Mortar and Pestle

It all started with a trip to the bookstore last week when my mother was taking care of the kids. Jeffrey came across a laminated card about Identifying Medicinal Herbs and asked his Grandma to buy it for him which of course she did. A few days later he announced to me that he is going to be a Herbologist when he grows up, and that as soon as everything is growing again he is going to go out in the woods and gather plants to get started practicing. Then he told me: "But there's something else that I need, Mommy, it's like a bowl with with this crushing thing..." Oh, a Mortar and Pestle. We don't have one of those.

The last time I thought about a Mortar and Pestle was actually because of this blog, all the way back to when I bought all that Cardamom, and I got a comment from my old cubemate Danielle, who said she used a Mortar and Pestle to grind up Cardamom Seeds to use in making bread, which then set off the whole DFSS bread-making contest. Except that my Cardamom was already ground up. Since at that time I was trying to learn about cooking, I wondered whether I should own a mortar and pestle. I vaguely remember my mother having one, a pinkish little bowl made of some heavy marble, I think.

Anyways, now Jeffrey was fixated on obtaining a mortar and pestle, and last weekend talked me into taking him to our local Meijer store to see if they sold them. We looked up and down the aisles of kitchen gadgets but no such luck. On the way home we stopped at the library and Jeff picked out a book and instructional video about making things from herbs.

And then today while Larry was at the church I wanted to try to do my new Yoga Booty Ballet exercises but needed to keep the boys occupied. So I let them get started on their idea of "Extreme Room Makeover" which consisted of taking all of the objects out of their closets and shelves and piling them up in the hallway. Once Larry got back I had in my mind to make a trip to Target, they have sent me a 10% off coupon. I figured I could use it to save on cleaning supplies that we always use, and maybe take a peek at their Global Bazaar home decorations while I was there. Jeffrey wanted to come along so he could see if they sold a mortar and pestle. I really wanted to shop alone so I promised that I would look for it.

As I was getting ready to leave I could see that the situation of the mess in the hallway wasn't going over very well with Larry, and I suggested that maybe they should make an outing to the Farmer's Market to buy fresh herbs and use them for making dinner. Then I got the heck out of there.

So I made my way through Target and was pacing in front of the wall of mysterious kitchen gadgets willing the shape of a mortar and pestle to form in front of my eyes, when my cell phone started singing from inside of my purse. It was Larry, sounding a little edgy, asking where I was. I told him in the kitchen area looking for a mortar and pestle. He said that they were heading out to the Farmer's Market. Just as he was hanging up I heard Jeffrey's little voice rising from the background: "Remind her to get my mortar and...click."

I propelled my red cart back and forth along the aisles one more time, scanning...and then I spotted a red box on a low shelf next to a tortilla heater. The picture was what I was looking for! But the box was titled "Guacamole Set." I squatted down to read the smaller print which said: "Set Includes: Traditional Molcajete (mortar and pestle) lemon squeezer, and avocado slicer." The thing is bigger, and more expensive, than what I was imagining, but I so wanted to come home and present my sweet little son with object of his heart's desire. I tapped the speed dial on my cell phone. Larry answered, in the car on the way to the market. "You need to buy avocados." I told him about the Guacamole Set. "I don't like avocados!" he complained. Then he tries another approach: "Those are fattening!" I know that Jeffrey will want to use this thing right away. "Just get some avocados!" and I click the phone shut.

Well as soon as I pull into the garage Jeffrey came leaping out to help me carry the bags in, hoping for what he might find inside. Of course he was thrilled when he found it. The thing is huge and heavy and likely to scratch the counter. Oh well. Right after our dinner of herbed raspberry chicken we made some delicious guacamole.

It sometimes wonder if it's just my kids that seem to get these crazy things in their heads to want that seem so far removed from what normal children are supposed to desire. I kind of think all kids get that way at some point. In fact, thinking about Danielle reminded me of the time her son only wanted a Chandelier for Christmas. So that he could swing from it like on "Cheaper by the Dozen." So it's not just us. And now if there's anything that needs to be mashed up, we are READY.