I originally began this a couple of years ago in a different blog, but never posted it. here it is.
What does it mean to be salt in a biblical sense? We know salt is a mineral: sodium chloride, NaCl (more on that later). What makes it special? It's one of several dozen nutrients we need to survive. Unlike fat, we can't store it in excessive quantities so we have to replenish/consume it regularly,
In biblical period context, salt had sufficient value that it was used as a form of payment of wages - the word 'salary' derives from the word salt, as does the word 'salad' - a reference to how romans seasoned their vegetables/ leafy greens with salt.
Asides from being a currency and a seasoning, salt was also used as a preservative due to it being a powerful antibacterial substance. But it was also used as a weapon; the Assyrians began the military practice of salting the earth to inhibit plant root growth in conquered territories. (Interestingly, it was only recently discovered in the last ten years that there's an inner layer of tissue in the branching roots that anchor the plant which is sensitive to salt and activates a stress hormone, which stops root growth. This is a plant's 'fight or flight' response to a dangerous situation, in this case a dangerous environment.) Others used this characteristic of salt to punish or curse those judged of treason by dumping salt onto their lands. Salt also has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used in number of other different restorative ways. The point is that salt's presence can be used to promote growth, inhibit decay or to inhibit growth, as well as season food. Therefore, care should be exercised in how we present ourselves as salt.
Having recently read the cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat I've been prompted to focus the remainder of this essay on the impact of salt on food as a seasoning, as this seems to be the most likely quality that would occur to the typical believer. First off, it should be noted that it *is* possible to over-salt food as well. So care should be taken in how we 'season' our surroundings.
The cookbook author Samin Nosrat points out that the primary purpose of salt in cooking is to amplify flavor. Salt has a greater impact on flavor than any other ingredient. But this doesn't necessarily mean *more* salt. It means to be more judicious in the how and when and in what form. Fortunately, humans are hardwired to crave salt, so it's seldom seen as an intrusion when salt is added. And by enhancing flavor, it increases the amount of pleasure we experience as we eat.
This begs the question: does being salt imply an increase of pleasure/joy for everyone in our surroundings? I'm reminded of a plaque on the wall of a coworker's cubicle which stated: "Everyone brings joy to this place. Some by arriving, others by leaving." In this context, if we are to be salt, our use should be guided by enhancing/deepening flavor/pleasure/joy. Perhaps we can be guided by some principles in how salt can be used in enhancing flavor in cooking. To do that, we need to understand some facts about salt.
The properties of salt are influenced by its point of origin, which results in different categories of salt which refer to the size of the grain and other minerals which may be present in the salt. Some of these categories include:
1) table salt - usually mined from underground, fine grained. often iodized, resulting in a somewhat metallic taste;
2) sea salt - made from evaporated sea water. typically the largest crystals retaining various combinations of minerals which give it a more complex flavor profile. sea salts break down into sub categories including: smoked salt, hawaiian salt(s). fleur de sel, celtic salt, flake, etc. It's generally a misuse of these salts to dissolve them in water - they should be used as finishing salts so their texture also figures into the overall result. refined granular sea salt, OTOH, can and should be used to season foods from within - either by absorption or in boiling water.
3) rock salt - mined from underground, resulting in various categories such as:
a) kosher salt - actually, originally referred to as "koshering" salt, it's original use was in jewish culture to help draw blood out of meat to make it 'kosher', typically free of other minerals. probably the most popular salt used in the culinary industry. There are two (2) major brands Diamond Crystal & Morton's, and their characteristics are so different that it actually makes a difference as to which one is used; Morton's is twice as dense and as a consequence is almost twice as salty in the same volume. Diamond Crystal, OTOH dissolves twice as quickly. The more quickly a salt dissolves, the less likely you are to overseason with it; often, you don't need to add more salt as much as you need more time to allow the present salt to dissolve.
b) himalayan salt - contains 84 different minerals found in the human body;
c) curing salt - used to remove toxins from meat, often dyed to distinguish it from table salt;
d) pretzel salt - used exclusively as a finishing salt for pretzels. the rectangular shape helps it stick to the egg wash;
e) black salt - fired in a furnace with other ingredients and then sealed/aged;
The point is the understand that salt's contribution to flavor is multidimensional; besides having its own particular taste, it enhances other flavors. Used properly, it balances acidity /sweetness, minimizes bitterness, adds texture, etc. But you need to know the properties of the salt being used to achieve optimal results. This begs another question or two: are we each an unique type of salt based on uniqueness of our origin and history? As such, do we have a specific/unique purpose acting as salt? This ties in to the concept of being different parts of the body. Being different types of salt actually amplifies the analogy. If each of us does have a unique set of characteristics as salt, then it follows that each of us also has a unique set of circumstances where our ability to bring about positive influence is enhanced by the amount of grace we each receive individually. If this is so, then a lot of profound concepts accompany this idea.
