fun stuff
Salt Facts - Did you know?
- Hundreds of years ago, Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt - which is where the word 'salary' comes from.
- Everyone knows that salt is bad for slugs. The salt sucks all of the water out of them. But not everyone knows that too much salt is bad for humans too. Salt makes you dehydrated.
- Every cell of your body contains salt - an adult human body contains about 250 grammes to maintain the normal volume of blood and digest food.
- Salt is used in manufacturing an estimated 14,000 products.
- In old Japanese theatres, salt was sprinkled on to the stage before each performance to prevent evil spirits from casting a spell on the actors.
- Salt is used to remove traces of water from aviation fuel after it is purified.
- Until relatively recently, salt bars were the standard currency of Ethiopia.
- Salt is a mineral that almost everyone in the world consumes.
- Do you sprinkle a lot of cheese on top of your food, or often have cheese in your sandwiches? When you add cheese to your food, you may not realise it, but you also add salt - because cheese has a lot of salt in it.
- Salt was used to preserve Egyptian mummies.
- Salt removes red wine stains.
- Salt fixes the colour of jeans.
- We need salt in order to sweat - a vital process in cooling us down when we exercise.
- Sodium is key in the operation of all signals within, as well as to and from, the brain.
Salt Dough
The art of salt dough making dates back as far as Egyptian times. With salt and flour being the main two ingredients it's relatively inexpensive and loads of fun. Once you've made your dough you can play and model it into any shape you want; leave it to dry and then paint it.
The materials needed to start will probably be in your kitchen cupboard already. Moulds, cutters, knives and rolling pins may also come in handy In fact many objects that you have lying around the house can be used as templates or texture makers.
Salt Dough Recipe
• 2 cups of Plain Flour
• 1 cup of table salt
• 1 cup of water
Optional
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (makes it a little easier to knead)
• 1 tablespoon of wallpaper paste (gives the mixture more elasticity)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (makes the finished product harder)
Method
Put plain flour, salt and any, or all, of the optional ingredients into a mixing bowl and gradually add the water, mixing to soft dough. This should be neither too sticky, in which case add more flour, nor too dry, in which case add more water. When mixed remove from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead for 10 minutes to help create a smooth texture. If possible it is best to let the dough stand for approximately twenty minutes before beginning a project. Unused dough can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container or cling film, for up to a week. Children always love making models, and as long as you don’t add wallpaper paste all of the ingredients are natural. So if they are tempted to put it in their mouths, all it will do is taste incredibly salty.
Drying
The drying of your work can either be done naturally in the open air, or it can be baked in an oven. However it is not recommended that you have your oven hotter than 100C (200F/Gas Mark 1/4) as this can cause unsightly bubbles and cracks in your pastry. Personally, I tend to start at 50C and after 30 minutes increase to 100C. The drying time needed for each piece varies according to size and thickness, but an average time for natural drying is 30-48 hours, whilst oven times are generally reduced to 3-4 hours. These figures are only offered as a rough guide and remember that both sides must be dried out. When your model is dry, turn off the oven and leave it inside to cool down.
Painting
Don't paint your model until it is completely dry. Water based acrylic paints are ideal and the colours are strong and vivid.
