metate

tool

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Last updated

June 17, 2026

Quick Summary

A metate is a tool used for grinding grains, particularly corn. It is a stone with a concave upper surface that serves as the lower millstone. This tool, which has been in use since at least 1625, is often used in conjunction with a mano, a smaller stone that acts as the upper millstone for hand-grinding food. The word "metate" originates from the Nahuatl word metatl.12

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tortilla
…a stone saddle quern, or metate. Small pieces of dough were patted by hand into thin disks, a task requiring considerable dexterity. The tortilla was then baked on a comal, a griddle of earthenware or iron. Today most tortillas are purchased at tortillerías, where the dough is mixed by machine,…
Read More
…a stone saddle quern, or metate. Small pieces of dough were patted by hand into thin disks, a task requiring considerable dexterity. The tortilla was then baked on a comal, a griddle of earthenware or iron. Today most tortillas are purchased at tortillerías, where the dough is mixed by machine,…
Read More