If You think that You know all about hot peppers, You may not know enough. Let us begin our journey with a myth buster: chillies are not related to Chile, the country. “Chīlli” is a word from Native American language group Nahuatl and means “red”, but actually the fruit itself can be green, yellow and even nearly black.
The latin name of the plant is capsicum annuum where “annum” means annual. Despite that fact chili pepper is a frost tender plant and does not survive low temperatures. So we have an annual red plant named chili, that’s colorful and lives only one season and is not from Chile, not “chile” pepper at all. A good point to get to know hot chili better!
]]>If You think that You know all about hot peppers, You may not know enough. Let us begin our journey with a myth buster: chillies are not related to Chile, the country. “Chīlli” is a word from Native American language group Nahuatl and means “red”, but actually the fruit itself can be green, yellow and even nearly black.
The Latin name of the plant is capsicum annuum where “annum” means annual. Despite that fact chili pepper is a frost tender plant and does not survive low temperatures. So we have an annual red plant named chili, that’s colorful and lives only one season and is not from Chile, not “chile” pepper at all. A good point to get to know hot chili better!
As with all great things, chili peppers are used not only for cooking. The component that affects the heat level is called capsaicin. This substance found its place in medicine. As if that’s not enough the peppers are getting hotter year by year in an “arms race” for chilies.
Million city is a city with a million and more inhabitants. Millionaire is a person with millions in a bank account. However, what's a “million chili”?
In fact heat or spiciness of peppers is measured in scoville heat units (SHU). Today for the hottest peppers it can mean millions of SHU.
Wilbur Scoville was an american pharmacist that created the so-called “Scoville organoleptic test”. Organoleptic test means a test that uses human sensory organs in case of chilies — taste.
Even Jalapa paprika, known as jalapeño can sometimes make our mouths burn and that’s only with 5000 scoville units. Clearly the testers don’t eat chilies to measure their “heat”.
They make an alcohol extract of it and dilute the extract. Specially trained people try the solution and repeat dilution until there is no sign of spiciness. The number of dilutions multiplied by 100 SHU is the heat of a chili.
Agriculturists from around the globe are developing chilies with more capsaicin inside. First million SHU was achieved in 2007 by Bhut Jolokia also known as “ghost pepper”. It was the hottest pepper at that time, but not any more.
If peppers would have their hall of fame, it would contain such names as: thai chili or bird’s eye chili (75k SHU), scotch bonnet (200k SHU), already mentioned ghost chili (1 million SHU), carolina reaper (1.5 million SHU), dragon's breath (2.2 million SHU) and currently the hottest pepper in the world Pepper X (3 million SHU). Spicier than those guys is only pure capsaicin, basically pepper spray.
In light of the above, we have to warn You: do not get pepper burned! Capsaicin is a very reactive and irritative substance. Be careful adding chilies into the food, wear cooking gloves while dealing with any pepper hotter than red chili or jalapeño, and do not touch Your eyes during cooking with chilies. Milk will help with the burning feeling in the mouth.
Chilies are beautiful as a plant: colorful fruits of all shapes and sizes contrasting with emerald-green leaves. But edible features of chili make it even more attractive! Get ready to take notes, because You will definitely want to storm the kitchen with our finger lickin' tasty hot recepies.
*TIP: A more dietary version of meatballs will be obtained from turkey fillets in vegetable broth, and wine can be omitted.
]]>#salt #pepper #saltsup #gourmetsalts #saltsupgourmetsalts #gourmet #foodie #food #salty #spices #spicy #peppers #worldpepper #foodgram #foods #gourmetfood #saltshop #spiceshop #pantry #yummy #herbs
]]>There’s no doubt that no kitchen is complete without as many spices as you can possibly fit into your cupboards or your pantry.
Fresh, frozen, or dried, these little sprinklings of stardust bring so much flavor to the dishes we’re cooking at home that you’d be crazy to attempt to make stunning food without them. Granted, that sounds a little obvious, but how much attention are you really paying to what you’re putting in your recipes?
How long has that parsley been sitting in your refrigerator just waiting to be used? Or how long has that cayenne pepper you keep meaning to add to your chilis been caught at the back of the cupboard?
Like most people, the answer is probably too long. After all, some of us just don’t have the time to use everything up while it’s all still in date. As frustrating as it is at times, life just somehow manages to find a way to keep us busy.
What’s even more annoying is that there’s no real date on exactly when most spices go bad. Sure, it can be easier to spot when fresh basil loses its vibrant green color but what about dried oregano? Unless you’re some kind of freakishly eagle-eyed expert, it’s pretty much impossible to tell.
Well, almost impossible to tell. Luckily for you, there are some tips and tricks to keep in mind when it comes to judging just how fresh your herbs are.
You won’t always be able to tell whether or not some of your ground spices are expiring just by looking at them but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try.
Paprika is always the easiest. That lovely deep rich color can fade into a far more pale imitation and you know that the end is nigh when that happens.
Once it loses its color, the fragments of fragrant fuel you’re looking for won’t be far behind.
Ground spices within their sell-by dates will always smell fragrant or pungent, depending on whatever it is you plan to use. Indeed, if that chili powder doesn’t tickle your nostrils when you take a whiff, it’s probably coming towards the end of the time it deserves to sat taking up space in your cupboard.
