1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: I eat so much salt, and then I read that 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: the US dietary guidelines is that no one should eat 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: more than twenty three hundred milligrams a day. That's a teaspoon, 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: that's a tea. We shouldn't have more than a teaspoon 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: of salt today. I don't even want to tell you 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: how much salt I ow. 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 2: When I learned that, it's like, oh my gosh, I 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: probably have ten times. 9 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: That today's episode is about probably my favorite ingredient. It's 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: about salt, and it's so fitting because we're also celebrating 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: my favorite holiday, which is Thanksgiving. 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 3: My name is Evil Longoria and I am my teon 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 3: and welcome to Hungry for History, a podcast that explores 14 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 3: our past and present through food. On every episode, we'll 15 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 3: talk about the history of some of our favorite dishes, ingredients, 16 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 3: and beverages from our culture. 17 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: So make yourself at home. Eve when brochel, When was 18 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: salt first used? Or who invented it? Or who discovered it? 19 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: Like? 20 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: Where did it come from? 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 4: Well, salt is. 22 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: Everywhere, right, but the earliest evidence of salt processing dates 23 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 2: to about six thousand BC, right, so over eight thousand 24 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: years ago to present day China. 25 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 4: And Romania. 26 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 2: It was prized, you know, for centuries, prized by the 27 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 2: ancient Greeks and Romans and Egyptians and Indians. So it 28 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: has always been a super important article of trade across 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: the Mediterranean, across the Sahara on salt roads. Oh look 30 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: at you, Look what I have here. I forgot to 31 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: put a little lime wedge. 32 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: I don't like salted rims on my margarita. Even though 33 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: I'm a salt atic, you don't. I don't like assalted rim. 34 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: I like a dagene rim how which is almost the 35 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: same with a lot of salt intahen. But yeah, I'm 36 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: not a fan of salted rims. But I did it today. 37 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 4: Oh I love the salted riom, the salt episode. 38 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: What I have, I don't know if you could tell 39 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: I made a cranberry cranberry margarita an honor of. 40 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: That is beautiful. I made watermelon yesterday because I had 41 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: some leftover. That sounds really like four little slice of watermelon. 42 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: I was like, well, this gouls for margarita. My girlf 43 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: was like what I was like, yeah, yeah, anytime there's 44 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: like a little fruit anything. 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 2: I do like the salt room because it balances off 46 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: the sourness and the sweetness in them. 47 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: What did you How did you make your margarita? I 48 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: need to check on your margarita. 49 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 2: I followed your lead. I didn't use any triple sack. 50 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: I just used a little bit. I used a little 51 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: bit of of the cranberry juice. 52 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 4: A gove a gove. 53 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: I got some of gave because I always use simple syrup. 54 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 2: But I got some of govey for you. I got 55 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 2: it for you. Tons of lime juice and then just 56 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: a little, just a little splash of thickila. 57 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 4: Because it's nine thirty in the morning. 58 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: Hey love it. They're just bad. I had to do 59 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: a little it like that's splash. No, it's it's six 60 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: thirty for me here in Spain, so it's like definitely 61 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: past wine o'clock. Are you superstitious about salt as well 62 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 1: on the table? 63 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,119 Speaker 4: I am like you, Oh my god. 64 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: Yes, if somebody drops it, you gotta throw it over 65 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: your shoulder. I also, I don't take it from somebody 66 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: to have to put it down and then I pick 67 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: it up. Do you do that one? 68 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: Yes? Yeah, absolutely, absolutely always, And it has to be 69 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: the left shoulder, yes, right, because they say that the 70 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: devil sits on your left shoulder and you blind him 71 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 2: with the clock. 72 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: He's right here. The devil's right here, and you blind 73 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: him with the salt. That's what it is. That's what 74 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: I go. 75 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 4: Yeah. 76 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 2: And in Spanish, when somebody says that somebody is salavo, 77 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: you know, it means that they have bad luck, like, oh, 78 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 2: there's a lal I have, you know, bad luck. 79 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: But oh, I didn't know that. I thought that meant 80 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: that they were like malaumba, like they were like not cool. 81 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 4: No, theyre's salala there they're bad. 82 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: But in English, if somebody is salty, then they're like 83 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 2: unreasonably like angry or bitter or whatever, so it kind 84 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: of is like they're not cool. 85 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: Who was the first to produce salt as like a product? 