On Sun, 11 May 2008 13:40:11 -0400, Goomba38 >
wrote:

>ChattyCathy wrote:
>> On Sun, 11 May 2008 11:49:16 -0400, Goomba38 wrote:
>>
>>> Last night I made chorizo per the recipe in Rick Bayless' "Mexico, One
>>> Plate at a Time" cookbook. It calls for you to grind the bay leaves with
>>> mortar and pestle, which I don't own.
>>
>> You don't own a mortar and pestle? Good grief. We have two.
>>
>> Call yourself a foodie? For shame!
>>
><standing up> Hi... I'm Goomba... I used to be a foodie until my dirty
>little secret came out-I don't have a mortar and pestle! I have an
>adorable and very user friendly little nutmeg grinder though.. does that
>count? LOL
>
>I never had a recipe that called for ground bay leaves before! Honest!
>I always use them whole. I guess I should look into either the spice
>grinder or a mortar/pestle. I can see other uses for one (I like those
>bigazz Mexican ones) Since you own one, do you ever feel you needed a
>powered spice grinder instead or was the ancient method totally adequate?

go nuts and get both. not big-ticket items. (as others have noted,
the m & p is better for grinding with moist ingredients to make a
paste.)

your pal,
blake