a whitepaper by Dr Barbara Santich

with Salt100 years of SAXA®

in our kitchens

Australia's Love Affair

Celebrating 100 years

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internationally renowned food historianD R BA R BA R A SA n t i c h

Dr Barbara Santich is an internationally renowned food historian whose research and writing explores the role of food in culture. Barbara is the author of six books, including the award-winning Looking for Flavour (1996, new edition 2009); The Original Mediterranean

Cuisine (1995); and In the Land of the Magic Pudding: A Gastronomic Miscellany (2000). she has been a columnist for various australian newspapers and magazines and has contributed

articles to a wide range of australian and international publications, and has a long list of publications in academic and scholarly journals. she teaches courses in food writing and food history and culture at the University of adelaide. her next book will focus on australia's gastronomic heritage and the stories behind the foods and recipes that represent characteristic australian responses to unique australian situations.

J u St i n n o R t hSalt is absolutely essential in any kitchen. thanks to a myriad of cooking programs, at-home-cooks are developing their understanding of what salt can do in the kitchen. the diverse range of salt available on supermarket shelves today is also indicative of people’s growing interest in food

and cooking. there is a greater understanding that there are different salts for different purposes – whether it’s sea salt flakes crushed directly onto a finished dish to sharpen flavour, cut acidity and define

sweetness, or sea rock salt when cooking (think hearty, slow-cooked food), or for curing and pickling.

in my kitchen, i can’t live without my mortar and pestle, and a good set of sharp knives. the same goes for salt; it is an essential part of my cuisine and a fundamental for my cooking. learning to season food was drilled into me at an early age. the first thing i ever learnt in cooking was to taste, season, and taste again. i now keep my salt as close to the cooking as possible. Keeping it within arm’s reach allows me to season my food as i go.

while salt can lift the flavour of your dish, it can also ruin it if you’re not using the correct salt or tasting your food. learn to taste regularly when cooking. as a recipe develops, so do the flavours. taste the food, add a pinch of salt and taste again. Be sure to taste before and after seasoning to ensure you have the balance of flavours just right. Knowing when to stop will come with experience, but you should also follow your instincts. But most of all, have fun with it!

happy Birthday saXa®. i’m looking forward to what the next 100 years of seasoning will look like.

A Bo u t SA X A®

Established in Australia in 1911, SAXA® quickly earned the reputation for reliable quality in the kitchens and dining rooms of the nation. since those early days, the saXa® brand has

been offering increasingly relevant products to ensure australian families have the right seasoning for every occasion; saXa® has a range of salts for every occasion, and the range includes rock salt,

table salt, Cooking salt, sea salt flakes as well as the new Grinders.

the saXa® table salt drum is the iconic flagship of the brand. an australian favourite, the spout pours freely, or sprinkles, is easy to wipe down, and the distinctive packaging is easy to find in the cupboard.

sea salt flakes are made from sea-waters that sweep into saXa®’s solar salt field and are then evaporated. after harvesting, sea salt is dried to remove excess moisture and crushed to form fine crystals. the salt is natural and free from any artificial additives. this age-old process gives saXa® sea salt flakes an intense flavour so less salt is required.

restaUrateUr, head Chef of two hatted BeCasse, saXa® amBassador

Preserving and seasoning

100 years of Salt an advertisement (Argus, monday 22 Jan 1900, p. 4) for Cerebos table salt in 1900 vaunts its 'strengthening and constitution building properties,' which could compensate for the deficiencies of white bread, made from refined flour without the bran. it is therefore 'invaluable in the daily food of growing children, delicate mothers, and all brain workers'.