86 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: Eight thousand years ago in ancient China Romania, they were 87 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 2: producing salt. 88 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 4: But the Chinese were the very first. 89 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: To build a salt empire, and only the government was 90 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 2: allowed to produce salt and to sell salt, and they 91 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 2: enforced the salt tax. They were the first, you know, 92 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 2: of many cultures to do this, and actually it brought 93 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 2: so much wealth that salt paid for the Great Wall 94 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 2: of China in the third century BC. I wanted to 95 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: mention also we mentioned the salt fat, acid heat, which 96 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 2: is a great resource. But there's also this book which 97 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: is one of my favorites. It's called Salt, a World 98 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: History by Mark Kurlanski, and he goes into detail for 99 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: nerds like me, and I know that you would love 100 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 2: this too. 101 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: Eva. 102 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 2: He goes into salt as it is in everything, just 103 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 2: how important it has been. 104 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 1: But I didn't know, well, it's yeah, that's my point. 105 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: I didn't realize it was like such a commodity in trade, 106 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: and how ancient Romans were paid in salt because it 107 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: was so valuable. And that that's where the word salary 108 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: comes from. Salent salary, isn't that Corey, It's super crazy. 109 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's crazy. 110 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 2: And Emperor Augustus he when he was wanted to gain 111 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 2: public support for a war, he distributed free salt right, 112 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 2: so it was this campaign tool. Even our word salad 113 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 2: comes from the Latin word in salata or like in Salada, 114 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: which means in salt. 115 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 4: Even words like salvation. 116 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: You know, in the Old and New Testaments, covenants were 117 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: sealed with salt and was used also in the Catholic 118 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 2: church was used. 119 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 4: For purification rituals. 120 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: It has been such an important tool in history. 121 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere hungry for history, will be right back 122 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: after the break. Well, you know, when I did searching 123 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: for Mexico, we went to the salt beds in Medida 124 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: or in the Yucatan, and I just learned so much 125 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: about the history of salt in Mexico and how it's 126 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:31,160 Speaker 1: really intertwined with the culture, with the economy, and obviously 127 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: with the culinary development over a millennia. Indigenous cultures, like 128 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: like ancient Mayans, assault was a daily ingredient because they 129 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,119 Speaker 1: would salt their fish and they would use it in 130 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: leather tanning, they would use it in ritual activities, and 131 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: so I know, like in the Mayan area thought was 132 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: really important for them, and then in the market and 133 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: the trade market because you know, they were in the Yucatan. 134 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: And so for me, I was like, oh my god, yeah, 135 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: of course, like, of course salt be preserving the fish 136 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: because there was no refrigerators or ice or things like that, 137 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: but also like in leather tanning and in medicine like 138 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: what how like they used salt alive. It was very 139 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: important in Mexico. 140 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 4: Very important. It's still very important in Mexico, right. 141 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: And what I find so interesting it's like taxing, you know, salts, 142 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: but salt is everywhere, right. But yeah, the main source 143 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 2: in source of salt and meso America was the selflex 144 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: that you that you visited in you got done, and 145 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: they obtained the salt through this solar evaporation of waters 146 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: in this large like pool system. 147 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 4: And they're also have salt flats. 148 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I went to some stonis. 149 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 4: Oh my gosh, it's so beautiful, is it? Where that's pink? 150 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: Beautiful? 151 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 4: Is it? 152 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: It's pink because in the water is this little it's 153 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: almost like a cousin of the shrimp. It's a little crustacean. 154 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: It's like a little beechel in the water. And that's 155 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: where flamingos come and termink because they the water and 156 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: eat those fish. And that's why. And so there's so 157 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: sella stone. So it was the floor dessal in merried 158 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: and the Yucatan. Sorry, And that's why that salt is 159 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: pink is because of that little organism in the water 160 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: that's pink. 161 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 4: So cool, isn't nature just incredible? 162 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: In the sixteenth century with the colonizers, there was one 163 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 2: that went to the Yugatan, Diego Landa who did some horrible, 164 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 2: horrible things. In his book The Relationship Things of Yukatan, 165 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: he wrote about these salt flats in Yukatan. 166 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 4: That were worthy of memory. 167 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: He said that they were more than seventy leagues long, 168 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: and it's all sailine God has created. They're the best 169 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 2: salt that I have ever seen in my life. He 170 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 2: talks about how they the Indians used to have a 171 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 2: custom of going to get salt, a lot of salt 172 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: and take it to Mexico on the wood As and Avana. 