The key thing to remember when it comes to ground spices is that, generally, they lose their flavor faster than any other dried spice.
Still, that doesn’t mean you need to keep buying them. After all, they will largely last up for around 12 months, providing you’re not drastically changing the conditions in which they’re stored in.
Like everything in life, however, it’s not an exact science. For example, things like cardamom in its ground form will lose their aroma a few months faster than the general pack.
For products like that, you’re going to want to start to be vigilant after around six months.
The good news is, there’s even more time to use whole spices up.
If you’re like me and despise the idea of wastage, stocking up on whole spices is the best way to keep your kitchen armory well-stocked at all times. If an apocalypse comes, make sure you’re well prepared by having a large batch of these is basically what we’re saying.
Products like whole peppercorns, whole nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks can last up to THREE YEARS. Sure, it’s better to replace them every 18 months or so but, if for some reason you’ve gone 1,068 days between using nutmeg (what were you doing around Christmas time?) then you’re only really going to get a slightly less aromatic version as you would have when you first bought it home from the store.
Still, it’s important to remember that just because they can last up to that long, that doesn’t mean you can reuse the exact same spice over and over. For example, if you crush a cinnamon stick and attempt to put the shards you don’t use back in storage, you won’t get the same effect next time around.
Why? Because you’ll have broken the cellular wall and let the chemical compounds that give the spice its aroma drift out into the world. That’s gone. That’s hit the atmosphere and it’s never coming back.
What I’d recommend here is arming yourself with some sort of tool from which you can control portion sizes.
For example, you can use a little hand grater (otherwise known as a MicroBlade) to shave off sprinklings of nutmeg or a pestle and mortar to extract the oils from your stick of cinnamon. From there, if you’ve got too much, you can then use that pulverized powder as the ground version instead.
There are also spice grinders available to buy online which makes your life so much easier on that front.
The rule of thumb when it comes to judging how long to keep dried herbs is that, the coarser the herb - the longer they’ll last. So, things like ground parsley, thyme, rosemary and certain types of oregano are likely to last up for around 18 months, the same as some of the ground spices we spoke about above.
Sure, if you buy spices from a store, they’re likely to have a date on the package indicated as to when you should use them. However, if you’re buying these as fresh as can be from an independent seller or even if you’re lucky to have picked some yourself, that obviously isn’t always possible.
So, again, use your senses. If the color has dulled and the leaves are dropping, you’re probably coming towards the end of its lifespan. Also, check the bottom of your herbs. The more moisture dripping out of the herbs, the more of the aroma and freshness you’ll be losing for your dish.
They’re easier to gauge but don’t always think the signs are hugely obvious. Make sure to check in on these little guys.
Three words for you.
Cool. Dark. Dingy.
Ok, ‘dingy’ might be taking it a little too far but you need to store dried herbs and spices in a cool, dry, dark place. Indeed, most cupboards and pantries will do the trick but always be mindful that your hobs could be exuding heat and start to coax the freshness out of them.
If you’ve got containers with an air-tight lid, placing them in there is about as sensible a move as you could make.
The main things you need to remember are that you can use your senses and simple timelines to ensure you get the most of your dried spices and herbs.
Whole spices last up to three years. Dried herbs and spices last up to about 18 months. As long as they’re kept cool and dry, you won’t be having any problems.
Hopefully this article helped you start to keep a track on these. Spices can give you so much, you’ve got to treat them with respect.
Two of mankind’s greatest friends, the condiments have been seasoning dishes for thousands of years and helping bring flavor to hundreds of millions of people.
With that notion of taking things to the next level in mind, it’s easy to see why these two little pots of joy have also broken into everyday language.
Indeed, they are simply universal and all manner of languages around the world understand their basic function - to add an extra depth.
So then, it makes perfect sense that we’d introduce them into our lexicon. What better metaphor is there than using two condiments known to pretty much everyone on this planet?
So, here are some of the best salt and pepper quotes and sayings.
Here’s a look at a few quotes stretching out the metaphor we talked about earlier.
“The cure for anything is salt: sweat, tears or the sea.” - Karen Blixen
It’s hard to argue with that.
“A day without an argument is like an egg without salt.” - Angela Carter
Hey, who doesn’t love a bust-up to make you feel alive?
“Business is the salt of life.” - Jeff Rich
Spoken like a truly rich person.
“Where would we be without salt?” - James Beard
It doesn’t bear thinking about, James.
“Change is the salt in the soup of life.” - Gyles Brandreth
Never a truer word said.
What does salt of the earth mean? Well, to refer to someone or something as ‘salt of the earth’, you’re basically calling them ‘good’ or ‘honest’ in a simple sense.
“The arts are the salt of the earth; as relates to food, the arts relate to technology.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A truly poetic saying from a truly poetic man.
“People don’t enjoy salt. They enjoy what is salted. We are the salt of the earth. We do not exist for ourselves.” - John Piper
Reflecting on the hierarchy of society, Piper really captures the earthy tones here.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” - Matthew: 513
Clearly a religious warning about keeping to a certain code of morals.
“Let’s drink to the hard-working people. Let’s drink to the salt of the earth.” - Mick Jagger
A call to celebrate the community from one of The Rolling Stones. Good idea, Mr. Jagger.
