Salt cellars

Anyone that knows me will tell you that I'm a confirmed germophobe. In fact, I was probably the only person in my office happy that they couldn't afford our usual techie Christmas gifts but instead gave us mugs with our names on them. No more herpes-roulette - hurrah! This constant nagging worries extends to salt dishes. Trendy as it may seem to have a small dish of rock salt on a table in a restaurant, I can't help but wonder about the personal hygiene of those that have used it before me. That said, having dishes of salt on the table is a Portuguese tradition that dates back beyond the tenth century. Salt was one of the commodities that made Portugal a global power in the 15th and 16th century and having it on the table showed your guests your wealth. Because it was such a precious commodity, the salt wouldn't be just shoved into a jar but would be displayed on an ornate salt cellar, like these from Vista Alegre (which are definitely on my wish list the next time I'm home!):