Salt a World History Book Review
Mark Kurlansky’s Gripping Book on the Global Significance of Salt
Aug 20, 2009
Mark Kurlansky’s book Salt a World History is everything that a popular history book should be. Highly readable, wide ranging and packed with curious and interesting facts, readers will no longer see salt as a simple, everyday condiment.
Key Moments in Human History Linked to Salt
Salt a World History brings to life episodes of human history where the availability or scarcity of salt has literally altered the course of history. It is hard to comprehend just how vital this commodity has been to human life, but Mark Kurlansky expresses this important fact vividly. Present day fears of too much salt in the diet were unknown in times when salt was vital not only as a human foodstuff, but also as an essential preservative. Salt was, and remains, essential to human life.
Salt was a Vital Commodity for Food Preservation
Much of the importance of salt has been thanks to its properties as a preservative, almost unique until the development of canning and other modern processes. On reading Mark Kurlansky’s book one is aware of his considerable interest in the salting of fish, resulting no doubt from his research on his previous best seller Cod. While no doubt this is an important topic, concerning trade throughout the world, less attention is paid to the salting of meat and vegetables which may disappoint some food enthusiasts interested in traditional salt curing and other salting methods.
Salt: More a History Book Than a Culinary Guide
Food enthusiasts hoping to learn only interesting culinary facts about salt may feel overwhelmed by the detailed and involved descriptions of historical episodes; however there are many facts in Salt a World History of interest to the keen cook with even a passing interest in human history.
Both Culinary and Historical Facts About Salt
While Salt a World History is far from being simply a foodie bible about salt, however it does include many facts of interest to the keen cook. Just one example of such a culinary insight from the book is that well known British cookery writer of the 19th Century, Mrs Beeton, often refers to bay salt in her recipes. This was considered to be one of the finest salts that could be used in cooking.
Mark Kurlansky reveals this bay salt to be salt that made in open air clay salt pans on the Atlantic coast of mainland Europe. Natural unrefined Sel de Guerande made on the Brittany Coast is one of the few salts that continues to be made with this traditional technique. Interestingly, such natural salts, rich in flavor and minerals, are enjoying a revival in a reaction to the industrialization and purification of cooking and table salt during the 20th century.
Engagingly written, painstakingly researched and with its own unique perspective on world history, Mark Kurlansky’s Salt a World History is a great read for anyone interested in social history.
Readers may also enjoy discovering more about natural Maldon Sea Salt produced in the East of England.
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