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. I tried to do it in the food
processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
but it barely worked.
Any other suggestions to get the job done?

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. I tried to do it in the food
> processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
> but it barely worked.
> Any other suggestions to get the job done?

You can grind them in an electric spice grinder. I make garam masala
(which contains bay leaves) that way.

Ground bay leaves are also good to use with soups such as split pea or bean.

"Goomba38" > wrote in message
. ..
> 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. I tried to do it in the food
> processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive but
> it barely worked.
> Any other suggestions to get the job done?

It's a pain. My solution; I purchased Ground Bay Leaves at Publix. The
brand name is "Badia".

On May 11, 11:09*am, "weedhopper" > wrote:
> "Goomba38" > wrote in message
>
> . ..
>
> > 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. I tried to do it in the food
> > processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive but
> > it barely worked.
> > Any other suggestions to get the job done?
>
> It's a pain. My solution; I purchased Ground Bay Leaves at Publix. *The
> brand name is "Badia".

Any international food marget should have ground (molido) bay leaves
in the Mexican section. I use them for pasta sauce. I was upset when
Penzey's quit carrying the ground bay leaves.

--Bryan

Bobo Bonobo® wrote:

> Any international food marget should have ground (molido) bay leaves
> in the Mexican section. I use them for pasta sauce. I was upset when
> Penzey's quit carrying the ground bay leaves.
>
> --Bryan

I've always used whole in my tomato sauces, soups and the like, and pick
out the leaves before serving. I like to be able to choose the size of
the leaf to the use. How much ground do you reckon equals a good sized leaf?

"Goomba38" > wrote in message
. ..
> Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
>
>> Any international food marget should have ground (molido) bay leaves
>> in the Mexican section. I use them for pasta sauce. I was upset when
>> Penzey's quit carrying the ground bay leaves.
>>
>> --Bryan
>
> I've always used whole in my tomato sauces, soups and the like, and pick
> out the leaves before serving. I like to be able to choose the size of the
> leaf to the use. How much ground do you reckon equals a good sized leaf?

I would start with 1/8 teaspoon.

On May 11, 1:59*pm, Goomba38 > wrote:
> Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
> > Any international food marget should have ground (molido) bay leaves
> > in the Mexican section. *I use them for pasta sauce. *I was upset when
> > Penzey's quit carrying the ground bay leaves.
>
> > --Bryan
>
> I've always used whole in my tomato sauces, soups and the like, and pick
> out the leaves before serving. I like to be able to choose the size of
> the leaf to the use. How much ground do you reckon equals a good sized leaf?

I don't know, but what I do know is that it takes hours to get a
reasonable amount of flavor out of the whole leaves. I just started
using the powdered a few years ago. So much easier. Often, I make a
sauce with only tomato paste, water and bay leaf. Then I simmer well-
browned meatballs in it.

--Bryan

Bobo Bonobo wrote:
> Goomba38 wrote:
> > Bobo Bonobo wrote:
> > > Any international food marget should have ground (molido) bay leaves
> > > in the Mexican section. �I use them for pasta sauce. �I was upset when
> > > Penzey's quit carrying the ground bay leaves.
>
> > > --Bryan
>
> > I've always used whole in my tomato sauces, soups and the like, and pick
> > out the leaves before serving. I like to be able to choose the size of
> > the leaf to the use. How much ground do you reckon equals a good sized leaf?
>
> I don't know, but what I do know is that it takes hours to get a
> reasonable amount of flavor out of the whole leaves. �I just started
> using the powdered a few years ago. �So much easier. �
>
> Often, I make a sauce with only tomato paste, water and bay
> leaf. �Then I simmer well-browned meatballs in it.

What... no garlic and oregano... and I think it's illegal to make that
without grape jelly.

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. I tried to do it in the food
>processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
>but it barely worked.
>Any other suggestions to get the job done?

Use a coffee grinder, like a Braun, or Krups. I use one for spices
all the time.

Christine

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> 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. I tried to do it in the food
>>processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
>>but it barely worked.
>>Any other suggestions to get the job done?
>
> Use a coffee grinder, like a Braun, or Krups. I use one for spices
> all the time.
>
> Christine

I have an electric coffee grinder for spice grinding.

Earlier this evening I even ground up some dried mushrooms in it, a
sprinkled topping on a rice dish.

