Customer Reviews for BIA Cordon Bleu 8-Ounce Mortar and Pestle Set, White

BIA Cordon Bleu 8-Ounce Mortar and Pestle Set, White
by Bia Cordon Bleu

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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of BIA Cordon Bleu 8-Ounce Mortar and Pestle Set, White

Customer Review: great starter set
Summary: 5 Stars

i read the reviews and was convinced this was the right mortar & pestle to begin mixing my own spice combinations using whole spices. what was gleaned from various reviews of other items on Amazon was to stay away from certain materials because of issues of staining and porosity, etc. and thus with so many informative reviews it was a safe bet to try this 8-ounce ceramic mortar & pestle out.

it has fulfilled my basic expectations and the initial experience has been a lot of fun. smashing or crushing and then mixing spices together in this way opens up a lot of possibilities. so far i have only made a garam masala blend of whole spices though have yet to cook with it. my other initial goals are making spice rubs for ribs using whole spices instead of powders to begin with. as well, perhaps salad dressing.

what i noticed is that circular spices can 'pop' in the process of grinding and while this bowl is big enough for a a few tablespoons of various whole spices, any more and it seems they would be bouncing all over the surrounding countertop. with this in mind, it was possible to carefully grind about 3 tablespoons of ingredients and perhaps more if powders were included, though if you are planning to make a larger amount then a larger mortar & pestle set would be advised. though this appears to be the reason those who use these devices tend to have several sizes in their collection, because smaller amounts likely are easier to grind in smaller mortars and vice versa. in this way it is an excellent choice for small amounts, in my experience, though over time i may invest in a larger set for larger volumes. i had no idea what to expect and now have a better idea of what will be needed. that said, i am glad to have purchased this set as a vital kitchen tool for my cooking needs/goals. and it is also very rewarding to use, smelling the pungent spices, seeing the colors, and noticing how nicely white ceramic cleans up and is without a mark after its use. it is also impressive how strong it is for being so elegantly thin and glassy.

* highly recommended for grinding small quantities of whole spices *

Customer Review: my pepper grinder
Summary: 5 Stars

I have not found a pepper grinder that I really like enough to buy. I purchased this mortar and pestle set right here on Amazon to get me by. So far it has exceeded my expectations. I do a couple dozen peppercorns at a time and put them in a shaker for later use. I can dial the grind to my liking which is mostly fine with a few course bits. Excellent aroma from my peppercorns. I love black pepper and buy both tellicherry and malabar. The distinct difference jumps right out at me when crushing them. I'm certain I'll find more uses for it. Some whole cumin seed just begging to be crushed for chili. I gifted a friend at work with one a month ago and she loves it. She likes her pepper very fine and this never leaves chunks for her. Just sort of crush the corns and big chunks then stir the pieces around and the rough end of the pestle grinds it perfect. I've stopped searching for a pepper grinder... this will do and the price was right.

Customer Review: What I wanted
Summary: 5 Stars

I have a marble mortar and pestle, but the bottom is a little rough and stained so I wanted to find a new set. I mainly use my sets to grind dry herbs and seeds for herbal teas and this little set appeared to be what I wanted, so I ordered it. This was the perfect size for me and the porcelain is tougher than you'd think. I use it daily and it is holding up very well. Since it doesn't absorb odors, I'm going to try garlic in it.

The vitreous porcelain bowl interior is smooth for about 1/2" down from the rim, then it has a slightly rough texture. It feels a bit like the finest emery paper and is on the bottom of the pestle too, creating opposing "gripping" surfaces. The bowl actually has a capacity greater than the 8 ounces stated in the description if you want to mix liquids directly in it.

The pestle is asymmetrical as mentioned in another review, and I believe this is part of the design rather than poor workmanship. I tend to keep the bowed side down towards the mortar when grinding because it seems to direct the force better.