A blade chops herbs; a pestle bruises them, and that is a different flavour. The Alva Nori 2-Cup Cast Iron Mortar and Pestle crushes garlic, spices and herbs rather than slicing them, rupturing the cells so the essential oils come out into the food instead of staying locked inside. Solid cast iron gives it the weight to do that with almost no effort from you, and the mass keeps the mortar planted on the counter instead of skidding. Two cups is enough for a curry paste or a batch of pesto, not just a clove of garlic. The interior develops a naturally seasoned patina with use. Made without intentionally added PFAS, PTFE, PFOA, lead or cadmium. Hand wash and dry. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, built in the Belgian tradition since 1949.
I have been unable to leave a review for the cast iron mortar and pestle set from Alva as I never received them. Instead, I was sent a different item, a 9.5 stainless steel frying pan by the same company. While I was surprised by the product change, I was not disappointed. My new frying pan is excellent. It has a thick, heavy base that gives it a nice balanced weight to the whole pan. It also cooks beautifully. The heat transfer in the pan is excellent, and it cooks evenly across the surface. I would not hesitate to try other products from this manufacturer. In fact, I am currently waiting for a large stockpot from them. If the mortar and pestle set is half as good as my new pan, its gonna be great.. Holly. Mandeville, LA. Wed Jul 12 2023