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!

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Egg tastes better when it's not on your face...

On Sun 11 May 2008 09:16:41a, ChattyCathy told us...

> 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!
>

I have a mortar and pestle, but I wouldn't even consider trying to grind up
bay leaves in it. Too laborious. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/11(XI)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Today is: Mother's Day, Pentecost
Countdown till Memorial Day
2wks 14hrs 15mins
-------------------------------------------
Cats must play 'hockey' with a shampoo
cap in the bathtub in the wee hours of
the morning.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> I have a mortar and pestle, but I wouldn't even consider trying to grind up
> bay leaves in it. Too laborious. :-)
>
But..but.. Rick says to do it that way!!
I've never had a recipe call for ground bay leaves before, to tell you
the truth? At least I don't recall one....?

Goomba38 > wrote:

>Wayne Boatwright wrote:

>> I have a mortar and pestle, but I wouldn't even consider trying to grind up
>> bay leaves in it. Too laborious. :-)

>But..but.. Rick says to do it that way!!
>I've never had a recipe call for ground bay leaves before, to tell you
>the truth? At least I don't recall one....?

The Rick Bayless recipe for chorizo seasoning I have does
not include ground bay leaves.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:

> The Rick Bayless recipe for chorizo seasoning I have does
> not include ground bay leaves.
>
> Steve

From "Mexico-One Plate at a Time" page 26
Chorizo Mexicano

1.5 pounds lean boneless pork shoulder..
8 ounces pork fat
12 medium dried ancho chiles...
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp cinnamon, pref fresh ground Mexican canela
1/8 tsp cloves, pref fresh ground
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
Thyme and marjoram (1 T fresh or 1 tsp dried)
Salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar

I was surprised by there being no garlic though! It seems to need some...

On Sun 11 May 2008 10:41:35a, Goomba38 told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> I have a mortar and pestle, but I wouldn't even consider trying to
>> grind up bay leaves in it. Too laborious. :-)
>>
> But..but.. Rick says to do it that way!!
> I've never had a recipe call for ground bay leaves before, to tell you
> the truth? At least I don't recall one....?

I don't mind breaking with "tradition" or recommendations if I like the
result the way I chose to prepare it. I've come to realize, after reading
countelss cookbooks, that some procedures are performed in great part for
effect.

I don't think a lot of recipes call for ground bay leaves, but I often do
grind them because I like the way it works in recipes. I also use them
whole, depending on what I'm making.



--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/11(XI)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Today is: Mother's Day, Pentecost
Countdown till Memorial Day
2wks 13hrs 10mins
-------------------------------------------
Only fools are certain; it takes
wisdom to be confused.
-------------------------------------------

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Sun 11 May 2008 10:41:35a, Goomba38 told us...
>
>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>
>>> I have a mortar and pestle, but I wouldn't even consider trying to
>>> grind up bay leaves in it. Too laborious. :-)
>>>
>> But..but.. Rick says to do it that way!!
>> I've never had a recipe call for ground bay leaves before, to tell you
>> the truth? At least I don't recall one....?
>
> I don't mind breaking with "tradition" or recommendations if I like the
> result the way I chose to prepare it. I've come to realize, after reading
> countelss cookbooks, that some procedures are performed in great part for
> effect.
>
> I don't think a lot of recipes call for ground bay leaves, but I often do
> grind them because I like the way it works in recipes. I also use them
> whole, depending on what I'm making.
>
>
>
Our bay tree finally got big enough I could start harvesting leaves.
Fresh bay leaves a different taste than the dried ones. Similar, but
enough difference to make me try it again.

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?

Goomba38 > wrote in
:

> 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?
>

I have 3 mortar and pestles (small medium and large. A dedicated
motorized coffee err spice grinder. Plus a manual coffee grinder from a
lee valley kit modified to take my battery operated drill for quanities
of fresh ground pepper etc...

The mortar and pestles are great for wetish stuff like garlic cloves
spice blends and added oil. The spice grinder best on dried stuff. For
anything eles I use my stick blender with its'chopping attachment.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

A man in line at the bank kept falling over...when he got to a teller he
asked for his balance.

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?

