Gourmet Retailer Magazine Personnel Trainer 2008 - (Page 28) SALT & PEPPER MILLS S pice up your customers’ world with great salt and pepper mills that provide a fresh grind to their recipes and meals. Let them know the quality internal workings of high-quality mills with a primer for your staff on what goes into making the best mills for the job. l What is the best grinding mechanism for mills? The best grinding mechanism is one that can withstand frequent use without corrosion, wear or breaking. Metal mechanisms, although very strong, have the potential to corrode, especially when used with salt, and may alter the flavor of the salt. Nylon will not corrode, but does wear down. Tempered ceramic is also very good and will not corrode, but at some point may crack. Historical Highlights • Pepper is obtained from the Piper nigrum vine, an East Indian plant that produces a bright red berry that turns black after it’s harvested and dried. • Pepper is the most widely traded spice in the world, and has been so for more than 3,000 years. It was used as an exchange medium like money and, at times, has been valued so highly that a single peppercorn dropped on the floor would be hunted like a lost pearl. • The expression that someone is “worth his salt” dates from Roman times when salt had such a high value it was traded for other goods. l Why is filling a mill so difficult? Filling a mill doesn’t need to be difficult. Many mill designs require the user to dismantle the mill for filling and altering the grain size, but now mills are on the market that do not need disassembling before filling, eliminating the need to reassemble them. l After filling my mill, how can I adjust the grind setting back to where I had it previously? With many mills, the grind setting is part of the assembly mechanism that holds the mill together; therefore, when the mill is taken apart for filling, the grain size may be lost. Some mills are designed to lock the grind, while others have predetermined, fine-tuned grind settings that give consistent size output. l How do I know if my mill is low on salt or peppercorns? With solid mills, it can be a guessing game. Judging the weight or shaking the mill may give you an idea of the level of the contents, but some manufacturers are addressing this issue by creating mills with see-through bodies that allow the user to see what kind of salt or pepper is in the mill, as well as how much remains in the mill. l How should I clean my mill? Typically, only the outside of a mill is cleaned; however, some mill designs allow the user to run warm water through the mill to prevent contamination of flavors from one type of peppercorn or salt to another. Check the packaging for recommended mill-cleaning instructions. With some mills, the mechanisms pop out and you can run a brush through to clean off any pepper residue from the grinding part of the mill so it doesn’t get clogged. l Is there anything that can be done to address the problem of my mill getting blocked? The best way to address a problem is to prevent it, and one of the ways to prevent mills from blocking is to use a mill with a spiral shaft that assures a mix-and-flow environment and constant flow without blocking. l How does my mill use a true unidirectional milling fashion when I need only twist the top back and forth to grind? Although your mill may grind by twisting the top back and forth, it is most likely designed to turn in a clockwise direction, thus producing the unidirectional milling action that provides optimal flavor and consistent grain size. By using a unidirectional milling action, the peppercorn is ground in its entirety rather than just shaving off the skin. For those who do not want to think about what direction to turn the mill crank, a battery-operated mill or a mill with squeeze handles is likely the best selection. l What other features are important when selecting a mill? The desired features depend on individual tastes. Some look for durability, consistency, dependability and easy operation — with a strong preference toward one-handed operation that allows use by those with disabilities or to multitask in the kitchen, while others look for price point or fashion designs and colors. 68 The Gourmet Retailer Magazine | February 2008
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