Salt of the Earth

Winona Griggs

Salt of the Earth

I want to talk to you about salt. Yes, that humble, everyday ingredient that we often take for granted. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so important. Salt is absolutely essential for our bodies to function properly. It helps regulate fluid balance, supports nerve transmission, and aids in muscle contraction. Without salt, our bodies just wouldn’t work the way they’re supposed to.

But did you know that salt has many other important uses aside from seasoning our food? It has been used for centuries as a natural preservative, keeping food fresh and safe to eat. Just think about it – before refrigeration, people relied on salt to help keep their food from spoiling. It’s like magic!

In addition to its preservation abilities, salt also plays a crucial role in various industries. Did you know that salt is a key component in the production of glass? It helps lower the melting point of silica, allowing it to be shaped and molded into beautiful objects. Without salt, we wouldn’t have those stunning stained glass windows in churches or the delicate glass vases in flower shops.

But that’s not all – salt is also an important ingredient in the manufacturing of paper. It helps break down the wood fibers, making the paper smoother and stronger. Without salt, we wouldn’t have all those books, newspapers, and magazines that we love to read. So next time you pick up a book, remember to thank salt for its contribution to the printing and publishing industry!

So, as you can see, salt is truly the unsung hero of our daily lives. It’s not just a simple seasoning, but a versatile and vital ingredient that we rely on in so many ways. From preserving our food to shaping glass and strengthening paper, salt is truly the salt of the earth. So let’s give a little more appreciation to this amazing mineral that enhances our lives in more ways than we can imagine.

Salt of the Earth

When humans started adding salt to our food, it was a sign that we were getting better at cooking, according to Louzel Lombard Steyn. We’re the only ones who change our food to make it taste better. Salt has made us more experienced eaters.

Salt of the Earth

Ah, the winter holidays of my childhood. Such precious memories were made in our farm butchery, where the school break always coincided with hunting season. Those were the days when my family and I would gather to turn the bounty of the season into delectable treats like biltong and sausages, ensuring that we had a steady supply of good meat for the year ahead.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without one crucial ingredient: salt. It played an indispensable role in our culinary adventures. In the corner of our cold room stood a massive 50kg sack of coarse salt, dedicated to preserving the precious buckskins we acquired. Now, this salt wasn’t exactly the cleanest or sweetest-smelling one you could find on the market. In fact, it had quite the pungent aroma. But when it came to curing and tanning those karosses, it did the job perfectly.

One year, my best friend from boarding school came to visit for the holiday. We were quite the entrepreneurs, Anna-Marie and I. During the term, we had a business selling our tuck (daily rations of sweets and snacks you could bring from home) at higher prices to hungry boarders in the hostel. We also polished our peers’ shoes for some money and charged 50c each to French braid the other girls’ hair.

Our farm visit opened up new opportunities for us. My mother turned a blind eye as we lugged buckets filled with the pungent vellesout from the butchery to my bedroom. Then there were the raids on the garden for fragrant herbs like rosemary, lavender, and thyme. We even got into mum’s stash of baking supplies for food coloring and almond, caramel, and peppermint essence. Before long, we had a booming business making bath salts.

Living on a farm 60km away from the city brings its own set of challenges when it comes to running a successful business. The tough reality is that there aren’t many customers in the area. In fact, the only two other farmers within a 12km radius bought all 5kg of my deliciously flavored and brilliantly colored vellesout. They truly appreciate the natural beauty and rich taste of my produce.

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Salt of the Earth

The business didn’t last long. But let me tell you, salt is no ordinary seasoning – it has a fascinating history that sparks my inner entrepreneur. Believe it or not, even the way we earn a living is connected to this humble mineral. You see, back in ancient Rome, soldiers were paid in salt. Yes, salt! They called it ‘salarium argentum’, which, by the way, is where we get the word ‘salary’ from.

And get this – in faraway Tibet, when Marco Polo visited, he saw something incredible. They were using tiny salt cakes with images of the mighty Kublai Khan, the ruler after Genghis Khan, as their money. Can you imagine that? Salt, in the form of little coins! It’s mind-blowing! And believe it or not, in some parts of Ethiopia, they still use salt as currency today.

Salt is a powerful thing. It brings out the best in everything it touches, like health, wealth, and purity. This is especially true when it comes to food. Back on the farm, we would use salt (the kind you can eat, thankfully) by the bucket-load for all sorts of delicious creations, like droëwors, biltong, and soutvleis (a South African cured meat). Making biltong was a special process. We would massage slabs of meat with a mixture of salt and our own roasted spices, then let it soak in a vinegar solution overnight. As for the soutvleis, we had a secret family-recipe brine that was heavily salted. We would submerge a prized brisket in the brine and let it cure for at least a week. The end result was a perfectly seasoned, well-preserved slab of meaty goodness that we would only bring out on special occasions, like Christmas. It may sound crazy, but that’s the beauty of it.