“They’re salt of the earth, those girls. They don’t sit each night and compare notes on groups, criticizing lyrics, asking if it’s valid. They just play the record...yeah and maybe they dance. I love them. I love them dearly.” - David Bowie
A sprinkling of stardust from Ziggy.
What does ‘take it with a grain of salt’ mean? Effectively, it means to regard whatever you’ve been told as not quite literal. Indeed, if a foodstuff has been salted, the natural flavor has been enhanced.
So, if someone warns you to take something with a grain of salt, you can rest assured the story they’re telling you has a rather large caveat!
“I take everything with a grain of salt.” - Hope Solo
Typically wise from one of America’s greatest ever female footballers.
“Take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.” - Anonymous
One of the wisest things anyone has ever said. Don’t take it too seriously, have fun!
“Wisdom lies in taking everything with good humor and a grain of salt.” - George Santayana
Live by that mantra and a stress-free life is sure to come your way.
“If people say something rude or off-color, you have to take it with a grain of salt, because they don’t know you.” - Chris Daughtry
In the social media age, this is hugely important. We have to ignore the hate.
“Take every birthday with a grain of salt. This works much if the salt accompanies a large margarita.” - Maxine
We’re all getting older. That’s a good tip for dealing with it!
Salt water is a fantastic descriptive device. The world’s biggest juxtaposition, the unpalatable edge to the very liquid from which life is created, it’s a very powerful literary device.
Aside from abstract ideas like that, salt water is great for quotes because of its bracing nature. The mere mention of it conjures up images of the open ocean, one of the most powerful images on the face of Planet Earth.
“Our people know these two things best: water and salt. We cry when we run out of sweat, we sweat when tired of cry.” - Jacqui Germain
Hard-hitting reflection on the struggles some people face.
“I have salt in my veins and sand in my heart.” - Anonymous
That sounds like a freer way of life. If a little dangerous.
“Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” - Nelson Mandela
As profound as you’d expect from the great man. Everyone deserves these.
In 2016, Lithuanian-American author Ruta Sepetys published a young-adult novel about four people in World War II who are on board the eventually sunken MV Willhelm Gustloff.
A gritty story, some of the quotes are marvelous.
“How foolish to believe we are more powerful than the sea or the sky.”
Perspective on mankind’s place in the world.
“Your daughter, your sister. She is salt to the sea.”
Life goes on even despite hardship.
“Bread - that this house may never know hunger. Salt - that life may always have flavor. Wine - that joy and prosperity may reign forever!” - James Stewart and Donna Reed
("It’s a Wonderful life" movie)
“I don’t know what you guys are so worried about. Cooking is easy. You just follow the recipe. If it says boil two cups of salt, boil two cups of salt.” - Rachel Green ("Friends" sitcom)
Though salt is probably the more famous of the two given its prevalence in some of the world’s greatest wonders, pepper is also used to spice up a conversation.
While not as widely used, there are some very poignant quotes about pepper.
“Jealousy is like a hot pepper. Use it mildly, and you add spice to the relationship. Use too much of it and it can burn.” - Ayala Malakh-Pines
Come on, we have all been there. Even if we don’t want to admit it.
“The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don’t go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and I, keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout.” - Johnny Cash
A declaration of love from The Man In Black, drenched in a country music tone.
“He who has the pepper may season as he lists.” - George Herbert
He wasn’t just talking about food. The ‘pepper’ is a certain quality someone can bring to everyday life.
“The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness.” - Markus Zusak
What an amazing description of a sunset. Who else is hungry?
“Don’t be a pepper on the eyes of people. Rather be the salt on their tongue and make a difference that influences their sense of belonging to the earth.” - Israelmore Ayivor
Given some current affairs, it’d be wise to heed this advice.
“Black and white is salt and pepper of colors, for life tastes bland without them.” - Vikrmn ("Corpkshetra")
A simple message but one that should mean so much.
“My heart is small, like a love of buttons or black pepper.” - S. Jane Sloat ("In the Voice of a Minor Saint")
Just a lovely description of emotions.
“If they show you pepper, show them tomatoes; with onions and salt available, you’ll soon become friends on a spicy pot of stew.” - Vincent Okay Nwachukwu ("Weight ‘n’ Worthy African Proverbs")
Some very helpful travel advice.
“Peppering your relationship with a dash of mystery can make it far more palatable.” - Khang Kijarro Nguyen
Once again, we’ve all been there. Haven’t we? Just me then….
So, as you can see from pretty much everything above, salt and pepper can season a conversation and help make a point just as well as they can do in the world of cooking.
Two little pots of absolute joy.
Hopefully, some of these will have their way into your mind. If they have, those mundane talks we have with friends, family, or colleagues will simply be all the richer.
Salt and pepper. They really aren’t just for cooking.
]]>Any precious metal or stone! You name it, and we surely have its match in the Salt'sUp assortment. Salt ATLAS SPRING is like rose quartz, BAMBOO JADE is like noble Chinese jade, BLACK LAVA is like black onyx, CHIPOTLE sparkles like coastal amber, CRYSTAL PINK is like marble from the most solemn cathedral, CRYSTAL WHITE competes in beauty and clarity with the purest diamonds.