Practical Australian Cookery (1909) notes that salt should never be sprinkled on a joint for roasting, explaining that it 'opens the pores and allows juices to escape'. the saXa® trademark is first registered in australia on september 26, 1911.

saXa® advertises free-running salt in sealed packets and pourer drums: 'a fine, dry, free running salt, guaranteed absolutely pure' (Townsville Daily Bulletin, thursday 25 december 1925, p. 7). salt shakers, considered an american introduction, started to replace the more traditional salt cellars around the turn of the century, and had the advantage of keeping the salt hygienically clean and free of dust. their disadvantage was that in damp weather the salt would not pour. 'there is nothing so irritating, as a salt shaker that won't shake,' notes the Perth Sunday Times (Sunday Times, sunday 18 august 1929, p. 6s). 'Because of the annoyance of the clogged salt shaker,' it continues, 'most persons now use open salt dishes'. a standard remedy is to add a few grains of rice to the shaker with the salt. fine table salt is not, however, recommended for breadmaking: 'never use the fine table salt if you can avoid it because table salt is a mixture of fine salt and starch (maize flour) which prevents it from caking,' advises the Western Mail (Western Mail, thursday 17 may 1928, p. 42).

salt is an essential ingredient in pot pourri. one recipe calls for three handfuls each of damask rose petals, clove carnations and wall flowers, together with one handful of rosemary, lemon thyme, lavender and marjoram, all dried in the sun, then arranged in an earthenware pot on top of a layer of salt, the dried herbs and petals alternating with a blend of chopped bay leaves, mint leaves, lemon rind and cloves. once matured, the mixture is used to fill small sachets for scenting drawers and linen cupboards. (Cairns Post, saturday 13 september 1930, p. 10)

Various australian states experience shortages of salt in the 1940s. in the final years of the war insufficient labour is available to harvest the salt, and butchers and bakers are among the first to feel the effects. sydney supplies reach a critical level in mid-1947, only relieved by the import of 400 tonnes of salt from adelaide. the state's requirements at that time are estimated at 3,500 to 4,000 tonnes per month. tasmanian salt supplies are interrupted in 1946 and 1948 as a result of lack of shipping.

1900

1910

1920

1950

1960

1970

19801990

2000

2010

1930

1940

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100 years of Salt

1950

1960

1970

19801990

2000

2010

'salt is an ally to the wise cook,' writes women's journalist Grace hutchinson. 'if there was no other seasoning available, salt still could and would make food palatable and interesting. in every department of cookery from soup to nuts, salt is essential'. she reminds her readers that 'salt added at the table does not blend with the food and bring out the flavor as well as if it has been added in the cooking'. her recommendation is to add salt at the very beginning for soups and sauces, checking seasoning before serving, and to cook potatoes and all green vegetables in salted water. new potatoes, she adds, need more salt than old ones. (Argus, tuesday 6 march 1951, p. 6)

Margaret Fulton Cookbook advises seasoning roasts with salt and pepper before cooking in the oven. the growing interest in herbs, spices and other flavourings leads to the introduction of a range of flavoured salts – celery salt, garlic salt, and onion salt – in the 1960s. margaret fulton also fosters the shift to freshly ground black pepper from the pepper mill in place of pre-ground white pepper.

australians become increasingly interested in the cuisines of asia, and their bible is Charmaine solomon's The Complete Asian Cookbook (1976), whose recipes introduce home cooks to fish sauce, soy sauce, miso and sambal ulek as flavourings and salty seasonings.

in response to medical concerns about the role of salt in hypertension, a new range of low-salt and reduced-salt foods start appearing on supermarket shelves: reduced-salt butter and non-dairy spreads; reduced-salt soups and sauces; and reduced-salt cheese.

hand-harvested fleur de sel, the fine film of salt that forms on the surface of the shallow salt ponds on the atlantic coast of france, becomes a new foodie favourite. mineral impurities from the seawater give this salt a softer, more subtle flavour. fleur de sel from Guérande is especially prized.

in his book, The Food I Love (2005), chef neil Perry writes: 'well-seasoned food tastes great and the flavour of most food is dramatically different when it is done well. By seasoning i mostly mean salting. i always use sea salt, as it has a finer, cleaner taste than other salts. when seasoning, think about this: salting heightens the natural flavours of food'.

salt moves into the value-added market as gourmet salts and salt rubs, flavoured with herbs, chilli, porcini mushrooms, truffles or roasted kalamata olives; some are gently smoked for flavour interest.

