Julie Bove wrote:

> I had a really good marble mortar and pestle. But when we move here,
> the pestle never arrived. I kept the mortar for a while, hoping it
> would show up. Never did. My new one is not as good. It's black. Not
> sure what it is made of.

In Liguria, home of the renowned Pesto alla Genovese, they swear by marble
mortar and olive wood pestle.
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin