→ Hold the grater firmly and without too much pressure rub "dry" foods (spices) over the outermost edge

→ Grate "wet" foods in a circular motion using the whole surface of the minna grater

→ Using a brush (baking/ silicone brush or toothbrush) gently bring the grated material together

(For anything that is "long" (eg. carrots, cinnamon): make sure to hold at the very bottom of the item, to ensure adequate pressure is applied)

Watch the tutorial here

With minna stoneware graters it is super easy to work culinary magic in the kitchen. Below are some examples to get you inspired as a start, but keep a lookout on our socials for more inspo!

Garlic paste
Ginger paste
Homemade marinades for salads,meat, tofu, and vegetables
Stir-fries
Curry Pastes
BBQs
Homemade spreads and dips, sauces & condiments 
Grated Parmesan for pasta dishes & casseroles
Chocolate and nuts for garnishing ice cream, desserts & cakes 
Hot and cold drinks
Ginger tea 
Cocktails
Baby Food

We feel that providing a silicone brush as a norm to try and upsell our product would not align with our sustainability and environmental ethos as a company.

In our experience we find that many keen cooks already own a silicone brush, which would make a "free" brush a wasteful addition (we can all agree we don't need more junk in our drawer or on the planet!).

However, silicone brushes can be purchased for a small cost from a wide range of locations. We do not recommend little wooden pastry brushes for our grater (hygiene & longevity reasons).

We are working towards having our own silicone brush in our shop soon!

Not all ceramics are made the same. Stoneware is a premium material that requires higher firing temperatures (1260°C) compared to earthenware. The high temperatures vitrify it, making it incredibly strong and hard wearing. Many ceramic graters are made from earthenware to save costs, we specifically chose to work with stoneware for its unique advantages!

The biggest difference between the minna grater vs mass-produced ceramic graters is the material and care for functional design.

We work with highly skilled ceramicists who are able to ensure our graters are made to the highest standards. Stoneware ceramic guarantees long term durability in comparison to earthenware, which would be cheaper to produce. We want the minna grater to be a long term solution to everyone's cooking needs. Providing the customer with a buy once product is paramount to our sustainability ethos.

Unfortunately, many ceramic graters are sold at a price that does not accurately reflect the cost of honest quality handmade ceramics. This is something artisan makers cannot compete with. Makers who are proud of their craft will always market their ceramics with transparency. We ensure that we make all of our products to stoneware quality with food safe glazes. Every single item we sell always has a stamped in makers mark with proof of origin.

Additionally, our design is unique to us, ensuring injury-free grating and easy removal of all grated ingredients!

We work with two ceramic workshops in the EU, one in Portugal and one in Finland! 

Absolutely! Stoneware ceramic is impervious to water and able to withstand elevated temperatures without cracking or warping. 

Our graters are in the kiln baked to around 1260 Celsius, so a standard oven temperature wont trouble it. The only important thing is to not apply direct heat to stoneware.

Super durable! Providing proper care and usage instructions are followed.

Stoneware ceramic is renowned for its durability, that is why we have prioritised working with ceramicists who are masters of stoneware firing. We don't agree with companies that incorporate planned obsolescence into their business strategy. We at minna stoneware believe in sustainability, and are conscious of our responsibility to offer quality products that uphold it.

However, like all ceramic materials, stoneware can break when dropped on a hard surface such as floor tiles. If it's not subjected to sudden impacts it will last a long time, our goal is for many generations to have the use of a minna grater!

We designed the minna grater for ease of use! It is best to brush from the outermost grooves to the centre of the minna grater. When using a silicone brush, make sure to not press the brush down onto the grooves, but keep the brush upright, so that you are ‘gently’ brushing out the pulp/puree with the tips of the silicone brush. Another method is to push the grated material with the tips of the brush, angled downwards, prodding the grated ingredients towards the centre.

Pre-wetting the grater before use can also make it easier to brush out ginger and especially garlic! Alternatively instead of a silicone brush, use a toothbrush!

Injury free grating is something we love about our grater. Our design is focused on abrasion and not sharpness, meaning it's great for keen cooks of all ages to use. When using the grater with children, we especially recommend placing a tea towel or sponge under the grater to reduce the risk of the grater sliding off the counter top.

Although we cant generalise about anyone's individual needs or requirements we can say that the force and grip required to use this product is minimal. It is more important to hold onto whatever item you are grating firmly than applying a large amount of pressure. We find that minimal pressure and a circular motion achieves the best results.

Although lead is unfortunately still a common glaze flux at earthenware temperatures in some countries, it simply isn't useful in stoneware due to the high temperatures to which stoneware is fired. At minna stoneware all of our ceramics are produced in the EU (Finland and Portugal) following incredibly strict guidelines. All our graters at minna stoneware are food-safe!

Unfortunately lots of ceramics produced in countries with less regulation have been known to reach the marketplace containing lead and other harmful materials. Lead ingestion is seriously dangerous and the ceramics industry as a whole needs to be more conscious of the responsibility to protect consumers.

As a general message we would encourage anyone when buying vintage or cheaply mass produced ceramics to check the origin of the product or to directly check for lead.