Mano

/ˈmɑnoʊ/ noun

Definition

In cooking, a hand-held stone tool used to grind corn and spices on a flat stone called a 'metate'; also Spanish for 'hand.'

Etymology

From Spanish 'mano' meaning hand, derived from Latin 'manus.' In cooking contexts, it refers to the handheld grinding stone used in Mesoamerican cuisine for thousands of years.

Kelly Says

The mano and metate are ancient Mesoamerican tools that have remained virtually unchanged for 7,000+ years—they're so efficient that even with modern appliances, many cooks insist they produce better texture, especially for corn flour and salsas.

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