Molcajete, the Quintessential Mexican Cuisine Utensil

The molcajete, a millennia-old craft, is one of the most representative utensils of Mexican cuisine that we still use today. It’s a three-legged mortar made with volcanic stone, and is used to crush various ingredients with the tejolote (pestle), also made of volcanic stone.  The roughness and hardness of the stone is ideal for grinding and crushing any variety of herbs and spices and seeds.

Molcajete Sauce

Sauces are an essential complement to Mexican dishes and are commonly prepared with the molcajete. The delicious guacamole or succulent mole traditionally incorporate the use of the molcajete.

Guacalome made with avocados of Michoacan y Pátzcuaro (Restaurante Doña Paca)

The molcajete is a utensil that was used in pre-Hispanic kitchens.  Just imagine how such a thing could survive hundreds of years alongside countless “new and improved” kitchen gadgets.

Our guests at Hotel Mansion Iturbe want to buy not only pre-Hispanic foods and products of the region such as avocado, fresh cheeses or traditional dishes like the corundas and the uchepos; they are also interested in taking home non-perishable items, like the molcajete, that they can actually use once they are home.

Mexican Food: Molcajete Sauce

Molcajetes are produced in Michoacán. The most famous location is San Nicolás Obispo, not far from Morelia, where the artisans go to different markets and flea markets of neighboring villages to sell their products.

Molcajete a Mexican Kitchen utensil

Contribute to the preservation of this Mexican kitchen utensil and take home a piece handicraft that goes back to pre-Hispanic times and is still in common use!

Molcajete a Mexican Cuisine Utensil

And taste some of this fabulous sauces in our own Restaurante Doña Paca in Mansión Iturbe.

*Text & pictures property of Hotel Mansión Iturbe.

We invite you to check more post in our blog, you will find information about Pátzcuaro and its surroundings, that we hope will be useful for you during your next trip to our colonial town.

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Hotel Mansion Iturbe
Portal Morelos 59
Plaza Vasco de Quiroga
61600 Patzcuaro, Michoacan
México

For more information about our Hotel in Patzcuaro

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Tels: +52 (434) 342 0368 / 342 3628

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