In such a box of treasures, a special place is given to a special jewel: African pearl salt! This amazingly shaped and uniquely tasting salt conquers cuisines and restaurants around the world. The production of salt pearls takes a long time, but the environmental friendliness of the process: renewable energy of the sun and wind + water from the Atlantic Ocean — make pearl salt from Namibia an attractive option for those who value not only tasty and healthy food, but also care about the state of our planet.
We started from afar. One could cheat, cut short, explain everything in a few words and scatter in different directions. But we did not do this, because the things around us, and we ourselves, are determined not by their essence, but by the path traveled. The soul of salt, including African pearl salt, is contained in the path traveled. As well as the soul of any food consumed.
The speeds have conquered the world. Humanity seeks to optimize all processes, including the production and consumption of food. Today it is much easier and cheaper to buy ready-made food, since cooking "from scratch" can be several times more expensive than the cost of a ready meal. Despite this, the number of those around the world who deliberately reject fast food and prefer the so-called "slow food" increases. At the end of the article, we will share with you a wonderful recipe from this category.
Pearl salt is hard to harvest and long to bring. Weeks of work and 8 thousand kilometers separate us from the enjoyment of this rare salt full of tastes and emotions.
Crystals are formed in special pools on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in the Namib Desert, where the strong sun evaporates the sea moisture, and the wind rolls small salt crystals into large “pearls” of beautiful regular shape. The unusual shape of the crystals gives a special sensation while eating: hitting the tongue, the salt crystal cracks, melts, releasing salinity, and then disappears with an almost sweet aftertaste. This effect is due to the composition of African pearl salt, which, in addition to sodium chloride (99.5%), contains potassium, calcium and magnesium.
In this case, taste and beauty go hand in hand, so the African salt pearls are also suitable for eye delight. Pearl salt will look great in a salt mill, sparkling like real pearls in the candlelight during a romantic dinner. It will also show itself to its best side as the final touch for a culinary masterpiece, especially if it turns out to be fish or other seafood.
From words to deeds! From stunning landscapes, we move on to their embodiment in a very tangible, aromatic and delicious gastronomic experiment. Locations change, but the theme remains the same. Nature loves to collide opposites, so we, following her teachings, combine the elements of water and fire with the gifts of the earth to create an airy focaccia with rosemary, which will become the embodiment of the Namib desert.
Sprinkle yeast on top of warm water. Leave it on for a couple of minutes. When the yeast swells and begins to sink to the bottom, stir the liquid until smooth.
In a mixer, combine flour and crystal pink salt 🧂. At the low speed of the mixer (dough attachment), add the olive oil in a thin stream until it is completely mixed with the flour. Next, in the same way, add yeast water to the mixture and continue to knead until a smooth and very sticky dough is formed.
Roll the dough into a ball, drizzle with olive oil so that it completely covers the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
For focaccia, take half of the finished dough and transfer to a generously floured surface. Sprinkle the prepared rosemary 🌿 over the dough and gently knead it into the dough, being careful not to knock out air nor over knead the dough. Form into a large, thin oval and transfer on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with a little olive oil, cover with cling film and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. 🔥
Remove the cling film from the fluffy dough and use your fingertips to create dimples all over the surface of the dough. Add a little olive oil and one or two crystals 🧂🤏 of African pearl salt to each hole. Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. ⏲️
Doesn't this resemble a desert landscape with its sparse vegetation and salt-producing pools? 🔪🍞 Slice with a regular kitchen or pizza knife and serve the Namib focaccia while hot and fluffy. Enjoy! 😋
The heat from the oven tends to heat the face and upper body, but the feet remain cold. Experienced chefs know the value of a good pair of socks, especially if they are about a fun kitchen theme. Find funny socks with salt and pepper HERE ➡️ 🧦
]]>How does a salt plate become so smooth and beautiful? Everyone obviously knows that the plates will not come out of the earth's crust as such. Here at the salt plate workshop in Pakistan, you can see how salt plates are made. Muhammad and his men are making salt plates for us in their Punjabi workshop.
This is by no means an easy job and is done by hand. Each plate is done separately with care and effort. Making salt plates helps to bring bread to the workers' families.
Everytime we send salt plates to our customers, we are very happy that you can a quality piece for your kitchen and we can order a new portion of salt plates from the workshop. This way the local men there will have work and food for their families.
The seeds of the Aframomum melegueta can be used whole or crushed, and either during the cooking preparation or as a final seasoning in place of black pepper. The spice is known by many other names including grains of paradise, ossame, alligator pepper, African pepper, Guinea grains and Guinea pepper. The people of Ghana call this spice hwentia.
]]>Grains of paradise, Melegueta Pepper is herbaceous perennial plant native to Western Africa. The Latin name is Aframomum melegueta and it is a member of the ginger family. The spice is known by many other names including grains of paradise, ossame, alligator pepper, African pepper, Guinea grains and Guinea pepper. The people of Ghana call this spice hwentia.
Grains of paradise has a peppery warmth. Then, the citrus notes meet, with a hint of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. The aroma is reminiscent of walking through a pine tree filled forest.
Unlike black pepper, alligator pepper is a dried seed and not a berry. Perdines is a naturally occurring organic compound that is prevalent in black pepper. The alkaloid it contains, known as peperine, is what gives black pepper its peppery taste. Peperine is absent in the genetic make up of melegueta pepper.
