Beauty Transforms the Ordinary

Camy’s Keepers: A salt cellar to treasure

I know this is going to sound a bit odd—especially for someone who isn’t a shopper, buyer, or collector—but I have a passion for our salt cellar. Yes, you read that correctly. Some people have that level of ardor for their Tesla. Mine is for this exquisitely simple, intrinsically beautiful, rudimentarily functional item that holds salt. It has a special place on the shallow counter of our keepsake cookbook bookcase, right next to other treasures: a 65-year-old pepper mill that I grew up with in my mom's kitchen, and a set of olive oil and vinegar Deruta cruets my husband, Andrea, and I acquired on a trip to Italy 30 years ago.

Andrea and I recently gave a webinar for The Complete Leader about how leaders can bring creativity into the workplace, and one of the principles focused on being aware of and seeking out beauty to cultivate the creative spirit. But beauty goes beyond creativity; it nurtures the soul. As human beings, we are hardwired for beauty. It is inherent in our nature. It can be at once calming and exhilarating, involving the mind and the soul. Plato describes the soul sprouting and growing wings when it beholds something beautiful; being able to ascend to new heights.

All this in a salt cellar?
Andrea and I have an ethos of living in a beautiful and meaningful environment. We are very selective about what is “displayed” in our home—items invariably have a story and a purpose. Most possess a fundamental beauty rooted in nature. They bring joy to the mundane moments of the day. Such is our salt cellar.

Prior to receiving this one, I had been eyeing several different salt cellars for quite a while and was babbling on about it to an interested (or so she politely appeared) house guest. I’m very particular about the salt I use because it is essential to our health. I know for decades we’ve been told to cut the salt, but that is primarily due to our overconsumption of the inferior salt that is the norm in highly over-processed food. (I’ll resist wading into the debate now, but if you’re interested, The Salt Fix by Dr. James DiNicolantoio is a thorough read.)

Anyway, I had a couple of cellars on my radar because I regularly cook with both mineral-rich sea salt and a large flake finishing salt. Lo and behold, our houseguest had indeed been listening to my chatter and sent me this keeper as a thank-you gift. I was beyond thrilled. Seriously, you would have thought a Tesla had been delivered. I shrieked with glee and couldn’t stop talking about how much joy it brought me. It is an effortlessly pure design with two compartments, made of all-natural olive wood, and has a functional swivel lid with a magnetic closure. After the euphoria subsided, I was fascinated by how many times during the day my eye rests on it and it lightens my heart.

Bring beauty into your life
The importance of bringing beauty into our daily lives has been on my mind quite a bit lately as I’m getting older and seeking to clear the strains and stumbles in day-to-day living. It’s not about just having pretty things. In fact, I would venture to say there are too many transient trinkets in most of our homes.

Rather, it’s about enhancing our lives by creating an environment of order and serenity, which emanates from beauty and nature. I’ve written before about my desire to whittle away the extraneous. To that end, I’m gradually replacing as much plastic in our home with natural materials; it feels different in the hand—warm and velvety—which is a direct line to the heart.

Thinking back, perhaps that’s why I had been fixated on putting salt in a nice container. It’s something I use so often that I wanted it to be a great experience, no matter how brief. All those passing moments add up! I didn’t want to keep grabbing a flimsy box or plastic bag, but rather something with substance, permanence…and beauty.

And the salt is…
By now you may be wondering what kind of salt deserves such a venerated home. I’ve become a big fan of my two go-to salts (both family-owned businesses, by the way): Redmond Ancient Sea Salt for cooking and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes for finishing. Redmond salt is mined from an ancient seabed in Utah where it’s safe from modern pollutants; no microplastics or other present-day harmful products. It is basically unprocessed—going from the mine to the mill to the bottle—additive-free and chock full of beneficial trace minerals.

Master salt makers for over 140 years, Maldon is named for the picturesque coastal town in Great Britain. In and of itself the salt is actually quite beautiful, with its signature naturally formed delicate pyramid crystals. It’s astonishing how many of the pyramids stay perfectly intact through the milling process, which reinforces how gently it is handled. It’s truly a pleasure to use and perfect for finishing dishes.

Both of these salts are as close to nature as possible. They exude an intrinsic beauty— as does the natural wood vessel they rest in. Salting food now is almost a ritual. It’s not just a quick shake. It’s mindful. Deliberate. A perfunctory pause to appreciate beauty, gladdening the heart. All integral components to living well, aging great.

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As a side note, another name for these cellars is keeper, clearly meant to be a Camy’s Keeper. Here are a few to peruse if you are interested:

Naturally Med Olive Wood Salt Keeper

Sur La Table Olive Wood Salt Keeper

Berard French Olive Wood Handcrafted Salt Keeper

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