Copper Mortars & Grinders

Copper mortars and coffee grinders

A mortar crushes spice rather than cutting it, so it keeps more aroma than a blade grinder: pounded by hand, cumin, black pepper and coriander hold their oils inside. Copper mortars are heavy enough not to slide as you work. Hand grinders have an adjustable burr, the finest setting is the one for Turkish coffee.

A blade grinder works by hitting the spice at speed, which heats it. Heat drives off the volatile oils that carry the smell, and what comes out of the chamber is duller than what went in. A pestle bruises and tears the same seed at room temperature, which is why the difference is obvious in the first minute after grinding.

Mortar or grinder?

A mortar is for garlic, spices and nuts; 10 to 16 cm across (4 to 6 in) suits everyday use. A hand grinder is for coffee beans and peppercorns, with bodies from 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) and a separate chamber that collects the grounds. Since coffee loses freshness quickly once ground, a grinder makes a real difference.

Copper mortars weigh 600 g to 1.5 kg depending on size, and the weight is the point: a light mortar walks across the counter as you work. Look for thick walls and a base wider than the mouth.

The Turkish coffee grind

Turkish coffee needs a grind finer than espresso, closer to flour, and most electric grinders cannot reach it. On a hand mill the burr is set by the nut under the handle: tighten it a little at a time and test until the grounds feel like powder between your fingers. Grinding a two-cup dose takes two or three minutes of steady turning, which is part of the ritual rather than a chore.

Use and care

Never leave a mortar wet: spice residue and moisture together leave dark marks. Brush it out dry after use so garlic and spice odours do not carry over, and grind a little rice occasionally to clear the smell. Keep water away from the grinder burr, clean it with a dry brush, and put a drop of food-safe oil on the shaft once a year if the handle stiffens.