173 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: So he's talking about this trade of salts. 174 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: The Essex also had a sophisticated system of salt production 175 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: and how they obtained salt from salt lakes and marshes 176 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: around Lake Texcoco which is now Mexico City, which where 177 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: the Notchichlan was right and so in and in other 178 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: parts of the empire. And so the aste goddess of fertility, 179 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: Oh my god, how do you say this name? Watam, 180 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: the fertility goddess was the one who presided over salt 181 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: and salt water, and today is Mexico one of the 182 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: largest producers of salt is the significant producer of salt 183 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: because it has all these extensive salt flats and evaporation ponds. 184 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely, yes, significant producers states like Baja California, Guerrero, and 185 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 2: it's a major industry in Mexico. They import salt, you know, 186 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 2: to various countries around the world. 187 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 4: I think the one in Guerrero is like a huge, 188 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 4: huge one. 189 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: So what is salt? Where does it come from? 190 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 4: So salt, it's a mineral, the mineral. 191 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 2: Yes, So it's a mineral, sodium chloride essential to life 192 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 2: and we can't live. 193 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 4: Without it, right, We've talked about we can't. 194 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 2: We need it to maintain our broad pressure, to distribute 195 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 2: water in the body, to deliver nutrients from salt from 196 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 2: cells for muscle movement, and so we need so a 197 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 2: healthy adult body contains about two hundred and fifty grams 198 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 2: of salt, which is the equivalent of three salt shakers. 199 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: So, unlike pepper, which is a spice, when food is salted, 200 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: it goes like I said, it undergoes this like chemical 201 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: reaction that literally changes texture and not just like oh 202 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: it tastes saltier or has you know, more of a punch. 203 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: It literally has a chemical reaction when you salt things. 204 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: And I've learned that through that. You know, our favorite 205 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: book Salt Fat, Acid Heat Heat. I always get it wrong. 206 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I get the order wrong as well. But yeah, 207 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 2: isn't that cool. I think that's so cool that it's 208 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 2: because we use it as a spice soften, right, it's 209 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 2: in our pantry like a spice, But it's not. 210 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 4: It's a it's a mineral. 211 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: And it's probably the only thing in our pantry that 212 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 2: that is a mineral. 213 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 4: And only eight. 214 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 2: Percent of salt production is used for culinary purposest that crazy. 215 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 2: Most of it is used for cleaning roads, like for 216 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 2: salting roads when you know when it's whatever, snowing. 217 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the ice and the ice yeah. 218 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 4: For soaps, for aromatherapy. 219 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: And all salt comes from the ocean. 220 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 4: All salt comes from the ocean. 221 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, when I saw when I saw our favorite 222 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: book Salt that acid Heat, I saw the Netflix documentary 223 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: series and I saw the salt episode, and how you know, 224 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:42,839 Speaker 1: I think she was I think she did the salt 225 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: episode in Japan and how all salt comes from the ocean. 226 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: But there's a lot of different types of salt, and 227 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: I think you know, there's been so many opinions on 228 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: which salt you could you should cook with, which salt 229 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: you should finish with, which salt you know you should 230 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 1: cook with, bake with, Like, there's a lot of different salts. 231 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: So table salt is it's what's found in salt shakers everywhere. 232 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: That's the mass produced. It's refined, it's small, it's tiny, 233 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: it's very salty. It's probably my least favorite salt. What 234 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: I don't understand is why they added iodide. 235 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 2: They added iodine in the nineteen twenties because there was 236 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 2: an iodine deficiency and it was a common health problem. 237 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 2: So nineteen twenty four Moreton Salt Company they started adding 238 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 2: iodine to salt. 239 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,719 Speaker 1: Well, my favorite is kosher salt, and I know it's 240 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: traditionally used in koshering, which is a traditional Jewish process 241 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: which you know blood is removed from me. But kosher 242 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: salt has no additives. It's pure. I love Morton kosher salt, 243 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: diamond crystal kosher salt, but I think it's different because 244 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: it's like it's a little bigger than your table salt, 245 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: and I love it for cooking. I don't use any 246 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: other salt except this from for cooking. 247 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 2: Same same I have a million salts right here in 248 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 2: front of me, but yes, the diamond is the one 249 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: that I already always use. And I think, I think 250 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 2: it's super important to whatever salt that you're cooking with 251 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 2: to really know your salt, because then you can control, 252 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: you know exactly how much I always have. I have 253 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 2: my little, my little wache with my little I use 254 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 2: this as a little salt cellar. 