Alligator pepper sounds like a spice with some bite to it. Yet, the truth is it is rather mild, in comparison to black pepper. What the seed does contain is combination of unique, aromatic ketones that lends its own unique peppery taste. A dominating flavour that comes from essential oils in the spice cardamom, are also found in trace quantities in melegueta pepper. Hence, the slight cardamom flavour, as an end note flavour.
Store the whole seeds in a glass jar, with a tight-fitting lid, like the jars this spice is sold in at Salt’s Up. Keep in a cool, dry, dark cupboard for up to three years.
Once crushed, it can be added into many cuisines. We suggest using the crushed spice immediately, when the taste and fragrance is at its finest.
Today, due to its small production, grains of paradise is a premium spice. It is finding its way into professional chef kitchens and the homes of gourmet enthusiasts.
Find out more about melegueta pepper. From its colourful history, to its many uses in both the savoury and the sweet side of the kitchen, this little seed tells a fascinating story. Read on!
The seeds of the Aframomum melegueta can be used whole or crushed, and either during the cooking preparation or as a final seasoning in place of black pepper. It is a spice that blends well with others particularly, thyme, rosemary, and sage.
To crush melegueta pepper, it is best to use a mortar and pestle, as the seeds are hard. Once crushed, the seeds release the full flavour, and a white coloured interior.
Recipes generally require a ¼ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon for cooking. In baking, it is suggested that the spice be ground further down into a powder before incorporating into in cookies, cakes, or breads.
The spice was often mixed in a blend named galot daggo. This was made with peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Often cubeb pepper would be substituted for nutmeg.
Arab, Berber, and Jewish traders were the first to sing the praises of the African pepper. From West Africa, in what today is Liberia, camel caravans would slowly navigate across the Sahel, through the endless Sahara and then across Sudan. Eventually the spices would make the ocean voyage into Europe.
At first, the spice was simply identified and named African pepper. Pliny the Elder, a 1st century military commander and writer, who was most lauded for his encyclopedic Natural History book, makes note of the African pepper in his writings.
Later, the spice was renamed, by the Europeans, as grains of paradise. This created a distinction between the melegueta pepper and black pepper, the later of which was a sold at premium price. Lighter on the coin purse, it is not surprising that grains of paradise became a popular substitute for black pepper, in European kitchen in 14th and 15th centuries.
During this period, spices in general were used not only in cooking, but for the keeping quality of food and beverages. The Ménagier de Paris or Parisian Household Book, of 1393, advised using grains of paradise to improve wine that had gone stale.
In the mid 1400s, King Afonso V of Portugal, gave exclusive trading access to Fernão Gomes, a merchant from Lisbon, to 100 miles of the Gulf of Guinea, in West Africa. This gave the savvy business owner dominance over the now beloved Aframomum melegueta. He achieved this coup, by paying the King 1000,000 real, annually for five years.
By then, the grains of paradise spice was renamed melegueta pepper. What does melegueta mean? Historians say the term could be related to the Italian word for millet, which is meligo. Others claims it takes its name from the Spanish town of Málaga, then an ancient Phoenician port. Regardless, the French translated this word into maniguette.
Guinea grains, Guinea pepper, and alligator spice are other names given to this spice by the British.
The Aframomum melegueta perennial plant, while short on stature and size, at only 35 centimeters in length and 15 in width, becomes a riot of purple flowers, when in bloom. Each trumpet-shaped blossom announces its beauty, with a pinkish orange blush base, and an orange-tinged lip. The fragrance is very aromatic.
From these blooms, small tubular shaped pods grow. Each is approximately five to seven millimetres long. Here the numerous, reddish-brown golden seeds are housed.
On farms, the men pick the pods and the woman extract the seeds manually, removing them from the pulp. This is done with gentle care, to prevent the loss of any seeds. Leaves are then set out and the seeds are spread out to dry in the sun.
This spice is most prevalent in West African cooking. So important is this spice to the Yoruba culture, that a newborn baby is immediately given a taste of alligator pepper the minute it is born. There it goes by the name atare.
In its whole state, the seeds can be fried, or used as a replacement for peppercorns. When crushed, try using malaguena pepper in curries, stews, marinades, or salad dressings. It is especially delicious in with braised lamb, potatoes and eggplant.
The seeds of the grains of paradise are a wonderful addition to gingerbread cookies and cakes.
In West African villages, these seeds are used to flavour a traditional drink made from kola nut. Guinea berries have found their way into craft beers. Scandinavians enjoy the flavour in the infused aquavit that they drink.
For a festive holiday flair, add a few grains of paradise to red wine, along with a bit of orange juice, a cinnamon stick, cranberries, and some orange slices. Heat and enjoy a mulled wine! Or serve the German Christmas market variety called Glühwein. The translation means glow-wine, because of how it makes the drinker feel. This may be from the extra kick of rum or amaretto added.
Bombay Sapphire Gin, is a premium gin, with an aromatic taste. Made in England, this neutral grain spirit, infused with 10 botanicals, is concocted from a recipe that dates to 1761. West African grains of paradise spice help to infuse the Bombay Sapphire bottle with flavour.
