As a child, I remember seeing the blue Cerebos salt packets in the grocer’s shop - with that little boy chasing the chicken. [My family usually bought Saxo, or other cheaper brands] Nowadays I like to keep my cooking salt accessible, and for many years, I have stored it by the hob in a stoneware “Salt pig” – these allegedly keep salt dry and free running, even though the front is open.
My pig has a lovely long handled wooden spoon, made by Liz’s friend Dave. I keep my sugar in one of those dispensers [ever since a visiting child once amused herself by pouring milk from the jug on the tea tray into my sugar bowl and made a sweet sticky mess]
This past week I discovered something interesting – both of these were out on the countertop in the kitchen when we were burgled. We returned to a flooded mess- and the atmosphere was very damp. The small amount of sugar in the dispenser [which I have yet to wash out and pack] had become rather wet and was caked to the bottom of the jar. But the salt? that is still in perfect condition, still free running! According to Nigel Slater, the unglazed pottery absorbs moisture from the salt, thus keeping it dry.
Where, and how, do you keep your salt and your sugar?
No salt here, haven't used it in cooking for over 30 years. Sugar mainly stays in the packet, unless visitors need some & then out comes a small sugar bowl. Good to know how the salt pig actually works. Not at all impressed with the visiting child, I'm sure you weren't either - hope her parent/s weren't watching & allowing this behaviour! Good luck with the move, Vee x
ReplyDeleteI remember as a boy about 55 or 60 years or more a go
ReplyDeleteat home salt came as a biggish block raped in paper, as children we sat an carved it making it more manageable for the kitchen, possibly my first attempt at art.
I have often wondered about those salt containers/dispensers and how salt could possibly stay dry when open to the atmosphere, especially if they are kept next to the cooker, which is where it's logical to have them, except for all that steam from saucepans.
ReplyDeleteNow I know they really work I shall be tempted to get one.
Mine was a gift, and is quite large [big enough for Nigel Slater's hand!!]- I think a smaller one but would be just as good , esp if using a spoon. Obviously it is better to have a wooden or plastic spoon rather than a metal one.
DeleteThank you for your earlier kind comment re the burglary. We are getting sorted slowly.
That's amazing!x
ReplyDeleteEek, eek, eek salt up nails.....Nooooo! Ground Himalayan Pink salt for me when I need it all the way from the exotic location of Lidl's. Fascinated to know the pig thing actually works.
ReplyDeleteWell the salt is in a little poole salt cellar which is periodically refilled from the bigger Saxo tub in the condiments cupbaord (!) aand the sugar is in a Poole sugar bowl in the nice small cups cupboard. It is refilled when necessary from the wooden sugar container which sits on the worktop and is actually more accessible than the bowl in the nice small cups cupboard, but there we go. The joys of unpacking things into nice new places! I've never even seen Cerebos salt. The poshest I know is la blaeine and it may not even be posh, just French, although that amounts to much the same thing in the frozen North!
ReplyDelete