Ready Blog

Every culture has valued salt for preparing and preserving food. We too often hear about how salt is bad for your diet. Let’s consider some of the reasons the Roman soldiers were partially paid in salt. For them, it had a very measurable and real value. Not to be worth one’s salt was also an insult not easily overcome. Salt was one of the primary movers of economy and development. Salt allowed civilizations to preserve food beyond typical growing and hunting seasons.

Today, salt is readily available and often hounded as a detriment to our near sedentary society. Lower your salt intake is a standard line from medical and diet specialists. In many ways it is true, we have too much salt in our overprocessed diets. If it has been processed, it may have much more salt than a healthy diet requires. So, I am trying to figure out is salt still valuable, especially in the city where getting paid with salt seems unlikely?

Out in the country, it is used for more than just a salt shaker. If you hunt or have livestock, white salt blocks are a regular item at the feed store. Yes, I stuck my tongue on one, I couldn’t resist! It’s salty. Water softener for well water and even in the city for RO systems are big 50 pound bags of rock salt. Don’t want to fall and bust something if you are in a northern climate? Sprinkle on the salt. I guess there are quite a few modern uses, but would we still preserve with it? Do we still need it in our body?

Edible salt is a necessary balance to control electrolytes. Curing salt enables the production of items like prosciutto, salt cod, pepperoni, lox and other delicacies. Vegetables are also cured and include some pickels, olives, and tofu. I have no idea how to start curing meat or vegetables with salt, but it is something I would like to learn. This winter, I am totally enjoying the slices of a special holiday Jamon Serrano or Spanish Ham that was a family gift. It is air cured and dryed and salt seriously made it into the process somewhere.

I can see where salt makes bland meals enjoyable and I have also recently discovered the flavours of sea salt over normal table salt. Cautious with my intake, but I am totally enjoying the benefits of salt. Knowing that we keep a few items at home for basic cooking and preparedness without electricity or common amenities, I will be making sure salt and seasonings are added to the list. The current cost is minimal and could make a huge difference in comfort and food preparation. I am looking for new ways to rediscover this valuable mineral.