255 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 4: And then there's also sea salt, which is the salt 256 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 4: I know. 257 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: Sea salt's also not my favor. Why is sea salt 258 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: called sea salt when all salt is from this. 259 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 4: Because this is the one. 260 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: It's acquired in different ways. But yes, sea salt is 261 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 2: the salt that is left behind when the seawater evaporates, right, 262 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: So it leaves these flaky salts, and that are mostly 263 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 2: used as finishing finishing salt to add a little extra 264 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 2: to a dish. Right, And that's like the flur to 265 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 2: sell is so beautiful. That literally means flowers of salt 266 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: that are harvested from the special you know, sea beds, 267 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,599 Speaker 2: mostly in France. And then that there's the scent, the 268 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 2: gray salt. 269 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: But here's a different one because sometimes people get confused 270 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: with like Malden salt and rock salt and sea salt, 271 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: and rock salt is different than the the unrefined sea salts, right, 272 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: like rock salt is like Himalay and pink salt, which 273 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: is mined from these ancient salt beds. So they usually 274 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: it's salt mined from ancient lakes or an ancient sea 275 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: that are now underground. That's rock salt, and I didn't 276 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: know himalay and is pink. The pink salt is is 277 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: pink because it has a large amount of iron, and 278 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: that's the one that's usually like in bat salt or 279 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: body scrubs or aroma therapy and soap. But it's definitely 280 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: labor intensive because it's extracted from the mines by hand 281 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: and then it's hand crushed, and then it's hand washed, 282 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: and then it's dried in the sun. And so this 283 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: is like a very expense labor intensive method. 284 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and it's still extracted the same way that you 285 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 2: just you know described And most of the commercial supply 286 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 2: on the market today is from the Krawa salt mine 287 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: in Pakistan and it's impact. 288 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's the oldest. 289 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 2: Salt mine in the world in history dates to discovery 290 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 2: to Alexander the Great's horses and three twenty BC who 291 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: were found licking the stones and ailing horses recovered after 292 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 2: licking the stores. 293 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: Well, this is how I know about rock salt, because 294 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: like we had it for our cows on the ranch. 295 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: We would have these huge rock salts on this and 296 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: the cows would come and just lick this big old 297 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: rock rock and literally it's like a huge rock socandley. 298 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 4: Where did they bring those rocks from? 299 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: I don't know the feed store having but I don't 300 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: know where the feed. 301 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 4: Store got so cool. Yeah, it's so cool. 302 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: In the valley. I don't know in the valley, Texas. 303 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: But I think it's really important to know your salts. 304 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: You got to know your salt because you can't bake 305 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: with the wrong one and cook with the wrong one 306 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: or finish with the wrong one. It literally chemically alters 307 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: your food, y'all, So learn about your salt. 308 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 2: Yes, it amplifies flavor, and more than anything else, it 309 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: impacts the flavor of a. 310 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: Dish because salt not only obviously amplifies flavor and draws 311 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: up moisture like we talked about, but it also brings 312 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: out sweetness. People freak out when I put salt on 313 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: my watermelon because I want it to taste sweeter. They 314 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: think I'm like muting the sweetness or something, or you know. 315 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: That's why they put sea salt on chocolate chip cookies 316 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: or a sea salt on top of a brownie. It's 317 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: because it enhances sweetness in fruit and baked goods. And 318 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: people always freak out when I put it on pineapple 319 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: or watermelon. I can. I cannot eat a slice of 320 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: watermelon without salt. 321 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 4: It's so good, so good. 322 00:16:52,800 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: When we come back, we're talking Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. 323 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: The other thing I love about salt, as we've talked about, 324 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: is I love cured things. I love cecina in Mexico, 325 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: which is this dried cured meat, but they also have 326 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 1: it in Spain. I think it originated in Spain. But 327 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: like I love beef jerky. We've talked about machaka on 328 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: this show, right. I love salted shrimp. I like dehydrated 329 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: salted shrimp because they're super salty. 330 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 4: So good. 331 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, my mom used to make the dehydrat shrimp, but 332 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 2: the powdered version. She used to put it in egg 333 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 2: like beaten egg whites and then fried with like spicy 334 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 2: tomato sauce. 