After the knife, the mortar and pestle are the most basic cooking tools in common use around the world. They give you, the cook, direct control over the task at hand. With the pestle, you can pound ingredients such as spices, seeds, garlic, and nuts into pastes and sauces. As you grind the ingredients, they release their individual aromas. The result? Maximum flavor extraction.

TO USE: First press down on the spices with the pestle to crack them open, then work them in a circular motion against the wall of the mortar. Never fill a mortar more than halfway or it will overflow during grinding. When buying a mortar and pestle, look for a material that won't stain or absorb flavors, such as vitrified ceramic or marble. The bowl and the pestle should have a matte texture; otherwise dry foods will slide around. Mason Cash mortar and pestle, $30, Zabar's, 800-697-6301.