Incredible as it may seem, even our hands have a special connection with salt. If you ever get a tiny cut on your finger and a grain of salt happens to touch it, you’ll experience a momentary burst of pain. But here’s the fascinating part: by the next day, that little cut will have miraculously healed thanks to the salt’s remarkable healing powers.

Salt of the Earth

Salt, just like it works wonders for our bodies, also plays a vital role in sustaining the health of our planet. Deep beneath the surface, the earth is enriched with intricate networks of white salt veins, nourishing every part of it, from its core to its outermost edges. The origins of salt lie in the vast oceans that cover our planet – it can either come from ancient sea beds that have long since dried up or from the living seas that continue to thrive. Sometimes, salt seeps through the Earth’s surface in the form of brine, while other times it emerges as natural salt licks, often attracting animals seeking vital nutrients.

Throughout the ages, humans have mastered the art of extracting salt from nature in various ways. They have learned to boil it down from brine, or harvest it as it naturally evaporates from expansive salt flats.

The Kalahari Desert, located just south-west of Askham, is a place where salt is collected in a sustainable way. Instead of mining the salt, it is harvested from salt brine. The process involves pumping water from deep below the desert surface into large pans. Here, the saltwater is left to dry, creating what looks like thick plains of snow. The desert’s heat reminds me that I am in Africa, and the sunlight reflecting off the stark white flats is so bright that you can’t look at it without a good pair of sunglasses.

Kalahari Desert salt has become well-known for its purity in recent years. It truly is the salt of the earth. If you’re interested in finding this salt in South Africa, or if you’d like to try making your own, keep reading to learn more.

Salt of the Earth

Let me tell you about the foundation of our farm-style bath salts.

Desert Snow

In the red Kalahari Desert, there is an extraordinary source of salt. It marks the place where a huge ocean used to exist a long time ago. Nowadays, we extract the salt brine from below the surface and let it dry under the sun. After that, we harvest it by hand, package it, and sell it worldwide in all the big stores.

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If you want to witness the sheer wonder of this salt farm, you can take an exciting 4×4 dune ride provided by Loch Maree. The ride will take you straight to the spot. Once you’re there, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Kalahari while sipping on a refreshing drink. And if you’re feeling hungry, we’ve got you covered with locally made droëwors and biltong, both expertly cured using the salt from our desert region. Give us a call at 082 351 1834 to book your unforgettable experience.

Dirty Scoop

There’s something truly magical about the combination of sugar and salt. It’s a simple duo that’s hard to resist. And in Cape Town, there’s a creamery that has mastered the art of this delightful balance. Meet Unframed Ice Cream – the hippest spot in town that takes the sweetness to new heights.

Picture this: a world where gelato enthusiasts passionately debate the best ice cream. Surprisingly, Unframed trumps even the Italians and their beloved gelato. Yes, you heard that right. They’ve claimed the title of the best ice cream in the world. Their secret? Owner Yann Rey understands the power of mixing savory and sweet. With his vegan sea salt chocolate and dirty sea salt caramel creations, he’s captivated taste buds and ignited a frenzy.

Luckily, you don’t have to wait for a visit to indulge in Unframed’s heavenly treats. They’ve recently introduced pints of their batch-made ice cream that you can take home and savor at your leisure. It’s the perfect way to satisy your ice cream cravings whenever they strike. Just give them a call at 063 601 0287 and make your order.

In case you’re wondering where to find Unframed, they’ve got multiple locations around Cape Town. You can visit them on Kloof Street, or head over to the V&A Waterfront. But if you’re looking for the ultimate Unframed experience, the flagship store awaits you at 187 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, Western Cape.

Salt of the Earth

Have you ever tried the mouthwatering combination of salty sea salt caramel? It’s a treat that offers a burst of flavor, combining the rich sweetness of caramel with the savory goodness of sea salt. This delectable treat is made even more special by the use of high-quality ingredients.

The Magic of Quality

When it comes to cured and processed meats, it can be challenging to find options that are both delicious and made with real, local ingredients. However, there is one type of food where the addition of salt plays a crucial role. And if you want to enjoy hams and corned meats that are truly exceptional, you need to opt for the good salt.

In the beautiful province of KwaZulu-Natal, Ambleside Farm has emerged as a pioneer in South Africa’s charcuterie industry. Their Midlands piggery, which has been passed down for generations, has revolutionized the art of curing and processing meats, offering a range of products that are crafted with passion and care.

