I have always been enamored with salt cellars, and I use them on a daily basis as well as when entertaining. A salt cellar is basically any small vessel used for holding salt, and was popular well until the forties until the salt shaker took over. Even though they are traditionally made from silver or glass, any small container will do. I can even use the pinch pot, on the left, my 7 year old made for me this week, and I think I will! All it needs is a tiny spoon... and salt of course!
The cellars I have above were made from real shells and lined in silver. Below is a small sample of salt spoons. Usually spoons used for cellars are very small, and sometimes have a ladle-like appearance, like the one on the far right (which has been in my family since about 1900~!)
I was at a consignment store earlier this week, and found this clam shell, which I bought for about $5. While driving home I thought to myself that this would make a great holder for salt! So right away, I poured in some sea-salt and added a spoon. Since this clam is bigger than the usual vessel, I used a spoon that is slightly bigger than your typical salt spoon.
What I used was one of my spoons from my Souvineir spoon collection. The spoon on the far right, above, once belonged to my great-great Bess in the 1800's and the spoon to the left of it is also a family piece from the early 1900's (can you tell no-one in my family lost anything or threw anything away?) I picked up the middle one in Paris, and I bought the one on the far left in Colorado. I have two sizes of souvenier spoons, and these shown above and below are the smaller ones.
The salt I like to use is sea-salt, and the two brands I like are shown on the left. The Redmond Ancient All Natural Sea Salt, which is from the small town of Redmond in Utah, has flecks of minerals in it that looks like sand. I have it in the clam shell, shown close up below.
The Bolivian Rose Salt from the Artisan Salt Co. is from the Andes Mountain and is super fine, like fine sugar, and has the prettiest pink hue. It is shown closer up on the last photograph. I buy both of these brands at Whole Foods, but they are also available here and here.
(all images: cashon & co)
