Pleasure in crushing garlic cloves

I love crushing garlic cloves with a pestle and mortar.

You just start by tapping it gently until it starts to squash a bit, then bash a bit harder until it comes apart,

before properly grinding it into a paste.

So satisfying.

Deglazing too,

something about rescuing

every last bit of flavour from the pan.

Sticking a little rock salt in with it as you are mashing it up

and it will form a paste

that will dissolve into a dressing leaving no garlicky lumps.

Very satisfying.