Many sausage recipes call for powdered bay leaves... you can buy them
already ground form the sausage supply places... The Sausage Maker has
it <http://www.sausagemaker.com> but probably too large a size for
your need. One of those little coffee bean whizzers will handle a few
bay leaves easily, crumble them first... be sure they're whizzed to a
fine powder, you don't want anyone choking on any sharp bits. I
seriously doubt dried bay leaves can be ground with a mortar and
pestal, you'll grind the pestle to a nub first... Rick Bayless is a
foodtv personality, he's no kind of cook, he plays a cook on tv...
like most foodtv personalities he has no practical experience, his
backgrond is that his family owned a small family operated Mexican
restuarant in Okalahoma, as a kid they probably made him do scullery
work. He was an undergraduate student of Spanish and Latin American
culture, and then a doctoral student in anthropological linguistics,
didn't get his Phd... he never accquired formal culinary training...
that chorizo recipe is probably his mother's, he probably never
touched a bay leaf in his life... Bayless suits him. hehe

Sheldon wrote:

One of those little coffee bean whizzers will handle a few
> bay leaves easily, crumble them first... be sure they're whizzed to a
> fine powder, you don't want anyone choking on any sharp bits. I
> seriously doubt dried bay leaves can be ground with a mortar and
> pestal, you'll grind the pestle to a nub first...

I'd rather not buy ground if I already have whole and can grind them
(somehow!) myself. I just dislike the redundancy of owning both, y'know?

Rick Bayless is a
> foodtv personality, he's no kind of cook, he plays a cook on tv...

Sheldon! How can you say that!? He had this restaurant long before he
had his television show!
He's earned prestigious food awards (James Beard, for example) and he
has an obvious passion for Mexico. I don't believe one has to be born
into a culture or ethnicity to become a respected expert on it.

On May 11, 3:08*pm, Goomba38 > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> * One of those little coffee bean whizzers will handle a few
>
> > bay leaves easily, crumble them first... be sure they're whizzed to a
> > fine powder, you don't want anyone choking on any sharp bits. *I
> > seriously doubt dried bay leaves can be ground with a mortar and
> > pestal, you'll grind the pestle to a nub first...
>
> I'd rather not buy ground if I already have whole and can grind them
> (somehow!) myself. I just dislike the redundancy of owning both, y'know?

But you've already admitted you don't have the equipment to grind them
yourself.
Yes it's redundant but you're better off being redundant than having
the wrong thing in your sausage. Bay leaf is one of those things that
can be dangerous if it's not ground fine enough.
Someone's suggestion of buying the ground bay leaf from Badia was a
good one. You can most likely pick up a little pouch of it, for under
$1. Even if you're stuck buying a small jar....$2. Not a huge
investment and you will find uses for it.

Why waste your time with a recipe if you're not going to make it the
way you should? When the right ingredient costs so little, it doesn't
make sense to skimp. It's not like you have to go far to find it or go
to any great lengths. Badia brand spices are available wherever Latino
or Mexican groceries are sold. It's so simple. Just buy it pre ground.
It will take much less effort than the great debate between "mortar/
pestle or coffee grinder?", and certainly much less effort than
grinding it yourself once you settle the debate.

"Goomba38" > wrote in message
. ..
> 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?

I've always had a mortar/pestle. Totally useless. A mini food processor is
the modern way to fly.

"Goomba38" > wrote in message

> I never had a recipe that called for ground bay leaves before! Honest!
> I always use them whole.

Neither have I had such a recipe, but I'm a Italian son, we don't grind
up bay leaves. Not in my family.

Steve

On Sun 11 May 2008 11:02:04p, Steve Pope told us...

> "Goomba38" > wrote in message
>
>> I never had a recipe that called for ground bay leaves before! Honest!
>> I always use them whole.
>
> Neither have I had such a recipe, but I'm a Italian son, we don't grind
> up bay leaves. Not in my family.
>
> Steve
>

Most of the time I use them whole, as with roasts, long-simmering sauces,
etc., but I find it convenient to grind them to a powder to use in rubs and
dishes that are either not cooked at all or only for a short time.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Monday, 05(V)/12(XII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
1wks 6dys 23hrs 45mins
-------------------------------------------
Adding manpower to a late software
project only makes it later.
-------------------------------------------

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


> <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

<Cathy grins at Goomba>

I was just surprised that you didn't own a mortar and pestle, I thought
everybody had one...