335 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 4: We used to have that for lent when I was 336 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 4: growing up. So good. But yeah, I love cured meat. 337 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: Well, you know what we had. What we had growing up, 338 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 1: which I think is why I love salt so much. 339 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: We used to have deer jerky. So my dad would 340 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: hunt a deer. We'd use every part of it. This 341 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: for themala is that for this, this for that, and 342 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 1: then we would we would use the leftover and we'd 343 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: dehydrate it and salt it. And I would take it 344 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: to school as my snack and people are like, what 345 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: are you eating. I'm like, it's theerterky? 346 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 4: Really, that sounds so good. He would also dry it. 347 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 4: You wouldn't take it. 348 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 1: Dad would dehydrate. He would dehydrate it. He would do 349 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: with soak it in like Worchester. He would do like 350 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: a whole thing, soak the meat in that, marinate the 351 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 1: meat and that, then put it in a dehydrator, salt 352 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: it and it was the best. But I think you 353 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: know this curing of things harmony medical here in Spain. Oh, 354 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: I mean it's endless cured me so good or endless 355 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: hands down, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about 356 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: food and family and gratefulness as opposed to presents like 357 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: Christmas presents and the timing and so and sos coming 358 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: over and they got to go to the other Christmas 359 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 1: party and well, like Thanksgiving to me is about like 360 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: getting together and breaking bread. But what it's morphed into 361 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 1: for my family is, you know, this great day of 362 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 1: cooking together and being together and talking about what we're 363 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 1: grateful for. Like that tradition I love, but I get 364 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: I understand like the roots of it is problematic. 365 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 2: I never grew up and we did talk about this before. 366 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: I didn't really grow up so much celebrating Thanksgiving. But 367 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: now it's my husband's favorite holiday. And so every year 368 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 2: we go to the East Coast and it's a whole thing, 369 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 2: and he has a big family and everybody comes together 370 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: and it's you know, the siblings, the kids, the cousins, 371 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 2: and it's beautiful. 372 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: Do you brine your turkey? Do you fry your turkey? 373 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: You roaster you turk? What does your turkey process? 374 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 2: So I normally now go to the East Coast with 375 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: his family, and so they usually order, they have a 376 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 2: cater they have the turkey cato. 377 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: Oh oh that breaks my heart. 378 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,640 Speaker 4: Well that's that's a new thing. 379 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 2: When I do cook my own turkey a year that 380 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 2: we're here, I usually brian it. 381 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 4: What about you? What is your favorite way to cook 382 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 4: a turkey? 383 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: I'm a brainer. I like to brin it with a 384 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: bunch of things, peppercorns and you know, sage leaves and 385 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: like a lot obviously salts. But I'm a friar. I fry. 386 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: I make about four turkeys and they take like forty 387 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: five minutes each. I go, pop up, up up, But 388 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: I do brine them for twenty four hours. 389 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,439 Speaker 2: Oh so then it gets the best of these you 390 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 2: know flavors. 391 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: So I knew. Oh my god, I am smart. 392 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 2: Turkeys are Mexican, technically Mexican. 393 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 4: Yes, it's so. Yes. This favorite American bird is. 394 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 2: Domesticated from a wild species native to Mexico. 395 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 4: And it's beautiful. It looks like a peacock, the parvoorea right. 396 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: This wow. 397 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 2: Royal turkey and the Mayans were likely the first to 398 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 2: domesticate turkeys around two thousand years ago, and the early 399 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 2: Spanish colonizers brought this domesticated turkey to Europe, and from 400 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 2: Europe the colonizers of the US, you know, brought it 401 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 2: back to the US. 402 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,160 Speaker 4: Completing this circle. 403 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: When we talk about Mexico being mostly vegetarian before the conquest, 404 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: because the Spaniard brought the pig and the goat and 405 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 1: the cow, which brought dairy, which brought meat, which brought 406 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: you know, they were mostly vegetarian except for the wild turkey. 407 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: They did occasionally have foul but it wasn't like chickens 408 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: because they didn't have chickens either. It was wild turkey 409 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: that was like obviously special special occasions. Thanks for listening everyone, 410 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 1: I hope you have a happy, happy Thanksgiving. 411 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 2: Thank you all so much, and don't underseason your turkey. 412 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: Salted Hungary for History is a Hyphenet media production in 413 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 1: partnership with Iheart's Michaelpura podcast network. 414 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 2: For more of your favorite shows, visit the iHeartRadio app, 415 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.