[Sarape]

A couple years ago I found on E-Bay an eleven-year-old Bunn commercial coffee grinder. These are around $1000 new and used in most restaurants, mine was $225. That was when I was eager to roast and grind my own coffee beans.

I got lazy in the past year and found a pre-ground coffee that I like, so the Bunn sat idle for the year.

Last month I tried grinding long-grain brown rice with great success. Then I tried popcorn, success again (though no reason to waste popcorn grinding it into corn meal). Then I tried a variety of beans, peas, and lentils. Another success.

The great benefit is that I can grind brown rice or lentils and cook them as powder along with my oatmeal. No need to cook for 40 minutes. The beans and rice cook as fast as the oats.

Any other coffee-grinder successes out there?
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' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

[birgit]

Yup, dried hot chili peppers!
Superior aroma and color!

(Of course not-that-hot varieties are fine as well. And other dried spices, preferably indian, shortly after roasting them in a dry pan, without oil)

[David]

Have you tried making your own peanut butter in it Russell?
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

[Sarape]

Peanut butter won't work. Anything with oil will stick the grinding wheels and jam the gears. It wasn't peanut butter which I tried, but I did try something which stuck.
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' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

[pastina]

Yep, I second the grinding of dried chilli peppers - my pa has always done this.

How about coriander seeds? Or maybe fenugreek seeds? That's a nightmare to grind by hand in a pestle and mortar!

[birgit]

Yes, these work fine, too.
I've recently ground the spices for Heidi's Sri Lankan Curry Powder in the coffee mill - it was the perfect tool

[KYHeirloomer]

After grinding spices, a good tip is to then grind a spoonful or three of rice to pick up any left-behinds.

Speaking of rice, and popcorn, and legumes, etc. They make nice breading. Grind them in the coffee mill to a powder, then use them instead of, or in combination with, your favorite breading.