Being one of the oldest utensils in Meso-American tradition, the Mexican Molcajete', a version of the traditional mortar and pestle is generally used to crush and mix salsas made of spices and guacamole as much as it is used to blend grains and seeds together into convenient pastes and garnishes. Both useful and decorative in any assortment of kitchens and restaurants with its authentic craft, they are made in Mexico and are made of pure Volcanic Stone and not of marble or cement rock like some other molcajetes you may come across. Before culinary use, the molcajete should be seasoned by grinding curing ingredients such as uncooked rice, salt or white bread against the the molcajete and both sides of the tejolote to fill the small and slight crevices of the lava rock. After curing, the molcajete is used by simply pressing the 'tejelote' against the ingredients inside the molcajete, effectively breaking down every element into a soft blend to your liking. Discard dirt and grind after. The rough surface of the basalt stone creates a superb grinding surface that maintains itself over time as tiny bubbles in the basalt are ground down, replenishing the textured surface. The word "molcajete" comes from the Aztec words "molli" (which means "seasoning" or "sauce") and "caxitl" (which means "bowl"). This item includes 1 lavastone Molcajete with Tejolote. Molcajete measures 8” x 8” x 4.5”, and tejolote measures 3.5” x 2.” Easy to clean. Just scrape out any remaining food and then rinse it under hot running water. Use a kitchen brush to remove any food that is stuck. Add a couple of drops of dish soap and then scrub some more with your kitchen brush.