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h i Sto RYas refrigeration was not available until the 1880s salting was the standard method of preserving fresh meat and fish as well as perishables such as dairy products. at this time butter and cheese were still seasonal products in Britain, which meant they had to be prepared in such a way as to cope with long periods of storage. if they were destined for ships' stores or for transportation to distant colonies, salting was especially essential. it is therefore not surprising that australians developed a taste for salt.

the eventual success of refrigeration solved the issue of preserving meat, but salting of both mutton and beef continued into the twentieth century. recipes for mutton hams continued to appear in cookbooks and newspapers until the 1950s. in the country, bacon and ham were also home-cured; sheep and ox tongues were lightly brined before cooking to enhance flavour. even fish were salted; when murray cod were still plentiful in outback rivers, large specimens could be scaled, cleaned and split down the backbone, then rubbed with salt, piled on top of one another and left under a weight before air-drying for longer storage.

australian cooking in the nineteenth century and in the first half of the twentieth century was essentially simple. most dishes on australian tables derived from english tradition, though other cultures and cuisines were also influential, and in the course of the century most were adapted and gradually australianised. meat, poultry and fish were typically seasoned with salt and pepper and nothing else, though various sauces and condiments could be added at the table. shallot or onion were sometimes added to stews and braises, and occasionally thyme, lemon rind, parsley, nutmeg and mustard were included.

to counteract the plainness of cooking and monotony of meat at every meal, numerous salty, spicy and tangy sauces, relishes, pickles and chutneys were on hand to add to dishes, sometimes during the cooking but more often to the individual’s plate depending on personal taste.

it seems that australians used considerable quantities of these condiments in the early 1900s. Giving evidence to the royal Commission on the Basic wage in 1920, Professor w.a. osborne suggested that the average family of five required one bottle of tomato sauce and half of worcestershire sauce per week, together with half a bottle of pickles, one pint of vinegar, one ounce of mustard and even more of curry powder.

Cooking with Salt

cinnamon and bay leaf preserved lemons Quarter a few lemons and layer with a healthy mix of rock salt, mixed with a couple of bay leaves, cinnamon quills and peppercorns. Preserve in air-tight jars for at least 6-8 weeks. Use to give a citrus salty edge to bbQ dressings and marinades.

Recipe created by Justin North SAXA® ambassador, and owner of Becasse, Etch, Quarter 21 and Charlie & Co.

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n oWit is near impossible to track trends in salt consumption, in quantitative terms, from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. nevertheless, it is likely that the main sources of salt in the diet have changed little over the century. according to food standards australia new Zealand (fsanZ), about 75% of salt in the average australian diet today comes from everyday foods such as bread and bread rolls (25%); meat, poultry and game products and dishes (24%); cereal products and baked goods (17%); savoury sauces and condiments (8%); and cheese (5%). at the start of the twentieth century australians were eating considerably more bread (typically with butter), and more meat – and possibly more salted meat – but probably fewer cereal products and baked goods, (fsanZ. Fact Sheet 2011: How much sodium and salt are we eating?).

and although australians are now eating more processed foods they have modified their cooking practices. the widespread adoption of olive oil, olive oil sprays, non-stick pans and barbecues has virtually eliminated the previous custom of frying meat in butter or dripping, both of which were well salted a century ago. where butter is an ingredient in cakes – and today a far higher proportion of cakes do not use any butter – unsalted butter is commonly specified.

Qualitatively, the way we season foods and use salt in the kitchen have also evolved. in the early twentieth century it was believed that sprinkling salt on meat before cooking would harden it, and recipes instructed cooks to season grilled steak and chops at the end of cooking and to serve them with a knob of butter. since about the middle of the century, or at least from 1968 when the Margaret Fulton Cookbook first appeared, accepted wisdom has been to brush steak and chops lightly with olive oil and season with a small pinch of pepper and salt.

similarly, the Margaret Fulton Cookbook advised seasoning roasts with salt and pepper before cooking in the oven. in contrast, Practical Australian Cookery (1909) noted that salt should never be sprinkled on a joint for roasting, explaining that it 'opens the pores and allows juices to escape'.

Cookbooks published in the early twentieth century paid little attention to vegetables which were typically cooked in boiling salted water, drained, then tossed with butter, pepper and salt, with the occasional garnish of finely chopped parsley. in his best-known book, The Art of Living in Australia (1893), dr Philip muskett called for more care to be applied in australian cooking, adding that most people 'seem incapable of understanding that these different vegetables are worthy of being served in an infinite number of ways'.