It is funny to recall that only 150 years ago, adding seeds from the grains of paradise plant to alcohol was strictly prohibited and a punishable offense. Then, it was thought to poison the body and spirit, thereby causing madness.
Bombay Sapphire Gin also contains, juniper berries, orris root, Spanish almonds, lemon peels, licorice, cassia bark, coriander and another one of our favourite spices, cubeb berries.
In West African folk medicine, it is used as a digestive aid. It is also chewed whole to warm the body. Additionally, this African pepper is noted as a wound healer, when crushed and added to a poultice. Among the elders, both grains and pods are used as remedies in traditional medicine and prized for antibiotic and antibacterial properties.
With both its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, this little seed is noted to remove pain such as joint and rheumatoid arthritis pain, as well as stomach pain and even toothaches.
When the oils are extract from the seed it appears to have antimicrobial properties, which can be beneficial in cleaning products, while fulfilling the need for natural products.
In Caribbean and Latin American countries, this Guinea pepper it is used in religious voodoo ceremonies. It has been said that Guinea pepper sprinkled in the bed of lovers will cause the couple to break up for good. Yet, when sprinkled around a home or yard it is said to protect the homeowner and family from allowing enemies to enter.
We could love grains of paradise for the name alone, but we are enticed by this spice for its versality and its exciting flavour. Try it for yourself!
]]>Salt is the one ingredient we literally cannot live without: it flavors and preserves food, as well as contributing to the smooth functioning of our nervous system. Sodium (its main component) helps maintain the perfect hydro-saline balance in our body and it is essential that we consume salt in some form each day.
But you might not know that there’s a whole world behind this simple ingredient!
Salt can be found in many colors, shapes, scents, and flavors thanks to other substances enriching its formula and providing several different benefits and uses.
Let’s discover a very special type of salt: Kala Namak, also sometimes called Himalayan Black Salt.
Salt from the North of India
As its name suggests, this salt comes from Northern India and Pakistan. It’s sourced from volcanic regions, and is extracted from mines carved in mountain rocks or from saline lakes in the Rajasthan region of India.
Unlike sea salt, Kala Namak goes through a special process giving it a peculiar flavor profile and a distinctive aroma.
The raw material extracted in mines is named halite and it looks like mineral crystals. These blocks are then cut into smaller pieces and put into a ceramic jar together with coal and other natural ingredients like Indian gooseberries, harad seeds and bahera.
The sealed jars are then placed in special furnaces at extremely high temperatures for 24h. A chemical process is induced that changes the salt’s color, scent, and flavor. The salt is then ground and aged before being sold for use as a spice in traditional Asian cuisines.
What is Kala Namak Salt made of, exactly?
Like common salt, it is mainly made of sodium chloride. But Indian Black Salt differs from other kinds of salt thanks to a few compounds enriching its formula: sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, iron sulfide, and hydrogen sulfide. These minerals are responsible for its unusual flavor and aroma.
What does it look like?
In its crystallized form, Kala Namak is dark purple, brown, or almost black. But when it is crushed and ready for consumption, it turns a light pinkish purple color.
Other than its unusual color, its main and most striking feature is a slightly sulfurous smell. The sulfur in the salt gives it a strong taste of egg when used in cooking. It might not seem so inviting, but it’s intense, aromatic, and definitely unique! Its flavor profile can be described as savory, pungent, and umami.
When and how can Kala Namak be used in your everyday life?
Kala Namak salt has a wide range of uses – both in the kitchen and in other areas of daily life!
In your kitchen
- Organic Kala Namak is a widespread ingredient in Asia. It's very common to find it both in private houses and restaurants, especially in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. A package of black salt flakes is something ethnic food lovers should absolutely keep in their pantry! If you’ve ever traveled to one of these countries, you know that their typical flavors and scents are unforgettable. With the right ingredients, you can recreate these dishes at home.
- Kala Namak is also a key ingredient in vegan cuisine: thanks to its special aroma and taste, it can add a hint of eggs to any vegan dish!
- Kala Namak Salt is also the perfect gourmet touch to be added to any “plain” ingredient like potatoes, rice or noodles. Turn a boring weekday dinner into something special with zero effort!
As part of your beauty routine
Kala Namak Salt is skin-friendly: it helps cleansing clogged pores and absorbing excess sebum. Make your own homemade skin care product by mixing Kala Namak with a little olive oil and your favorite herbs or essential oils to make a scrub.
As an Ayurvedic remedy
In Asia, Kala Namak Salt has been used in Ayurvedic medicine since 300 BC! It is used as a cooling spice and it is especially considered a great remedy for a wide range of digestive problems.
What are the best pairings for Kala Namak Salt?
Keep in mind that Kala Namak has a very intense flavor and a pungent aroma and it should be used in small amounts! Because of the unique flavor it brings to your dishes, it is not a direct substitute for common salt, so you’d better be prepared!
Health Benefits of Kala Namak Salt
The therapeutic benefits of black salt have been known by traditional practitioners for centuries. Here are some of the more common benefits:
Where can you buy Kala Namak Salt?
Kala Namak is very common in Asia where you can easily find it in local markets and shops. But it is considered a rare ingredient in Western countries and you won’t find it so easily in an ordinary supermarket or your local grocery store. Visit our online shop to purchase Salt’s Up Kala Namak and have this secret ingredient conveniently delivered straight to your door, ready for all your cooking experiments.
