in the US are a small island off the Coast of South Carolina, and also Hawaii
19. Celestial Seasonings adds soy lecithin to your tea products, which is not good for those who are allergic to this unnecessary ingredient.
20. In Russia, India and many other places, Chai means tea, so don’t order chai tea there, they will look at you funny. Instead order Masala Chai.
21. Pickled tea is a delicately in Burma.
22. Dampened tea leaves make a great mosquito repellant.

Enjoyed reading these facts? Some are rather strange, aren’t they? Now let’s get back to our Tea Leaf Reading Symbol Dictionary, with the letter G

Letter G:

Geese: Geese always warn of unexpected visitors or unrest. Consider yourself warned

Giraffe: Watch what you are saying your words can have a unexpected and negative effect on situations, if you are using them carelessly.

Goat: the new adventure you are about to embark on, has some risk. Not a good sign for someone who is in the Navy or works on water

Grapes: this symbol showcases a time of enjoyment and leisure, time to enjoy the success you have earned

Guitars: a sign that there is a potential attraction in play. Maybe it is time for an exciting new relationship or a new deeper passionate phase in the current one.

Gun: A sudden change that is not for the better. Be aware, and take a close look at all of the other symbols that show up during this reading.

I hope to see you again tomorrow!

Have a wonderful day!

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