How the Georgians Cook

The most important pieces of equipment in the Georgian kitchen are the mortar and the pestle. Whether of wood, stone or both (often the mortar is wooden and the pestle is a stone, an heirloom passed down from mothers to daughters), they are still used throughout Georgia for crushing and grinding spices, herbs and nuts. While they can be replaced by the modern food processor, the crushing action of the pestle does encourage the essential oils of nuts and herbs to be released from their ingredients, and makes Georgian pastes more deeply flavoured.