Mortar and pestle
"Pestle" redirects here. For words with a similar spelling, see Pestel (disambiguation). Mortar and pestle A simple kitchen mortar and pestle Other names Mortar grinding machine Uses Grinding Mixing Related items Mill Mortar and pestle are kitchen implements used since ancient times to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder. The mortar ( / ˈ m ɔːr t ər / ) is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, metal, ceramic, or hard stone, such as granite. The pestle ( / ˈ p ɛ s əl / ) is a heavy and blunt club-shaped object. The substance to be ground, which may be wet or dry, is placed in the mortar, where the pestle is pressed and rotated onto it until the desired texture is achieved. Pestles and mortars have been used in cooking up to the present day; they are frequently also associated with the profession of pharmacy due to their historical use in preparing medicines. They can also be used in masonry and in other types of constru...