Meet My Mashers: ¡Machacador!

I don’t know that I’ve ever met a bean masher I didn’t like.

I pick them up whenever I see them. I like all the different sized but my favorite one is somewhat big and made from madrone wood. It’s from Native Seeds/SEARCH and is incredibly substantial.

I always oil them with food-grade mineral oil but even with care, the cheap ones can split. It’s not the end of the world although I wonder if food couldn’t get trapped and create some trouble.

I don’t know if a wooden bean masher works any better than a metal potato masher but it’s a nice tool to pick up when you’re traveling.

They work well on guacamole as well.

Before you ask, I don’t know where you can get these other types in the states and I don’t have them for sale.

Cooking With Clay, Part 7: Cazuelas from Puebla

While Puebla is best known for it’s pretty Talavera pottery with it’s ornate decoration and fusion of styles from the old world to the new, I of course go looking for the rustic pots and jars for cooking. Just outside of Puebla is the hip little town of Cholula and I found a studio there making traditional cazuelas.

The cazuelas are made from a form, not a potter’s wheel.

Obviously they come in all sizes. I considered renting the one shown above as a summer home.

Spreading the clay.

The crowded kiln.

I ended up not buying anything because these were loaded with lead. There are plenty of clever potters who know that the slightly more expensive lead-free slip can make them a lot more money. None of the potters I spoke with seemed to care much while almost all the craftsmen in San Felipe, just outside of Guanajuato were proud of their lead-free products. You can get small lead testing kits from any hardware store.

Clay Bean Pots from San Felipe

The state of Guanajuato is in the center of Mexico and sadly, here in the states it’s probably best known for the town of San Miguel de Allende, which has a population of ex-pat "artists" and retirees among the locals. I’m sure it’s nice but I didn’t come to Mexico to see that scene. Instead, I spent the bulk of my time in the town of Guanajuato with trips to Silao, Dolores Hidalgo and San Felipe. Along with seeing the sights, I was interested in learning more about farming cactus paddles and clay bean pots.

It took some time, but we finally hit pay dirt in San Felipe with the pots. We found this sweet little family that specialized in ollas and cazuelas and there’s a chance we’ll be importing them soon for sale through Rancho Gordo.

I loved this shape but it probably won’t be the one that makes it back.