salt and pepper

Two and a half times the grinding power

The two sentinels of the kitchen table, salt and pepper, have stood the test of time guarding our meals against the specter of blandness. In fact, the spices add so much to food it is hard to imagine a meal without them. Yet, one important question is raised by this ubiquitous reality: why stop at two?

Gone are the days when salt and pepper seemed only to exist in a post-ground state, populating tables and kitchens everywhere only as a fine powder. Nowadays the superiority of freshly ground spices is well known with salt and pepper being available pre-ground in … Read more

Salt-and-pepper mill looks good while grinding

There is no denying that--even for those who never cook--salt and pepper are two kitchen essentials, whether they're in dedicated shakers or those little packets you get from take-out. As long as they are going to be mainstays in the kitchen, they might as well live in a distinctive (and easy-to-find) container.

Styled somewhat like a metal rocket toy from the 50s, the Prepology 2-in-1 Salt and Pepper Mill gives these kitchen essentials a worthy home. Featuring more than just good looks, the mill delivers fresh flavor via the use of its ceramic grinding mechanism. The gadget stores peppercorns … Read more

Rechargeable mills keep salt superstition at bay

Salt and pepper seem to have a lot of superstition attached to their existence. For example, there's that whole thing about throwing salt over one's shoulder after spilling it. Another one is that apparently, salt and pepper need to be kept together at all times. What happens if your throwing arm goes out, or if you are on a salt-reduced diet, I'll leave for other brave souls to test out, but when it comes to the world's most common spices, there is no end to how we keep them at the ready.

Not only is it … Read more

Easy to see this pepper mill

Salt and pepper are both indispensable spices. They sit by our side at practically every meal. Some people use a little, some people use a lot. Having the power over your own seasoning practically guarantees an enjoyable meal. From course to fine, the grind of our favorite spices makes all the difference in the world. Giving up on pre-filled containers of already ground pepper is probably the easiest way to increase your taste enjoyment.

The Cole & Mason Buzz Revolution Salt or Pepper Mill makes it easy to enjoy your favorite spices at their best. Fully adjustable from a fine … Read more

A new twist on salt and pepper

This salt and pepper shaker may not be the kind of thing you'd keep on your dinner table during a fancy dinner, but they'd certainly make a good gag gift.

The Moustache Salt and Pepper shaker are designed to fit together to form a perfectly twirled moustache. The halves are distinguished from one another by differing numbers of holes, and each is made from a solid piece of walnut. Which spice you decide to put into the half with extra holes is up to you: they come to you empty.

Even with its unconventional appearance, the set sold … Read more

Turn this salt and pepper mill on its side

We've all been there: right in the middle of preparing a meal--say, a chicken dish--and you need to grab something, but your hands are a mess. In the case of the aforementioned chicken, it's usually a pretty good idea to keep cross-contamination to a minimum. Heck, it is always a good idea to keep cross-contamination to a minimum. So, you walk over to the sink, and wash your hands, only to mess them right up again after you reached for whatever you needed to grab. If it was salt and pepper you were after, things just got a … Read more

Gift alert: Stainless salt & pepper mills, $34.99

Woot Wine, an offshoot of one of the original "deal-a-day" Web sites, has branched out from its usual tempranillos and cabernets to offer a few gifts aimed at gourmets this season. Today's deal, the GRIND Reflex II Salt and Pepper Set, caught my attention because it's just the kind of useful and lovely item that makes an excellent hostess gift.

The 6-inch-tall salt and pepper grinders feature a pump mechanism that you operate with your thumb, so you can grind salt and pepper with one hand. (Obviously, this set is designed for use at the table … Read more

Shake and break

I love the sound of breaking glass. But, with all apologies to Nick Lowe, the sound of breaking ceramic may be better. Or at least more constructive. It may seem odd to suggest that the act of breaking something could result in a sum greater than its parts, but that is exactly what the Fragile salt and pepper shaker sets out to do.

A concept piece, Fragile was designed by Mey Kahn and Boaz Kahn from Israel. Looking somewhat like milk bottles stacked top to top, the immediate impression of Fragile, is that it is, well, fragile. Just toppling it … Read more

Holy NaCl, Batman! It's a saltshaker!

On some distant birthday past, I received a salt and pepper shaker set. Not an ordinary set, what with tubular glass canisters tapering up to a functional stainless steel screw top. No, these were teeth. Top ridge for the salt, separate bottom for the pepper.

As confusing as I found the gift to be, there was something pretty cool about it. I mean everybody uses salt and pepper right? Why not make a cool delivery device for them? For some reason or another, I had a vague knowledge that people collected shaker sets and I imagined that I could build … Read more

Designers cook up gadgets of the future

I recently had some time to scroll through the shortlisted entries in Designboom's Dining in 2015 competition, in which industrial designers were encouraged to conceptualize products that will fit how we eat in 2015. Though the winning entry, the Leaf Spoon, was stunning in its simplicity, I much preferred the anthropomorphized grater pictured above, called Scratch my back. I'm dying to recruit this guy to help me out in the kitchen. (Do you hear me, Alessi?)

One of the other more visually stunning entries is "Plus Minus F," an orb-like salt and pepper set that uses … Read more