Cooking with Salt

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

Au St R A l i A'S SA lt D i e t to DAY

Breads

Meat & Poultry

Other

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5% 25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

Cereals & Baked Goods

Savoury Sauces & Condiments

Cheese

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

25%

24% 21%

17%

8% 5%

FSANZ estimates about 75% of salt in the average Australian diet today comes from everyday foods.

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in the twenty-first century recipes are far more imaginative. Vegetables might be steamed, drizzled with olive oil and roasted in the oven, or stir-fried with ginger and garlic. with these treatments, they retain more flavour and require less seasoning, especially if fresh herbs are added before serving.

margaret fulton can be credited with inspiring many of these changes, not only through her best-selling cookbook (1.5 million copies sold since 1968), but also her cooking features in Woman's Day from 1960 to 1979. she encouraged greater versatility with vegetables, suggesting last-minute enhancements of chopped fresh herbs, browned butter and toasted slivered almonds. Chefs today often favour raw or minimally cooked vegetables tossed with a tangy dressing to accompany simply grilled meats.

australians still use a great variety of packaged sauces and condiments in cooking and at the table, but many of these – such as black bean sauce or sweet chilli sauce – would have been totally foreign to cooks a century earlier. their growing familiarity with a range of different cuisines is evident in their ready acceptance of spices and spice blends, especially for north african and middle eastern dishes, as well as indigenous products such as lemon myrtle and tasmanian pepper.

since the second half of the twentieth century australians have had access to an ever-increasing range of convenience foods, from dehydrated soup mixes, frozen vegetables and cake and pastry mixes in the 1950s to ready-to-use curry pastes and sauces, two-minute noodles and microwavable pre-cooked rice. one consequence of this trend to greater use of commercially manufactured ingredients is that recipes have become more cautious with regards to seasoning. today's recipes generally advise checking the seasoning of a dish close to the end of cooking and only then adjusting if necessary.

throughout the twentieth century australians could buy salt in three basic forms: rock salt; coarse salt or cooking salt; and free-running table salt; iodised versions of the latter two have been available since the 1920s. towards the end of the twentieth century new forms of salt for cooking and table use were introduced, such as sea salt in soft white flakes or rough greyish crystals. later came fleur de sel from the french atlantic coast, italian sea salt from sicily, slate-coloured smoked salt and the red hawaiian salt, and in the last decade the pink murray river salt was launched.

as a more expensive alternative to common salt and free-running salt, each of these new forms of salt offered, or was believed to offer, something more than just salt. the french fleur de sel, in particular, contains mineral impurities, which tend to soften the sometimes harsh flavour of salt.

Roast pork rump with crackling Ingredients: (serves 4 as main) • 100g SAXA® Sea Salt Flakes • 900g pork rump or loin – fat and skin intact • 60ml non-scented cooking oil (like grape seed oil)

Method: Trim the pork and score the skin with a sharp knife or blade about 2/3 of the way through the skin. Thoroughly massage the SAXA® Sea Salt Flakes into the skin and leave the pork uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C. Heat a pan (must be suitable for oven) over a medium heat and add the oil. Place the pork, skin side down into the pan, and gently caramelise the skin until it is golden. Place pan into the pre-heated oven and roast for approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes.

To serve, carve the pork and crackling into neat slices and serve with a selection of roast vegetables.

Recipe created by Justin North SAXA® ambassador, and owner of Becasse, Etch, Quarter 21 and Charlie & Co.

the association between high salt

consumption and hypertension had long been

known to the medical profession, but it was

only in 1982 that the national heart foundation

included warnings about salt consumption in

its Healthy Eating Guidelines. in the 1960s and

1970s, the foundation's health messages had

focused on overweight, fat and cholesterol.