FWIW, I don't recall ever having seen a recipe that calls for grinding bay
leaves either - we usually use them whole and then fish them out before
serving so they don't choke anyone.


> 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?

To answer your question - I must admit we still use the 'ancient method'
quite often for making rubs and grinding spices that go into marinades;
DH often uses it to grind spices for his 'secret' salad dressings. So no,
I've never felt the need to rush out and buy an electric spice
grinder...I've never even bought an electric food processor (I have a
manual one - a "Twista manual FP" to be exact) - but I do like my electric
blender for quite a few things.

BTW, Jamie Oliver uses a pestle and mortar quite often in his cooking
shows - and <big surprise> they sell the "Jamie Oliver brand" pestle and
mortar in some of the kitchen stores here (at a shockingly expensive
price, I might add).

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Egg tastes better when it's not on your face...

On 2008-05-12, ChattyCathy > wrote:
>
> FWIW, I don't recall ever having seen a recipe that calls for grinding bay
> leaves either........

It's common in Indian cooking. I recently talked to my daughter and she
finally was able to pick me up a bag of whole spice garam masala. It has
all the whole spice seeds like fennel, coriander, etc, and whole bay leaves.
The idea is, you grab a handful and toss it in the grinder or mortar. Very
fresh and you can always pick out whichever single seeds/leaves you may need
for other recipes. A one 1 lb bag costs about $4 and provides about 6=10
spices in a single mix. Very handy.

nb

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

On Sun, 11 May 2008 18:16:41 +0200, 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!

they are nice to have, and need not be expensive.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy wrote:

>> Call yourself a foodie? For shame!
>
> they are nice to have, and need not be expensive.
>
> your pal,
> blake

I googled up the prices at Surly Table, Cooking.com, W&S, Chez Target,
etc. I think I prefer the ones with large squat pestles rather than
longer thin ones. They seem more intuitively ergodynamic to the task,
y'know?
I'm going to order one today.

On 2008-05-12, Goomba38 > wrote:


> I'm going to order one today.

NO! .WAIT!!.......

Get one of these:

http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html

Thai granite M&P's rock!.... literally. None better. Less pounding, better
crushing, etc. I tossed my other M&Ps. No comparison.

nb

notbob wrote:
> On 2008-05-12, Goomba38 > wrote:
>
>
>> I'm going to order one today.
>
> NO! .WAIT!!.......
>
> Get one of these:
>
> http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html
>
> Thai granite M&P's rock!.... literally. None better. Less pounding, better
> crushing, etc. I tossed my other M&Ps. No comparison.
>
> nb

LOL, Okay, you caught me before I hit the "order" button!
Which size do you prefer?

On Sun 11 May 2008 08:49:16a, Goomba38 told us...

> 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. I tried to do it in the food
> processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
> but it barely worked.
> Any other suggestions to get the job done?

Yes, I use a "whirly blade" type of coffee grinder to grind all my spices.
It quickly reduces almost anything, including bay leaves, to a fine powder.
If you don't have one, it's worth the usually cheap investment. I'm still
using the $15 Oster that I bought in the 1970s.

Other notably had things to grind are whole cloves and allspice berries.
The coffee mill totally pulverizes them.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/11(XI)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Today is: Mother's Day, Pentecost
Countdown till Memorial Day
2wks 14hrs 25mins
-------------------------------------------
Be careful when you're playing under
the anvil tree.
-------------------------------------------

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. I tried to do it in the food
>processor, even adding the salt from the recipe to act as an abrasive
>but it barely worked.
>Any other suggestions to get the job done?

Do you have a whirly blade coffee grinder? that would probably be
best. Did the recipe specify fresh or dried? I think that might make a
difference also.

I've gotten in the bad habit of buying mortars and pestles. I have
probably 5 in graduating sizes. Believe it or not I use most of them.
I don't have one as big as Christine's granddaddy of them all though.

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 5/11
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

wrote:

> Do you have a whirly blade coffee grinder? that would probably be
> best. Did the recipe specify fresh or dried? I think that might make a
> difference also.
>
No, I don't have a whirly blade coffee grinder! I don't drink coffee,
lol. I'm a tea drinker.
I will be in the market for either a whirly diddy or the mortar/pestle
though. Which one would you suggest being most valuable if I only wanted
one or the other?

