Giving the traditional mortar and pestle a visual and functional overhaul, the JIA Inc. Rolling Mortar lets you grind your herbs and spices by simply rolling them! Sort of a hybrid between a mortar and a rolling pin, the Rolling Mortar comes with a bathtub-shaped base and ring-shaped roller. This unique design direction you easily and effectively grind items without spices flying around or spilling on the countertop… or worse, a sore wrist from repeatedly pounding away with that heavy pestle.
An added benefit of the JIA Inc. Rolling Mortar is that since you’re not pounding anything, there’s no noise to be worried about!
Inspired by the Chinese ceramic tea mortars from the Tang Dynasty, this pestle + mortar combo brings modernity and sensibility to a century-old practice. The mortar comes in the form of an elegant, U-shaped porcelain bowl, whereas the pestle is a solid wooden oak wheel. Instead of punching and grinding the spices or tea herbs, you simply place them in the oblong bowl and roll over them with the wheel. The wheel possesses an extremely ergonomic form, making it easy to grip, and allowing you to grind your herbs via an effortless rolling motion. The process was formulated to ensure that none of the spices fly out of the mortar while you grind them… with the added benefit of being an extremely quiet one too! No annoyed neighbors because you decided to make some pesto for lunch!
The JIA Inc. Rolling Mortar comes with an inert ceramic base (so it doesn’t react to acids and other spice oils) with a silicone underlay so it doesn’t shift while you roll. The roller is crafted from oak wood, a hardwood that’s tough, long-lasting, and anti-fungal, providing the right material properties for making everything from a coarse spice rub to a deliciously homogenous chimichurri.
JIA Inc.’s Rolling Mortar transforms spice/herb grinding into a completely different experience. It lets you interact with your ingredients in a way that’s playful, so you enjoy the entire cooking process. Not to mention its minimal and sculpted aesthetic that makes it such a looker too!
Designer: Spencer Hung of JIA Inc.
