On Friday, November 24, 2017 at 11:08:24 PM UTC-5, cshenk wrote:
> wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > On Thursday, November 23, 2017 at 9:57:12 PM UTC-5, cshenk wrote:
> >
> > > On the gear, the: mortar (or is it a pestle?) bit? The bowl like
> > > part is the mortar and the masher part is the pestle.
> >
> >
> > Thanks for both those posts. I have a great memory, no bragging,
> > it's true. But for some reason even though I have been told before
> > on several occasions which is the mortar and which is the pestle I
> > for some reason never get it planted in my brain. Probably because I
> > don't use it much. I used to have a good wooden one with a nice
> > thick rounded pestle. The one I have now is some kind of marble with
> > a pestle that is too thin. But it's usable. The hummus turned out
> > great. I am with you and your family - I am no vegetarian but eat
> > lots of veggies and keep the meat to 3 ounces typically. Now and
> > then a good 6 to 8 ounce steak is nice, but it's not a regular thing
> > with me. I'm a soup and stew type guy, also cold dishes slung
> > together such as the fruit plate I mentioned with the hummus. I got
> > into the 6 day prep routine over the years when I drove a cab and
> > didn't have enough time to cook every day. Now that I am 'retired'
> > and collecting $735 a month SSI I still use that same system. I live
> > on less than some people spend in a week, but I feel wealthy because
> > I don't have to work. I also said, "No matter how much money you
> > make, if you HAVE to work you're not rich." Thanks for your posts.
> >
> > TJ
>
> Hi TJ, and no problem! I have dyslexia so spelling tends to be my
> issue. Every now and again you will see someone here go bonkers about
> it. Like is it pestel or pestle? I dunno! Anyways, the different
> thicknesses to the matching bowl depend on what you are making. All
> work, but some are more efficient for some things. In places I have
> lived where they were common kitchen things, they tended to have 3
> mortars of variable sizes and up to 6 pestles (sp?), also of variable
> sizes. It was depending on what they needed to crush/mash as to what
> was used.
>
> On living within your means, I am with you. Some here try to pretend
> upscale but aren't and some make more $$ but cook simply and we have
> one angel who caretook of her mom and inherted the house that turns out
> is in an HOA. She has to either eat at the clubhouse or pay them some
> annual fee if she doesn't eat there to the annual required level (crazy
> I know but we have fun seeing the menus when she posts them).
>
> Anyways, we have some commonality in cookery between us!
> Carol
Glad to hear I've got company. It's not just a money issue, it's availability. Seems some things are harder to find these days. The old wooden mortar and pestle I had (can't they just give it one name?) - I got it an an Arab shop about 25 miles from here back when my brother who had a car lived here. I have not had a car in 40 years. One time in L.A. I had a guy I drove cab for offer me a car for free but I turned it down because I knew I worked only for the weekend and would not have enough money to care for it. A car is another mouth to feed. But not having one keeps me walking, and that's good. Some things have passed me by. Like a radio/cd player I had for 22 years that finally went down 6 months ago. "No big deal", I thought, "they are cheap, I'll just buy me another one." Well, not so easy. Walmart didn't have a single one, neither did Best Buy. I hate shopping. Even worse I dread it. I saw some rad/cd players on the web but am not pleased with the idea of buying unfamiliar products without at least touching them. I can make do with the mortar and pestle I have. The hummus making is a chore but I'm doing it nearly every week so I've got it down to a routine. Thanks for your comments.
TJ