Get ready to explore ethnic cuisine, start your vegan diet, or cook like a pro chef any time you want, with this secret weapon in your pantry!
]]>Wandering around Tallinn, Estonia peeking through small and cozy streets, just steps away from the crowd and clatter, one might stumble across our teeny-tiny salt shop. But do not be frightened about the size, as many know, good things come in small packages! :) How did the very first salt and spice shop in the Baltics find its way to the hearts of gourmets? Let us tell you the story of our very first shop.
Started as a university project in 2015 - Salts’Up Gourmet Salts had mainly focused only on delivering gourmet salts through webshops to our friends close and far. Until the summer of 2020, when an opportunity for a physical store came like lightning from a clear sky! We’d found a tiny space, which felt just perfect for our salts and peppers, and finally, we could invite our old and new salt friends over for tastings! It quickly all came together and thus by the end of the summer, a “real home” for our salts and peppers was opened for everyone! We decided to decorate it with vintage pieces, so it would look like a real spice shop from the 20th century. One of our favorite pieces for sure is the vintage cash register from the year of 1925-1926. Believe it or not, this register still working. Surely gives off a very vintage vibe!
To be totally honest, we did not expect many “strangers” or “newcomers” to step into our spice shop, as it is quite a niche thing (especially being the very first in the Baltics). Oh, how wrong we were! After welcoming our old friends, many new quickly found their way into the savory world of gourmet spices. We were (and still are!) so surprised and more than happy to see that so many people are interested in our products. Everyone in our team is thrilled to go to work every day to meet new people and have the pleasure to introduce them to the wonderful world of salts and peppers! If you ever find yourself wandering around Tallinn, come by our shop - hop in and we’ll be more than glad to show you around! And as we said, good things come in small packages, thus one can find something small but yet so perfect to spice up their life from our store. You can also find our shop in TripAdvisor.
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There are many things we eat, such as animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria but the only mineral that we consume is salt. One of the most important features of salt is that it can fix the taste of other ingredients but it can also enhance the flavor. It is quite fair to say that salt is probably the only thing that we can always rely on in our kitchen. We’ve used salt in our food from the very beginning of times and still almost every dish requires it. If we can leave behind the boring and dull table salt and let ourselves discover gourmet salts, a door to a completely different world of tastes will open. Gourmet salts can enrich our dishes, excite our sense of taste but also get a whole different look to everyday dishes.
5 reasons to honor and value gourmet salts:
From our page, you can find information about different gourmet salts. We hope to inspire our readers to make bold moves and try new things whilst cooking. Trying different salts from different places all around the world will open new taste senses, but also will expand your overall knowledge about cooking.
The most important ingredient in your kitchen is salt. It changes your dishes drastically. There are no two salts that are the same, every salt has its own purpose and value. It is influenced by the age, origin, cultivation, and usage of the salt. There are many things in our kitchen that aren’t healthy for us to eat. When understanding where and how do the cheap table and sea salt make its way onto our tables, there is no wish to ever see and eat those again. Fabricated salt will never be on the same level with gourmet salts. Also when consuming and buying gourmet salts, you give your contribution to supporting companies who try to preserve our world, ecologically and culturally. Salt isn’t bad for you, on the contrary, when using the right amount of the right salt, it is only good for you.
It is easy to fall in love with the world of gourmet salts - take a peek and you’ll start to value and honor ‘the most boring ingredient in your kitchen’. Welcome to the world of gourmet salts!
Salt and pepper.
Two of mankind’s greatest friends, the condiments have been seasoning dishes for thousands of years and helping bring flavor to hundreds of millions of people. With that notion of taking things to the next level in mind, it’s easy to see why these two little pots of joy have also broken into everyday language. Indeed, they are simply universal and all manner of languages around the world understand their basic function - to add an extra depth.
So then, it makes perfect sense that we’d introduce them into our lexicon. What better metaphor is there than using two condiments known to pretty much everyone on this planet?
So, here are some of the best salt and pepper quotes and sayings.
Quotes about salt
Salt is a way of life.
Here’s a look at a few quotes stretching out the metaphor we talked about earlier.
“The cure for anything is salt: sweat, tears or the sea.” - Karen Blixen
It’s hard to argue with that.
“A day without an argument is like an egg without salt.” - Angela Carter
Hey, who doesn’t love a bust-up to make you feel alive?
“Business is the salt of life.” - Jeff Rich
Spoken like a truly rich person.
“Where would we be without salt? - James Beard
It doesn’t bear thinking about, James.
“Change is the salt in the soup of life.” - Gyles Brandreth
Never a truer word said.
Salt of the earth quotes
What does salt of the earth mean? Well, to refer to someone or something as ‘salt of the earth’, you’re basically calling them ‘good’ or ‘honest’ in a simple sense.
“The arts are the salt of the earth; as relates to food, the arts relate to technology.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A truly poetic saying from a truly poetic man.
“People don’t enjoy salt. They enjoy what is salted. We are the salt of the earth. We do not exist for ourselves.” - John Piper
Reflecting on the hierarchy of society, Piper really captures the earthy tones here.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” - Matthew: 513
Clearly a religious warning about keeping to a certain code of morals.
