EL MOLCAJETE

I've been looking for one of these babies since we arrived here. When I'd ask at the kitchen stores in market, they'd refer me to the ferretería (hardware store). And vice versa. Yesterday we were in a new aisle at the market and I asked a woman who had hand-made pitchers and utensils if she had a "mortero de piedra (stone mortar)." She leaned under the counter and pulled out the pestle.

"Yes," I exclaimed, but what about the mortero part. She leaned over again and . . . there we were! I was so excited. It's called a molcajete--hand-carved from volcanic rock. El sr. Jubilado had to carry it home because it weighs around 20 lbs. He got gray stone stuff all over his hands.

Now we have to cure it. You rinse it with water and dry it. Then you grind up rice in it until the rice is no longer gray and the inside surface is smooth. Then you macerate garlic and whatever your favorite spices are to scent it. So far el sr. J. has ground up 1 batch of rice.

There'll be a demonstration at a future date. For now, we are left with this indigenous artifact dominating our kitchen.