Stevia

The stevia that I hung to dry a while ago has finally finished drying, so it was time to grind it for storage and use. It’s a very sweet tasting herb that can be used in place of sugar (click either of the links to learn more).

My molcajete (a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle cut from lava rock) made quick work of turning the dried leaves into a fine powder. The porous texture of the stone makes it really easy to pulverize herbs and spices. The air was deliciously sweet-tasting while I was doing the grinding!

The stevia powder can have a bit of an aftertaste if you use too much of it, so I’m going to add very small amounts of it to my tea to give it a little sweetness, and there are some recipes in the “stevia” link that I might have to try.



4 thoughts on “Stevia”

  • Let me know how the stevia works in recipes. I had a plant, but only used the leaves to sweeten tea, mainly because my plant was so small. But I might have to plant some more if this works out well.

  • Did you “season” your Mexican mortar and pestle? We were at a Mexican restaurant recently and the owner told us that it takes forever to season them to be smooth. I cheated and bought a French one (no seasoning required)!! Hee hee.

  • Lu – Yes, I seasoned it by grinding salt and rice in it repeatedly. It’s nowhere near smooth though, and it’s so porous that I don’t think it ever will be (it works better for some things that way anyway). I’ve got a smooth one that I use for messy stuff.

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