John Julian style pestle & mortar
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Please contact Malcolm the potter here: http://www.suttonpottery.com/contactus/ – THIS IS NOT HIS BLOG so if you comment, Malcolm will not see it. There is over a year waiting list due to the huge demand and non-commercial production methods.
I’m so happy to show you my latest kitchen gadget – a John Julian style pestle & mortar that I was given my Mummy LTT! There’s a fair bit of story behind it, so are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin…
If you watched any of Nigel Slater’s Simple Suppers you will more than likely have seen his amazing pestle and mortar. I spied it of course and instantly fell in love with it. The sort of love that had me scouring the internet within 2 minutes of seeing it (although Mr LTT will tell you I’m ALWAYS looking stuff up on the internet. I am an insatiable knowledge hunter, that much is true), finding out who it was made and where I could get my hands on one. It is indeed a John Julian design, and I discovered one of the suppliers was in fact Peter Maturi, my favourite cookshop in Leeds. I enquired and they said they were no longer able to supply it (their supplier couldn’t supply it) and I turned into a puddle like that bit in the film Amélie where she is heartbroken, and eventually came to terms with the fact I would never own one.
So imagine my surprise when my mum came to stay the other week and presented me with this pestle & mortar. I don’t even really remember telling her about it but she’s one of those super awesome observant people that squirrels something silly that you mention once away in her brain until even you’ve forgotten about it, only for her to surprise you somewhere down the line with it!
She told me the gift was originally intended to be my Christmas present and she’d contacted John Julian, the designer about it. He’d promised her he’d get one sorted for me but just a few weeks before Christmas he said it wasn’t possible. My ever resourceful mother decided to contact a local potter, Malcolm Flatman of Sutton Pottery in Norfolk who came up with a slightly improved design. Malcolm doesn’t use an industrial kiln – the door is bricked in. As this takes a while he waits until the kiln is full before he fires it. Hence my present didn’t arrive until just recently.
The changes Malcolm made have suited me well – the smaller dish means it fits in my small kitchen. Let’s face it, not everyone has a lovely kitchen extension like Nige in which to store all our kitchen goodies. Malcolm also made the dish more bowl-like so that it would keep all the contents in it. The inside of the dish has been left rough to allow for improved grinding too. It is so good for crushing nuts and peppercorns! The pestle is also really comfortable to hold in your hand and it’s glazed all over (I shiver if I touch terracotta because it’s unglazed, just thinking about it is putting me on edge!).
I thought I’d show you the first thing I made with it – pesto! Love this coloured pasta I bought, though sadly the pink didn’t stay true when I cooked it. Pesto was damn good though.
The good thing for you lot is, you can get hold of your own one of these pestle & mortar sets because Malcolm will make you one! I can’t tell you how much it costs but Mother has assured me it is a fraction of the price of the original (which was about a hundred quid). You can get in contact with Malcolm from Sutton Pottery here: http://www.suttonpottery.com/contactus/.
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20 Responses to “John Julian style pestle & mortar”
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I want one. It looks really nice
This looks amazing! My brother and I both gave each other pestle and mortars for Christmas last year – I bought him a gorgeous heavy stone one which works wonderfully and he got me a rubbish cheap one! Definitely need to invest in a new one soon…
JOEHOE!!! I’ve also got myself a copy in blue!
Malcolm is kind enough to ship it to Holland, only have to wait until July 2013, but who cares
I taped a Nigel Slater show from the BBC and also fell in love with his mortar-pestle! Started my search online in Dutch but couldn’t find anything like it.
Seaching in English helped, but when I found out the price of this John Julian was over €750- my search went on. I spotted your photo and clicked it. I really laughed my ass off reading your story, thanX!!!!
Hi Hilde, thanks for your message! I had a lovely message from Malcolm saying he had received loads of orders for them since I put my post up! Enjoy yours too x
What a bloß
I was shopping around with exactly the same intention
Thank you soooooooo much
Saw it on TV. Loved it. Read your blog. E mailed – hopefully sorted. What fun!! Long live the internet. Imagine what it would have been like in the ‘olden days’ of 5 years ago.
Hi Astrid, really glad you like my post! I had such a lovely email from Malcolm telling me he has been inundated with orders due to my post. It’s always nice I can contribute to the success of independent businesses in some small way! I honestly spent many days trying to find one on the internet without success – my mum is the best for sorting it out for me!
Dear Becs,
I just wanted to let you know that the waiting list for a wide mortar & pestle is now a year. I don’t wish to put off any would-be customers, but I felt it only fair to warn everyone about the delay. The demand has been generated almost totally by your wonderful blog, and I’m very grateful to you for all the work it’s generated. Long may it continue.
Very Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year
Malcolm Flatman
Sutton Pottery
Hi Malcolm, thanks so much for letting me know – I will add a little message at the top of the post! Really glad to hear it’s going so well! Have a good one – all the best for 2013
Thanks very much for your good wishes, Becs. I’m still receiving orders, and the waiting list is even longer now – your blog must be red-hot!
Happy New Year to you, your family and all your readers.
Malcolm
Dear Malcolm,
Would love to have some more details on the large white pestle and mortar ,similar to the one used by Nigel Slater have been searching for ages until I came across your page.
Many Thanks
Catherine
Hi Catherine, this is not Malcolm’s blog! I am going to email you now
Dear Becs
A profuse, resounding thank you for your wonderful blog – and for sharing your amazing story about the pestle-and-mortar! Much like you, I am crushed to discover that a kitchen tool is unobtainable – particularly one that combines form and function in such a stylish way! I have contacted Malcolm, hoping to be added to his waiting list. Start the countdown!
With best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Mae
I too spotted the pestle and was delighted to find your blog and Malcolms website , I hope my name is down on the list now . happy to wait.
Many thanks
rose
I am going to be putting my order in for one of these. Can you tell me how wide the bowl is??
Hi Hellena, you should ask Malcolm as I think he might do a couple of sizes – I think it’s about 25-30cm but I don’t have it with me right now.
Would like to order a John Julian Flat Pestle and Mortar. Can this be done and if so confirmed.
Hi Martyn, thanks for your message. Please read the whole post which explains how to get a pestle and mortar. It is not a John Julian one, they are not available any more but a similar one made by an independent potter.
i am desperate for one of the pestle and mortar that Nigel Slater used in his programme. I would love to buy this as a surprise for my husband as he has started to experiment more with cooking. This is definately a mans kitchen gadget!
Hi Elaine, thanks for you message. Just wanted check you have read the post so you know how to get one? The waiting list is very long as I have explained at the top of the page…they are very high demand!