Molcajete with Tortilla Basket

Nothing compares to the flavors that volcanic stone brings out of spices and vegetables. The more you use it, the more flavor and character you get. One day, you’ll be ready to pass it on to your grandkids. Its rough surface is made entirely of volcanic stone, ideal for grinding and releasing flavorful oils from vegetables and spices.

Our molcajete can make guac for one, but we found that everyone loves to gather around. Grab some chips, grab some friends, and you’ve got yourself a piece of kitchenware and awkward-situation-insurance. Each molcajete is packed in a tortilla basket made of handwoven palm leaves to serve in style. Each basket is unique in color and pattern. You can use the basket for corn chips, or tortillas.

Just like cast iron, molcajetes need to be cured, or “broken in”. Small grains of the rock can loosen from the surface when it’s first used, giving your food a gritty texture. Curing helps smooth the surface.

Here’s how we recommend curing before first use:

1. Rinse the molcajete with water (or let soak in water overnight), then clean with a wire brush, or toothbrush, to get rid of surface debris and dust.
2. Place enough rice to make an even layer across the bottom of the molcajete.
3. Pour in about a tablespoon of water, then use the pestle to work the rice up and around the entire inner surface of the molcajete until the rice has formed a grey paste.
4. Rinse out the paste, and repeat the rice grinding until the resulting paste is no longer grey.
5. You can then repeat with garlic, onion, cumin seeds, rock salt, or cilantro to add a seasoned flavor before your first use.

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  To provide more flexibility for holiday shopping, we’ve extended our exchange window. Items purchased for holiday gifts are eligible for exchange through January 15.