Wade Ceramics Milton Brook 8" Mortar and Pestle

This mortar and pestle set is such a joy to use! It serves all my grinding needs. The 8" size is great for pestos and tapenades; it even works well to make Mexican and Asian pastes and sauces. It is very easy to clean up, and retains no odors. (Removing marks from utensils can be done with baking soda and elbow grease.) The handle is smooth and easy to grip, and the interior is just rough enough to keep leaves and spices from simply sliding around. The design is very simple, but elegant, and looks great out on my counter. It is well made and heavy, and seems to be built for a lifetime of use. My one wish is that it would magically expand in size to accommodate the large-batch pesto sessions my prolific basil plants require at the end of every summer!

We're quite pleased.

good size, heavy, but that is what is needed to produce the results that are required for crushing and blending ingredients

So many kitchen products being mass produced in China that give no thought to whether or not the item can be used efficiently and effectively. This British mortar & pestle is the real deal for making authentic pesto and other pestle/grinding needs. It is efficient, makes quick work of grinding, and is a cinch to clean. My Mexican molcajete is wonderful but not for fine ingredients because they get caught in the crevices. I use it for Mexican & Thai dishes. I hunted for this British mortar & pestle on the internet when I saw a picture of it in a Saveur cookbook. They used it to for making pesto & other recipes - but they didn't mention the brand, only in pictures. This is the one they used. 8" is perfect for making pesto, indian recipes, moroccan recipes, etc. Enjoy it!