“Let’s drink to the hard-working people. Let’s drink to the salt of the earth.” - Mick Jagger
A call to celebrate the community from one of The Rolling Stones. Good idea, Mr. Jagger.
“They’re salt of the earth, those girls. They don’t sit each night and compare notes on groups, criticizing lyrics, asking if it’s valid. They just play the record...yeah and maybe they dance. I love them. I love them dearly.” - David Bowie
A sprinkling of stardust from Ziggy.
Take it with a grain of salt
What does ‘take it with a grain of salt’ mean? Effectively, it means to regard whatever you’ve been told as not quite literal. Indeed, if a foodstuff has been salted, the natural flavor has been enhanced.
So, if someone warns you to take something with a grain of salt, you can rest assured the story they’re telling you has a rather large caveat!
“I take everything with a grain of salt.” - Hope Solo
Typically wise from one of America’s greatest ever female footballers.
“Take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.” - Anonymous
One of the wisest things anyone has ever said. Don’t take it too seriously, have fun!
“Wisdom lies in taking everything with good humor and a grain of salt.” - George Santayana
Live by that mantra and a stress-free life is sure to come your way.
“If people say something rude or off-color, you have to take it with a grain of salt, because they don’t know you.” - Chris Daughtry
In the social media age, this is hugely important. We have to ignore the hate.
“Take every birthday with a grain of salt. This works much if the salt accompanies a large margarita.” - Maxine
We’re all getting older. That’s a good tip for dealing with it!
Salt water quotes
Salt water is a fantastic descriptive device. The world’s biggest juxtaposition, the unpalatable edge to the very liquid from which life is created, it’s a very powerful literary device.
Aside from abstract ideas like that, salt water is great for quotes because of its bracing nature. The mere mention of it conjures up images of the open ocean, one of the most powerful images on the face of Planet Earth.
“Our people know these two things best: water and salt. We cry when we run out of sweat, we seat when tired of cry.” - Jacqui Germain
Hard-hitting reflection on the struggles some people face.
“I have salt in my veins and sand in my heart.” - Anonymous
That sounds like a free way of life. If a little dangerous.
“Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” - Nelson Mandela
As profound as you’d expect from the great man. Everyone deserves these.
Salt to the sea quotes
In 2016, Lithuanian-American author Ruta Sepetys published a young-adult novel about four people in World War II who are on board the eventually sunken MV Willhelm Gustloff.
A gritty story, some of the quotes are marvelous.
“How foolish to believe we are more powerful than the sea or the sky.”
Perspective on mankind’s place in the world.
“Your daughter, your sister. She is salt to the sea.”
Life goes on even despite hardship.
In more popular culture
“Bread - that this house may never know hunger. Salt - that life may always have flavor. Wine - that joy and prosperity may reign forever!” - James Stewart and Donna Reed (It’s a Wonderful life bread, salt, wine quote)
“I don’t know what you guys are so worried about. Cooking is easy. You just follow the recipe. If it says boil two cups of salt, boil two cups of salt.” - Rachel Green, Friends (The One Where Ross Got High salt quote)
Though salt is probably the more famous of the two given its prevalence in some of the world’s greatest wonders, pepper is also used to spice up a conversation.
While not as widely used, there are some very poignant quotes about pepper.
“Jealousy is like a hot pepper. Use it mildly, and you add spice to the relationship. Use too much of it and it can burn.” - Ayala Malakh-Pines
Come on, we have all been there. Even if we don’t want to admit it.
“The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don’t go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and I, keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout.” - Johnny Cash
A declaration of love from The Man In Black, drenched in a country music tone.
“He who has the pepper may season as he lists.” - George Herbert
He wasn’t just talking about food. The ‘pepper’ is a certain quality someone can bring to everyday life.
“The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness.” - Markus Zusak
What an amazing description of a sunset. Who else is hungry?
“Don’t be a pepper on the eyes of people. Rather be the salt on their tongue and make a difference that influences their sense of belonging to the earth.” - Israelmore Ayivor
Given some current affairs, it’d be wise to heed this advice.
“Black and white is salt and pepper of colors, for life tastes bland without them.” - Vikrmn, Corpkshetra
A simple message but one that should mean so much.
“My heart is small, like a love of buttons or black pepper.” - S. Jane Sloat, In the Voice of a Minor Saint
Just a lovely description of emotions.
“If they show you pepper, show them tomatoes; with onions and salt available, you’ll soon become friends on a spicy pot of stew.” - Vincent Okay Nwachukwu, Weight ‘n’ Worthy African Provers - Volume 1
Some very helpful travel advice.
“Peppering your relationship with a dash of mystery can make it far more palatable.” - Khang Kijarro Nguyen
Once again, we’ve all been there. Haven’t we? Just me then….
Salt and Pepper Quotes as Sayings: Final Thoughts
So, as you can see from pretty much everything above, salt and pepper can season a conversation and help make a point just as well as they can do in the world of cooking.
Two little pots of absolute joy.
Hopefully, some of these will have their way into your mind. If they have, those mundane talks we have with friends, family, or colleagues will simply be all the richer.
Salt and pepper. They really aren’t just for cooking.
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