I was recently reading about salt and found out how the phrase “worth your salt” came to be and what the etymology of the word is. salary is. Throughout history, salt has been a highly valuable mineral with countless uses, and today salt is used in more than 14,000 ways, some of which we are unaware of and most of which are not on our minds. the kitchen.

It is known that the use of salt was used by the ancient Egyptians where they evaporated seawater to harvest the salt that they used to preserve their meat, fish… and mummies! The first major trade routes developed mainly 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 clumping in humid environments, anti-caking agents are added to it 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 it usually has coarser grains. It dissolves more easily, has a milder taste, and is considered saltier than regular salt.

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

Here are some interesting and useful uses for salt:

wine brine

You know when you need a chilled bottle of wine In fact 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 even colder, thus making the water colder. 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 it 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 draining slowly and you want it to move faster. It’s probably a buildup of sludge over time, but don’t stress it out because Drain Jane should take care of that. This is what you need:

• 1 gallon boiling water
• 1 cup bicarbonate of 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 off!

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 simple

Other quick tips:

What other cool things can salt do?

• Surprisingly, it can sweeten fresh fruits. Just sprinkle on a pinch of salt to up your sweetness quotient!
• Dishwasher won’t 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 may 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.