'salt is an acquired taste

and often masks the true

flavour of food' noted the

Guide to Healthy Eating

(1982). this contrasts

with the accepted

popular wisdom of

earlier times that salt

was important 'to make

food palatable and

interesting', as reported

by the Argus in 1951.

in the 1980s the

national heart

foundation shifted

its emphasis to the

preventive benefits

of healthy eating for

the whole population,

not just the high-risk

groups. the first heart

food festival in 1987 introduced low-fat

and low-salt alternatives and succeeded in

demonstrating not only that a demand for

such products could be created but also that

food manufacturers were willing to respond.

the result was the development of the heart

foundation's tick; foods approved to display

the 'tick' logo have to comply with prescribed

standards, such as maximum levels of

saturated fat and salt. a new range of low-salt

and reduced-salt foods started appearing on

supermarket shelves: reduced-salt butter and

non-dairy spreads; reduced-salt soups and

sauces; and reduced-salt cheese.

one of the dietary guidelines for australian

adults introduced in 1979 was 'Use less salt'.

this was modified in 1992 to 'Choose low salt

foods and use salt sparingly', and further altered

in 2003. the current set of dietary guidelines

advises australians to 'take care to choose

foods low in salt'.

sensible, practical

advice on shopping

wisely and cutting

down on salt in cooking

has been published

in books such as

Family Food (1987),

one of Gabriel Gaté's

cookbooks for the anti-

Cancer Council.

since the 1990s

food manufacturers

have also heeded the

message and have

begun to reduce the

salt content of their

products. Bread and

cereal manufacturers

have begun reducing

the salt content of

some of their products from 2011, with other

products – processed meats, poultry, simmer

sauces and soups – to be targeted in 2012.

health messages and campaigns by groups

such as awash have increased awareness of

the risks associated with excessive salt intake,

and information about ways of reducing

salt intake, together with suggestions for

alternatives to the basic seasonings of salt

and pepper, are readily available from medical

centres and in popular magazines.

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Health and Salt

using salt to stay healthy• A teaspoon of salt in a pint of water

makes an effective gargle for sore throats

• A dessertspoon of salt, Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda in a basin of hot water soothes tired feet

• Equal parts alum and salt, or even salt alone, relieves toothache

• Used for cleaning the teeth, salt can harden gums, make teeth white and sweetens the breath

• A salt and water solution will help stop the bleeding after a tooth is extracted

• A small bag filled with salt and heated then applied to the aching part relieves toothache, earache or headache

nevertheless, like all health and dietary reforms, it is likely that modifications to salt consumption will be adopted disproportionately across the population. Consequently it could take quite a few years to achieve the population-wide reduction of nearly 30 percent from the current fsanZ estimate of 5.5g of salt per day (for australians aged two years and older) to the awash target of 4g of salt per day (fsanZ. Fact Sheet 2011: How much sodium and salt are we eating?; awash. Statement on Australian Salt Intakes).

the growing popularity of vegetarian meals and diets may encourage a reduction in dietary salt as people turn to unprocessed grains and pulses in place of animal foods.

those who are more health-conscious will become more discriminating in choosing and using salt for individual seasoning, with low-sodium, potassium enriched salt becoming more widely available through supermarkets, as in france. at the same time they will probably take greater advantage of a broader range of low-salt or reduced-salt options in manufactured foods. Consumers concerned about their sodium intake can check the label for the amount of sodium per 100 grams (a ‘low sodium’ product has no more than 120 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams).

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FSA n Z A i m F o R A 30% SAlt ReDuction p o pu l At i o n W i D e

FSANZ. Fact Sheet 2011: How much sodium and salt are we eating?; AWASH Statement on Australian Salt Intakes.

5.5g salt per day

4.0g salt per day

Flavouring Salt

Place 2 drachms each of bay leaf, thyme, and basil in the oven till quite dried, pound them in a mortar with 4 drachms each of grated nutmeg and cloves, and 2 each of white pepper, allspice, and mace. when in fine powder, sift them all, and mix them with fine table salt, thoroughly dried in the oven, in the proportion of 1oz. of the mixed spice to a pound of the salt. Keep this spiced salt in an air-tight tin box. (1 drachm = 3.41g)

Flavouring pepper"mignonette" peppers is much used for flavouring certain made dishes. it consists of pepper corns roughly pounded with spice in various proportions. one can prepare the mixture in accordance with the tastes of one's own household.

