Learning to Use the Metate y Mano in Oaxaca

On our culinary trip to Oaxaca, Mimi López taught us to use a metate, a slab of volcanic rock, with a large, rolling pin-shaped pestle (a “mano”). This ancient tool has been used to grind ingredients for thousands of years, particularly in Mesoamerica and the southwestern United States.

Unlike electric grinders or food processors, the metate requires the cook to lean over it while grinding, positioned directly above the ingredients. This proximity creates an immersive sensory experience—we could smell the oils being released and observe the texture transformation as spices, herbs, chili, or chocolate broke down under the rolling pressure.

López taught us to make an incredibly fresh soup by adding metate-ground parsley to a mole verde. Bright green and fragrant, the soup never would have been so aromatic without the use of freshly-pounded parsley.