PRESENTATION OUTLINE
What is rock salt?
Rock salt is the mineral form of sodium chloride, otherwise known as table salt. It's sometimes referred to as “halite,” especially when it is used industrially. This form of salt is available in most grocery stores and also in hardware stores, which stock it in massive bags for the purpose of keeping down ice on the roads in the winter. There are a number of uses for rock salt, ranging from making homemade ice cream to deterring trespassers.
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The primary difference between rock and table salt is the size. Rock salt forms in very large, chunky crystals, as opposed to the small crystals seen in table salt. Like table salt, it also has an assortment of trace minerals that can have an impact on how it behaves chemically. Because of the large crystal size, rock salt is not usually used directly in cooking, since it takes a long time to dissolve.
Where is it mined?
Before the advent of the internal combustion engine and earth moving equipment, mining salt was one of the most expensive and dangerous of operations, due to rapid dehydration caused by constant contact with the salt (both in the mine passages and scattered in the air as salt dust), among other problems borne of accidental excessive sodium intake. While salt is now plentiful, until the Industrial Revolution it was difficult to come by, and salt mining was often done by slave or prison labor.
Diff between rock salt & table salt.
Table salt is largely rock salt that has been crushed and purified. There is little real chemical difference as both are largely sodium chloride.
Table salt will occasionally have trace quantities of other things added such as iodine to prevent people getting goitres.
Step by step instructions on how to make Ice Cream.
Step 1.
Take a small sized sealable (Ziploc type) bag and add 1/2 cup of milk, and 1 tbsp of sugar. For added flavor, use 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Seal it up, getting rid of as much air as you can. Now double bag it inside a similar-sized bag.
Step 2.
Throw 4 cups of crushed or cubed ice with 6 tbsp of salt in a large freezer bag. You can use any kind of salt, as you won't actually be eating it. The salt is there to lower the freezing point of water, if you want to get technical. Put in your little double bag, and seal the large bag around it, getting rid of as much air as possible.
Step 3.
Now for the fun part—get shaking baby! Wrap the bag in a tea towel, or use gloves if you aren't feeling hardcore, but otherwise just shake the bag for at least five minutes before checking on its progress.
You’ll start to notice it getting thicker by simply feeling through the bag. In eight minutes max, you should have some seriously delicious ice-cream; it will take longer if you are mixing a large batch.
Step 4.
Now that you know the basic steps, get creative and up the yum factor by using flavored milk, adding some fruit puree towards the end of the process, or even a spoon or two of ready-made fudge sauce. You can also try substituting cream in place of milk for a bit more calorie dense, but super yummy treat.
Fun fact.
The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country. Maybe we should make ice cream the fifth food group!
