Preparation
Salt is the seasoning we can’t live without. Stash yours in a salt cellar, right next to the stovetop, so you never have to search for a pinch. Whether you’re a salt fiend or a less-is-more kind of cook, chances are that you reach for a pinch of salt at least once or twice while prepping and preparing a meal. Salt, after all, is an absolute must for bringing out each ingredient’s natural flavors. The best way to store that precious seasoning, be it sea salt flakes or Himalayan pink salt, is in a salt cellar, salt pig, or salt box.
What distinguishes salt pigs from all the rest? They’re typically ceramic and feature wide openings for easy hand access (Note: Skip the spoons that come with some options—you’ll find that your fingers are more precise). Salt boxes and cellars, made from wood, glass, marble, ceramic, or stoneware, often come with lids to keep oil splatters or household grit from sullying the salt, but sometimes they’re lidless, doubling as ramekins or tiny bowls. In the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, when salt was a commodity, huge, fancy salt cellars took pride of place at the table. Over the centuries, as salt became less expensive, the receptacles diminished in size. Today, they come in multiple configurations. Whichever one you choose, steer clear of metal since it’s prone to salt damage or discoloration.
Best Classic Salt Pig: Emile Henry Modern Classics Salt PigBest Handcrafted Option: Williams Sonoma Olivewood Salt BoxBest Budget Option: Crate & Barrel Ceramic Salt CellarBest Retro Glass Option: Home-X Depression-Style Pink Glass Salt Cellar with LidBest Salt Cellar Dishes: Art et Manufacture Salt Cellar
Looking for other salt cellar, salt pig, and salt box options? Check out these 14 stellar options— from large to small, stoneware to marble to wood, there’s at least one here that will be exactly what you’ve been looking for to add to your countertop.