Queenslander, 13 february 1892: 317

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in recent years it's all been about the wow factor in the kitchen, with molecular gastronomy focussing on technique more so than taste. Going forward i believe we will see a marrying of the two where chefs and home cooks alike will use new

technologies to make the food taste amazing.

i also think we'll see a greater move towards local produce, whether it's from your back garden or the local markets. this will give restaurants (and home kitchens) their own individual palette and as well as a sense of place.

Back to basics will also be rigueur du jour, where local produce will be made the star on the plate. implicit in all this will be the role of salt, helping cooks to get the best out of their produce. think baby carrots in their simplest form, enhanced only by one simple ingredient, salt. Perfect!

salt will continue to be the hero ingredient in the kitchen, but seasoning should not be looked upon as a process. its role is to add texture and more importantly, enhance the flavour.

taste, season and taste again was the first thing i learnt in the kitchen and i encourage you to do the same!

– Justin north

100 Years Ago … culinary hints• Add a pinch of salt to mustard mixed with milk to

preserve the colour• Add a pinch of salt to hot coffee just before serving to

bring out the flavour• Add a pinch of salt when whipping egg whites or

cream to make them firmer• Add a little salt to the water when boiling a cracked

egg to prevent the white running out • Add a little salt to the water when peeling new

potatoes to prevent finger stains • Sprinkle common salt over the bottom of the frying

pan before melting fat to prevent the fat from splashing • Put a layer of salt in the bottom of the bread box and

cover with a layer of paper to keep bread fresh

The Future of Salt in Australia

chocolate mousse pots with salted almond crunch Ingredients: (serves 12) • 234g milk • 342g thickened cream • 81g caster sugar • 100g egg yolks • 224g milk chocolate. For the salted almond crunch: • 180g blanched almonds • 1 tsp SAXA® Sea Salt Flakes • 750g caster sugar • 200g water

Method: For the mousse, bring the milk, cream and sugar to the boil. Pour over the chocolate and mix well, allow to cool. Then strain the chocolate mix over the yolks and mix well. Transfer to serving cups and steam at 100°C for 20-25 minutes or until just set. Refrigerate and allow to completely cool.

For the salted almond crunch, lightly roast the almonds in the oven at 150°C until light tan in colour, once removed from the oven toss in a large bowl with the flake salt. The salt will stick to the almonds due to the oils being released. In a large heavy based pot add the sugar and water, being careful not to spill the sugar up the sides of the pot. brush the sides with the water just to be certain.

Place the pot over a high heat and caramelise until dark golden in colour, stirring every couple of minutes. Pour the caramel over the nuts onto a tray and allow to set at room temperature.

Crush the caramel nuts into bite-sized pieces. Cover the cool chocolate mousse pots with caramel nuts and serve

Recipe created by Justin North SAXA® ambassador, and owner of Becasse, Etch, Quarter 21 and Charlie & Co.

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S el ect eD B i B l i o g R A ph YAWASH. Statement on Australian Salt Intakes. available for download from www.awash.org.au

Dietary Guidelines for Australians (2003). available from www.health.gov.au/internet/healthyactive/publishing.nsf/content/eating

Food Standards Australia New Zealand. fact sheet 2011: How much sodium and salt are we eating. available at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/scienceandeducation/factsheets/factsheets2011/howmuchsaltareweeati5230.cfm

Fulton, Margaret. The Margaret Fulton Cookbook. dee why west, nsw: Paul hamlyn, 1968.

Gaté, Gabriel. Family Food. south yarra, Vic: anne o'donovan, 1987.

Monro, Amy M. The Practical Australian Cookery. sydney: dymock's Book arcade, 1909.

Muskett, Philip. The Art of Living in Australia. first publ. 1893. Kenthurst, nsw: Kangaroo Press, 1987.

Perry, Neil. The Food I Love. sydney: murdoch Books, 2005.

Santich, Barbara. What the Doctors Ordered: 150 Years of Dietary Advice in Australia. south melbourne, Vic: hyland house, 1995.

Solomon, Charmaine. The Complete Asian Cookbook. sydney: lansdowne, 1976.

in addition, extensive use has been made of the digitised newspapers resource available through trove (national library of australia).

Celebrating 100 years