I was recently reading about salt and found out how the phrase “worth your salt” came about and what the etymology of the word is salary it is. Throughout history, salt has been a highly valuable mineral with countless uses and today, salt is used in over 14,000 ways, some of which we don’t realize and most of which are not in cooking. .

It is known that the use of salt was used by the ancient Egyptians where they evaporated sea water to harvest the salt that they used to preserve their meat, fish… and mummies! The first major trade routes developed primarily around the salt trade.

The word salary comes from the Latin word for a soldier’s pay salariumwhich in turn comes from the word dirty, the word for salt, because a large ration of salt was part of the salary of soldiers in ancient Rome. And that’s how we got to the phrase worth your salt…

So what about the different types of salt? These are some of the main types:

unrefined: It is in its natural state with all trace minerals. Just wash and strain.

Refined: It is purified and stripped of any trace of minerals. It also changes its chemical structure from large granules to smaller crystals.

Table: It is refined salt, but to prevent the formation of lumps in humid environments, anti-caking agents are added and it is fortified with iodine to prevent thyroid diseases.

Edible according to Jewish law: It is refined salt but without anti-caking agents, and usually has coarser grains. It dissolves more easily, has a milder flavor, and is considered saltier than regular salt.

Sea: It is the result of the evaporation of sea water. Because it retains its trace minerals, it is considered healthier.

Here are some interesting and useful uses of salt:

Brine Wine

You know when you need a bottle of cold wine Really fast and you don’t have one in the fridge? A little salt will do the trick. What happens is that the salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, so the water gets colder even more, thus cooling the water. This is what you need:

• ½ cup of salt
• 1 ice cube
• Enough cold water to cover the ice.

Place a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and fill with ice and add the water and salt and your wine should be perfectly chilled within 10 minutes.

drain jane

So your kitchen sink is slowly draining and you want it to move faster. It’s probably a sludge buildup over time, but don’t stress it out because Drain Jane should take care of that. This is what you need:

• 1 gallon of boiling water
• 1 cup baking soda
• ½ cup of salt

Pour the salt down the drain and pour in the baking soda after that. Leave it overnight, or at least for several hours. Chase him with the boiling water and watch him gurgle with delight and run away!

Fresh or gross?

How do you know if an egg is fresh or past its prime? Once again, salt can help. This is what you will need:

• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 2 cups of water

Add the salt and water and put an egg in the liquid. If it sinks, it’s cool, if it floats, it’s not. really easy.

Other quick tips:

What other cool things can salt do?

• Surprisingly, it can sweeten fresh fruit. Just sprinkle a pinch of salt to kick up your sweetness quotient!
• Does the dishwasher not remove lipstick stains from glassware? Rub stains gently with a little salt before putting them in the dishwasher.
• Loosen dandruff flakes in your hair before shampooing for a cleaner wash. The salt could also help you reduce the amount of shampoo you use, as it will help create more lather.

So that’s it for today’s lesson!

If you have any questions or suggestions about the uses of salt, I’d love to hear from you.