Salt of the Earth

Yum, turmeric & ginger salt!

Calling all kitchen scientists: DIY Kalahari salt

Want to impress your friends in the kitchen? You can do it by making your own delicious, homemade sea salt using the method from the Kalahari Desert.

To get started, all you need is some clean and fresh saltwater. If you happen to live near the ocean, ask a friend who goes deep-sea fishing to fill up a 2L bottle for you the next time they’re out at sea. Just make sure they avoid sandy areas and places like sewage drains.

Once you have the saltwater, let it sit undisturbed for a few days. This will allow any sand or sediment to settle at the bottom.

Next, carefully pour the water into a large pot, making sure not to disturb the sediment. You can even use a cheesecloth to catch any leftover bits. Leave behind the last few centimeters of water and gunk.

To evaporate the water, I heat it up slowly. I’m careful not to let it reach boiling point! This can take a long time, maybe even hours or days, as the water cooks down into a salty slurry. Once there are only a few centimeters of water left in the pot, I take it off the heat.

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Next, I spread the salty slurry out on baking paper, placed on baking sheets. I put it in the oven on the coolest setting and prop the door open with a wooden spoon.

You’ll start to see crystals forming and breaking down into grains of salt. It’s important to fully dehydrate it before storing. Give it a taste and add more salt if necessary. Just kidding! Use it however you like.

The farm butchery supplies their family-run farm shop called The Pig & Plough, and it also supports the local community in many ways.

Imagine yourself in the beautiful surroundings of the Drakensberg, where everything comes full circle – from the farm to your table. Here, you can indulge in mouthwatering brined pork ribs that will leave you craving for more. And that’s not all, the restaurant’s menu is filled with the delicious aroma of home-smoked bacon. If you want to take a piece of this culinary experience home, the deli offers a wide range of Lovinghams cured meats.

Wondering where to find this hidden gem? Look no further than Route 74, Springfield Rd, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal. It’s a place that will captivate your taste buds and leave you wanting more. So why wait? Give them a call at 036 488 1542 and let your gastronomic journey begin!

Salt of the Earth

Have you heard of African Rub & Chilli Salt from Funky Ouma? It’s a game-changer in the salt industry here in South Africa!

Meet the Seasoned Ouma

The Funky Ouma family business has brought a uniquely South African twist to the world of salt. Their factory and herb garden are as genuine as it gets – located on a farm just outside Wellington, where the Ouma herself, Anneke van Rooyen, and her daughter Johannita Eksteen reside. Their mission is simple: to provide South Africans with a natural, preservative-free alternative. They now offer a wide range of spices and salts, but their Braai Salt collection remains a crowd favorite. If you’re looking to add some flavor to your next braai, try the African Rub – it’s absolutely delicious. You can reach them at 076 999 8194.

Where Can You Find It?

Funky Ouma products are available at charming farm stalls and coffee shops all over South Africa, as well as at Montagu Dried Fruit shops. If you prefer shopping online, they have a website at www.funky-ouma.co.za where you can easily make your purchase.

Salt of the Earth

Hey there! Have you ever heard of braai salt? It’s a recipe from the awesome folks at Funky Ouma. Let me tell you all about it!

See, braai salt is a fantastic seasoning that adds a ton of flavor to your grilled meats and veggies. It’s like a secret ingredient that takes your braai (that’s what South Africans call a barbecue) to a whole new level.

So, how do you make this magical braai salt? Well, it’s actually quite simple. All you need is some coarse sea salt, black pepper, coriander seeds, garlic flakes, and dried herbs like rosemary and thyme. Just mix these ingredients together in a bowl, and voila! You’ve got yourself a delicious homemade braai salt.

Now, this braai salt is not your ordinary salt. It’s packed with flavors that will make your taste buds dance with joy. The black pepper adds a little kick, while the coriander seeds give it a unique twist. And let’s not forget about the garlic flakes and dried herbs, which bring a burst of aromatic goodness to the mix.

When you sprinkle this braai salt on your meats and veggies before grilling, something magical happens. The flavors meld together and create a symphony of deliciousness that will have everyone asking for seconds. It’s like a party in your mouth!

But wait, there’s more! This braai salt is not just for barbecues. You can use it on roasted potatoes, grilled fish, or even as a seasoning for your popcorn. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll want to put it on everything.

So, if you’re ready to take your braai game to the next level, give this braai salt recipe a try. It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and guaranteed to elevate your grilling experience. Get ready to impress your friends and family with your newfound braai salt mastery. Happy grilling!

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