Mexican Molcajete Bowl with Tortilla Basket by Verve Culture, Basalt Volcanic Stone Mortar and Pestle, Rough Surfaced Mexican Kitchenware for Mixing and Grinding, Oven Safe, 7” Grinding Bowl

This molcajete is of the highest quality! It is beautifully presented in the tortilla warmer basket. I appreciate the integrity of this company. Your high standards give me great peace knowing the materials used for your products are safe.I recommend the How To Season Your Molcajete directions are included with this product. Thank you.

I really like the look and packaging of this Verve Culture Molcajete in Basket, and appreciate that it is made by artisans. The stone is a volcanic rock and has really big pores in it- like about the size of 1/2 a rice grain. Apparently, this is normal and it needs to be "cured" before use, by grinding in onion or garlic to a paste and leaving it overnight, or adding salt or dry rice and grinding and rinsing (from the internet- i'm no expert). I'm not completely sure why this will cure it, but i'm imagining that it must take away some of the grit and loose debris that comes out of the rock and pores when u first get it. I washed and scrubbed this with a brush when I first received this.Not knowing I was supposed to cure it, I was grinding some ginger and garlic as my first try-out, and i got flakes of rock in my paste. Additionally, the rock created ground rock dust and debris on my tabletop from the legs as I pounded the food. I've read this is normal.... but it's tough to use this, even if it's made to be like this. I think once you use this a lot, most of the grit will be gone. The pores, altho really hard to clean out, also create a good surface texture to grind your food- so there's that. I'll keep trying. I am finding this works best when i have enough soft food in the bowl, so that the pestle (tejolote) doesn't actually contact the stone from the bowl, thus helping to avoid creating more rock dust.

I lived in San Diego (i.e. home of great Mexican food and neighbor of Mexico) for almost 20 years; I know about molcajetes. This is an authentic molcajete and if you cure it (as all volcanic rock needs), it works perfectly!This is made from volcanic rock (aka basalt). This is the authentic substance for molcajetes; you do not want one made from cement. You need to season them, which is pretty easy. (Rinse with water, grind white rice into entire surface, rinse again - several times - and then rub garlic and salt into it.) Once seasoned it is ready to use: and you will find that anything you make in it (guacamole, salsa, etc) will have an enhanced flavor! The way the pestle (tejolote) crushes ingredients brings out flavors better than using a metal blade. Trust me.Other tips:- Clean with warm water and a brush, air dry- Like cast iron, NEVER use soap- When grinding you can put the molcajete on a towel so the table or counter doesn't get scratched- You can store it in the basket or use the basket as a tortilla holder during mealsBottom Line: Authentic and perfect. Treat it right and you will get more flavorful foods.

I bought another 8” molcajete on amazon as a gift. I bought this one for myself (different brand) and couldn’t believe my eyes when it came. It’s smaller than a cereal bowl. Making guac with more yah. Half an avocado is not possible in this cute little item.

My Mother had one of these when I was growing up and she made her own mole', salsa, guacamole, etc. I love the presentation of the molcajete. It came in a box and when you open it up, it is nestled in a colorful basket. So cute! The molcajete is solid and heavy and learned from my Mother to grind the mortar into the pestle to release any excess rock and then run it under running water. It's perfect and it made a great guacamole! Love it!

The straw basket is colorful and makes a nice presentation; plus the mortar and pestle can be stored in it dust-free--and looks nice on the counter. The mortar and pestle are lightweight because the material is lava stone--full of pores. It is a large bowl on 3 legs and looks heavy until you pick it up. I find that to be an unexpected bonus. There is some washing prep with the grinding of rice to do before the first use, but it's worth it.Read the instructions!

I disliked what it was made from.

I have to be honest - my review is skewed a bit since I think the price for this product is way too high, especially given the competition that can be found just on this site. I live in New Mexico and can buy one of these for 1\2 the price that has already been seasoned\cleared of grit (more on that later).Beyond that, though, the quality is high. It’s heavy and definitely looks handmade. Please note that it’s described as a 7” molcajete but in reality it’s about 7.5” edge-to-edge and about 6.5” inside the bowl. Again - handmade, so the size may vary, but I thought I’d mention it. The pestle is made of the same VERY porous material as the bowl, so it can be a bit of a pain to use and will pick up a lot of food material as it’s being used.Instructions come with it that outlines the (extremely important) steps you will need to take to both season and clean this set. Since it’s hand hewn and made of volcanic rock, there is grit on the surface and caught in the pores. Before using this for food prep, you will want to soak it in water overnight and then use the pestle to smash white rice all over the inside of the bowl. The rice will turn into grayish paste as it absorbs the grit, so this process needs to be repeated until the rice no longer changes color. It’s a pain but an important step if you want to avoid microscopic, crunchy rocks in your guacamole! Afterwards, it’s important to season the bowl\pestle - I’ve used avocado oil with great results.The little basket is cute and can be used to serve tortillas, etc.. 3-stars for over-pricing. This is a nice set but not special enough to justify it, and the porous nature if the pestle leaves a lot to be desired.