A pinch of salt

Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator

Though a very vital commodity, we all know it's bad luck if we spill any of this precious white stuff. And my grandmother always told me that too much would cut my heart string. But the everyday table salt is not only a staple in the kitchen and most dishes, it also has numerous non-culinary uses. Here are some of the numerous ways to enjoy a pinch of salt today.

1 Eggs: Boiling eggs in salted water will make them easier to peel. And unless you have X-ray vision, the best way to test how fresh eggs are is to put them in a bowl of water with two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink to the bottom while the others will float.

2 Preventing colour change - Apples, pears and potatoes dropped in cold, lightly salted water as they are peeled will retain their colour and not turn brown.

3 Boiled potatoes - Boiled potatoes will have a nice mealy texture by being sprinkled with salt after draining, then returned to the pan and rolled back and forth quickly to get rid of the excess moisture.

4 Cleaning - It can eliminate grease from the greasiest pan if you put a little salt in it and wipe with paper towel.

- Rubbing your favourite cup stained by your morning coffee will get rid of that stubborn stain.

- Salt and cinnamon take the 'burned food' ordour out of your oven and stove. Sprinkle on spill while oven is still hot. When dry, remove the salted spots with a stiff brush or cloth.

- Salt and soda water will clean and freshen the inside of your refrigerator. It won't scratch enamel either.

- Rubbing tarnished silverware with salt before washing will make them as good as new.

- Removes stains on copper pans by salting the area and scouring with a cloth soaked in vinegar.

- Pouring a strong salt brine down the kitchen sink drain regularly will help eliminate odour and keep grease from building up.

- Rub fingers with some salt moistened with vinegar to remove onion odours from hands.

5 Fire - Never use water to extinguish a grease fire on the stove or in your oven, as this will only spread it. To smother such flames, toss some salt on it.

6 Soups - If you have put too much salt in your soup, cut a raw potato or two and drop them in. They will absorb the salt.

7 Mould - To prevent mould on cheese, wrap it in a cloth dampened with salt water before refrigerating.

8 Milk - a drop of salt to your milk will keep it fresh longer.