Culture

RSVP’s Salt Piglet

By Karen Hammonds


Published on March 25, 2010

Just when I'd managed to clear some clutter off my kitchen counter (one of those New Year's resolutions destined for failure), along came an item that I decided I absolutely had to keep there. The Salt Piglet from RSVP holds about a half pound of salt in a four-inch-wide, five-inch-tall stoneware container that looks, yes, like a pig (more on that later). The pig is shaped so that moisture and dirt are kept out but you can easily scoop the salt from the "snout" in the front.

The Salt Piglet has little ears and a corkscrew tail; it's cute, but not annoyingly so. More traditional salt pigs, like those made by Emile Henry or a cheaper version at Sur La Table, are similar in shape but without the pig details. According to Cook's Illustrated, the term "salt pig" can be traced to old Scots and northern English dialects in which pig referred to an earthenware vessel or money box (hence the inspiration for the "piggy bank").

If your kitchen is just too sleek and contemporary for an old-style salt pig, consider Prepara's Pop Savor, a container with a ceramic base and a silicone cover that pops open with the flick of a finger. It's a great way to store salt, sugar, or spices. But I'm sticking with the olde English pig.

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