A Spurtle, Egg Topper, and a Salt Spoon

While I was in Scotland I did not hesitate to look at kitchenwares focusing my eye on oddities. First, was the spurtle, a Scottish spoon for stirring porridge. I do not know what makes stirring oatmeal with a spurtle better than a wooden spoon, however I was intrigued. I imagine that it will not bash around the oats as much. This fall and winter I will experience my porridge in a new way. Thanks to the mighty spurtle.  

Second, is the egg topper. Usually I use a knife to slice and crack open my boiled eggs. Looking like an oddly shaped pair of scissors I thought this could simplify things and be a bit fun at the breakfast table.  

Just place the egg topper over the top of the cooked egg. Pinch or squeeze the handles together so the sharp metal teeth grab hold of the shell. Twist to the left then twist to the right and voila the egg has been topped. As simple as it is it does take some getting used to. This gadget may be great for kids who are not so skilled with a knife.  

Third, a salt spoon. This spoon is wee but deep and comes with much debate. Whether or not it is proper to use a metal spoon or a wooden spoon when dealing with salt. I will let you decide what works best for you. I erred on the side of the salt gods and went with a wooden one. For £1.99 I think dishing out salt for my favourite recipes won't be so bad after all. 

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JW 

Low - Salt Cookbook

This is the only low salt cookbook I own. And since I purchased it for a mere $5 now you know why. Having a variety of cookbooks can have it's advantages however is it really necessary? For people who are watching their sodium levels, like myself, I usually just end up adapting a low salt/no salt attitude with the cookbooks I already own. Normally not stocked or flying off the shelves makes low salt cookbooks hit and miss. That is probably why I felt a bit compelled to purchase it.  

Every recipe has less than 350 milligrams of sodium. The coil spine makes it easy for the book to lay flat so following and recreating a recipe is easy. The six chapters start with breakfast and end with snacks. While everything from soup, salad, main dishes and desserts is thrown in-between. There are only 143 pages to this cookbook and no introduction. One can gather that they feel if you are purchasing this cookbook then you yourself would know why. Gluten-free, sugar free, dairy free cookbooks have an introduction explaining the why's and the idea behind such a book. Maybe low salt is more self explanatory and less complicated. Low salt doesn't have to mean, no flavour which I feel this cookbook is trying to convey.   

I tried their recipe Banana Bran Bread. Which was tasty and offered a bit more fibre. However the recipe called for 2 tablespoons of sugar substitute. Which I did not have so I just omitted that ingredient. Cooking and baking low sodium is fairly easy. For me it's just a matter of if it comes down to a science... like making bread all the ingredients are present for a specific reason. Therefore I would not omit the teaspoon and a half of salt. However I would be more willing to take my chances when whipping up a batch of cookies and omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. 

Lowering ones salt intake has health benefits just like lowering ones sugar and fat intake.  It is good to be conscious of all the things that our bodies can harbour. - JW 

  

Grandmother's Household Secrets

Before Mrs. Beeton there was your grandmother... well that is not entirely true, Mrs. Beeton was before your grandmother. However as much as an influential woman she was in household management before your mother and you, there was another influential woman, your grandmother. This book is not about household management. It is more about home remedies and baking with particular ingredients. Like vinegar, honey, lemon, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Classic household remedies to beautify your skin, clean your home, and culinary ideas to delight. This 5 book set comes in a handy durable cardboard case to keep them all together so you will know exactly where they are at all times. I adore the fanciful illustrations. Those two adorn both the front and back case. This set will become apart of my kitchen "go to" books. Yes, I do tend to designate my cookbooks into categories. 

There are many helpful hints and tips some you have probably heard before or seen floating around the internet on all avenues of social media. Each book contains over 300, they state this, traditional hints, tips and recipes. The honey book only contains 250. The recipes in the salt book I find more what I would call technical recipes... bread making, cheese making, cured meats, sauces and seasonings. The "What is" and "Throughout History" in each book gives you a better understanding of the ingredients being featured.

One recipe I found interesting came from the bicarbonate of soda, baking soda, book. It's a recipe for rice cake. Which is great if you can not eat wheat. And lately I meet more and more people who have to avoid wheat. Most of my baking and cooking isn't gluten/wheat-free so I thought I would add this one into the recipe file and share with you.  

Butter Rice Cake

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175 g (6 oz) rice cake flour

125 g (4 1/2 oz) soften butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

175 g (6 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

3 eggs, lightly whisked

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 

1 teaspoon mixed spiced

110 ml (4 fl oz) milk

Preheat the oven to 150º C (300ºF, gas mark 2)

Sift together the rice cake flour, baking powder. baking soda and mixed spice.

Place the butter, sugar, eggs and milk into a bowl and beat well.

Fold in the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

Grease a 20 cm (8 in) round cake tin and line with baking paper. 

Spoon in the mixture and bake for 55 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool slightly, then turn on to a wire rack. 

Seeing how I just bought this set yesterday, I have not tried a recipe from any of the five books. As always when I try them I will post them. The soda bread and lime pickle recipes caught my eye. As did some of the beverages from the lemon and honey books. If any of the household remedies work I will also let you know. - JW