Salt was surely the first food seasoning. Prehistoric people got all the salt they needed from the meat that made up a large portion of their diet. When people began turning to agriculture as a more reliable food source, they discovered that salt-most likely from the sea-gave vegetables that salty taste they craved. As the millennia passed, salt gradually made life more comfortable and certain as people learned to use it to preserve food, cure hides and heal wounds. Salt is an indispensable ingredient when you are cooking. Food is inedible without salt. But salt has many more purposes. You will be surprised at the following tips using salt.
You can run out of elbow grease trying to scrub burnt-on stains off enamel pans. Skip the sweat. Soak the pan overnight in salt water. The stains should lift right off.
Make short work of the clean-up after you’ve rolled out dough or kneaded breads. Sprinkle your floury benchtop with salt. Now you can neatly wipe away everything with a sponge. No more sticky lumps.
Tea and coffee leave stains on cups and in pots. You can easily scrub away these unattractive rings by sprinkling salt unto a sponge and rubbing in little circles across the ring. If the stain persists, mix white vinegar with salt in equal proportions and rub with a sponge.
Water marks on tables will disappear by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste unto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it’s gone. Restore the lustre of your wood with furniture polish.
If ants are bearing a path to your home, intercept them by sprinkling salt across the door frame or directly on their paths. Ants will be discouraged from crossing this barrier.
Keep fleas from infesting your pet’s home by washing down the interior walls and floor every few weeks with a solution of salt water.
Do you need to prepare leafy salad in advance of a dinner party? Lightly salt the salad immediately after you prepare it and it will remain crisp for several hours. For fruit salad you’ll want to make sure your freshly cut fruit looks appetising when you serve the dish. To ensure that cut apples and pears retain their colour, soak them briefly in a bowl of lightly salted water.
Apples need a facelift? Soak them in mildly salted water to make the skin smooth again.
Cheese is much to expensive to throw away because it has become mouldy. Prevent the mould by wrapping the cheese in a serviette soaked in salt water before storing it in the refrigerator.
Not only can you test eggs for freshness by adding salt in a cup of water and gently placing the egg in the cup (fresh egg will sink) but if you ever dropped an uncooked egg, you know what a mess it is to clean up. Cover the spill with salt. It will draw the egg together and you can easily wipe it up with a sponge or paper towel.
Life made easier with a little salt… don’t you agree?
Leave a Reply