Goomba38 wrote:
>
> wrote:
>
> > Do you have a whirly blade coffee grinder? that would probably be
> > best. Did the recipe specify fresh or dried? I think that might make a
> > difference also.
> >
> No, I don't have a whirly blade coffee grinder! I don't drink coffee,
> lol. I'm a tea drinker.
> I will be in the market for either a whirly diddy or the mortar/pestle
> though. Which one would you suggest being most valuable if I only wanted
> one or the other?

No M&P, no coffee grinder. I'm revoking your membership
in RFC.

You do have a stick blender, right? You might be
able to grind the leaves by crumbling them into
one of the other ingredients, such as the cider
vinegar, then using the blender to pulverize the
bay leaf bits while they're suspended in the liquid.

Mark Thorson wrote:

> No M&P, no coffee grinder. I'm revoking your membership
> in RFC.

<pout>
>
> You do have a stick blender, right? You might be
> able to grind the leaves by crumbling them into
> one of the other ingredients, such as the cider
> vinegar, then using the blender to pulverize the
> bay leaf bits while they're suspended in the liquid.

I tried it using kosher salt but it wasn't too successful. Something
wicked odd about those thin, dry leaves I tell ya!
I've often used coarse salt to help grind and smash garlic directly on
the cutting board or in the food processor. It works well there.

On Sun, 11 May 2008 15:11:27 -0400, Goomba38 >
wrote:

>Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> No M&P, no coffee grinder. I'm revoking your membership
>> in RFC.
>
><pout>
>>
>> You do have a stick blender, right? You might be
>> able to grind the leaves by crumbling them into
>> one of the other ingredients, such as the cider
>> vinegar, then using the blender to pulverize the
>> bay leaf bits while they're suspended in the liquid.
>
>I tried it using kosher salt but it wasn't too successful. Something
>wicked odd about those thin, dry leaves I tell ya!
>I've often used coarse salt to help grind and smash garlic directly on
>the cutting board or in the food processor. It works well there.

the mortar and pestle is ideal for this, and the clean-up is easier.

your pal,
blake

Mark Thorson wrote:
> Goomba38 wrote:
> > k.. wrote:
>
> > > �Do you have a whirly blade coffee grinder? �that would probably be
> > > best. Did the recipe specify fresh or dried? I think that might make a
> > > difference also.
>
> > No, I don't have a whirly blade coffee grinder! I don't drink coffee,
> > lol. I'm a tea drinker.
> > I will be in the market for either a whirly diddy or the mortar/pestle
> > though. Which one would you suggest being most valuable if I only wanted
> > one or the other?
>
> No M&P, no coffee grinder. �I'm revoking your membership
> in RFC.
>
> You do have a stick blender, right? �You might be
> able to grind the leaves by crumbling them into
> one of the other ingredients, such as the cider
> vinegar, then using the blender to pulverize the
> bay leaf bits while they're suspended in the liquid.

A stick blender won't work any better than a regular blender or her
food processor.

All else fails I'd try crumbling a few bay leaves and running them
through a pepper mill set on the finest grind... I've never done this
so I've no idea of the results, and I'm not intimately familiar with
Goomba's grinder but I've heard only good things.

Maybe brewing a strong bay leaf infusion will suffice.

Sheldon wrote:
>
> A stick blender won't work any better than a regular blender or her
> food processor.

I'd agree that a stick blender is no better than
a regular blender, but I disagree with regard to
a food processor. With a blender, there's at least
a chance it would achieve a fine grind. I'm pretty
sure a normal food processor would produce a coarse
grind, at best.

> All else fails I'd try crumbling a few bay leaves and running them
> through a pepper mill set on the finest grind... I've never done this
> so I've no idea of the results, and I'm not intimately familiar with
> Goomba's grinder but I've heard only good things.

That's a good suggestion. I think it might work.
Of course, that assumes she has a pepper mill.
I'm not sure we can even assume she has a spoon.

> Maybe brewing a strong bay leaf infusion will suffice.

That seems like an even better suggestion. She could
do a cold infusion overnight into the cider vinegar
without upsetting the basic proportions of the recipe.
I've never done a cold extraction on bay leaves,
so I don't know how easily they give up their flavor.

Boosting the number of bay leaves would help ensure
the infusion had sufficient flavoring punch. On the
plus side, it would remove the bay leaf solids from
the final product, which could only be beneficial.