I just came across this article about 'seasoning' a salad bowl. In our
context it would be better to say 'oiling'. But they recommend adding
salt to the oil. Why? My best guess is that it acts as a mild abrasive,
but wondered if anyone can shed some light on this for me.

http://www.hofcraft.com/woodenbowls-howtoseason.htm

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toolrest/

Derek Andrews wrote:
I just came across this article about 'seasoning' a salad bowl. In our
context it would be better to say 'oiling'. But they recommend adding
salt to the oil. Why? My best guess is that it acts as a mild abrasive,
but wondered if anyone can shed some light on this for me.

http://www.hofcraft.com/woodenbowls-howtoseason.htm


Salt will/can prevent bacterial growth.

Maybe that's it?


--
Will
Occasional Techno-geek

"Derek Andrews" wrote
I just came across this article about 'seasoning' a salad bowl. In our
context it would be better to say 'oiling'. But they recommend adding salt
to the oil. Why? My best guess is that it acts as a mild abrasive, but
wondered if anyone can shed some light on this for me.

I've always seasoned wooden kitchen utensils with plain oil, no bacteria/
mold. Perhaps the salt catalyzes the oil's penetrating properties. I'll
have to try it with the the next batch of wooden spoons I get.

Derek,
Check the posting Jan. 11, 05 that I did; Salad bowl finishes. I
believe it was George that said that bowls can be cleaned by using
table salt and paper to clean out the oil build up. (maybe it was
Arch). That is the way that you used to clean out the old cast iron
skillets. It emulsifys the fat/oil.
robo hippy

In pre teflon/aluminum days greasy cast iron or steel skillets and sauce
pans were scrubbed with salt and paper towels. If rinsed, only with
plain water and dried. Salt was a safe soluble abrasive, available in
all kitchens. It left no soapy taste and prevented residual grease from
becoming rancid or gummy. Seasoning new cast iron or steel cookware
with various salt/oil saltoil combinations and incantations was quite
a ritual where I worked. The forerunner of some of the ritualistic and
complicated finishes that we assault our turnings with today.

Of course that was before the age of enlightenment and the advent of
LDD.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"robo hippy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Derek,
Check the posting Jan. 11, 05 that I did; Salad bowl finishes. I
believe it was George that said that bowls can be cleaned by using
table salt and paper to clean out the oil build up. (maybe it was
Arch). That is the way that you used to clean out the old cast iron
skillets. It emulsifys the fat/oil.

What do you mean "used to"? That's exactly how I clean my cast iron
skillet. Nothing beats a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Right now, it's
a toss-up for which kitchen item I have the greatest affection for...my 12"
cast iron skillet or my 5 qt. KitchenAid stand mixer.

todd

"robo hippy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Derek,
Check the posting Jan. 11, 05 that I did; Salad bowl finishes. I
believe it was George that said that bowls can be cleaned by using
table salt and paper to clean out the oil build up. (maybe it was
Arch). That is the way that you used to clean out the old cast iron
skillets. It emulsifys the fat/oil.
robo hippy


Wasn't me, but I do know that the butcher's block was regularly salted to
kill bacteria. Does an excellent job of it, so if bacterial contamination
were an issue, might be fine.

Comes with its own baggage, sadly. Calcium chloride, a common impurity,
draws moisture from the air, so if you had any surface oil, it'd seem
sticky.

I can remember using salt and baking soda as tooth powder when a kid. Given
the relative solubilities, I'd say the soda was the abrasive, however.