Photo: HandmadePicture/Depositphotos
In mid-July, a TikTok video reuploaded to X (formerly Twitter) started going viral. In the video, a food server demonstrates the “proper way” to use a salt and pepper shaker. Contrary to their name, salt and pepper shakers aren’t actually meant to be shaken. The woman in the video argues that the correct way to add the powdery condiments to a dish is to tilt one shaker upside down and then rub the two bases of the shakers together in a circular motion.
The small ridges lining the outside of the typical shaker base are the key to making this work. As the woman rubs the bases of the shakers together, the ridges hit one another, causing the shaker on the bottom to vibrate and release a controlled amount of either salt or pepper. This means that as cute as many specialty salt and pepper shakers are, this technique will unfortunately only work if the shakers have built-in ridges.
The video has caused quite a bit of controversy online, as internet users seem split on the validity of the advice. Many point out that despite the helpful tip, salt and pepper shakers are still called shakers, which does suggest that they are meant to be shaken. Other people claim the ridges on the bottom are for ease of grip rather than ease of pouring. Alternatively, some people seem to have been doing this for years, and are surprised that others are only just now finding out about the trick.
For an ingredient as abundant as salt and pepper, you would think people could come to a consensus about how to properly add them to a meal. But when a similar post went viral in 2019, internet users were just as split then as they are now. It seems as though the shakers aren’t the only thing that’s salty.
A video demonstrating how to properly use salt and pepper shakers recently went viral and sent internet users into a frenzy.
@cody.93 How old were you when you learned the proper way to use a salt and pepper shaker? #chef #crazy #learnontiktok #lifehacks #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Cody
Many took issue with the woman in the video pouring the salt and pepper by rubbing the two shaker bases together.
The bottoms of S&P shakers are often disgusting. I wouldn’t want to rub them over my food.
— Chili Knight (@ChiliKnight00) July 13, 2024
Guess that’s where you get the term „shaker“ ♂️
— ダンョードッグ (@D4NY0D0G) July 13, 2024
Others disagreed that the ridges were even supposed to be used for pouring purposes.
The ridges on the bottom are for grip. Don’t be fooled by this.
— Sac49er©️ (@itsgoldouthere) July 13, 2024
And others seem to have known about this for years.
I honestly thought this was common knowledge.
— Justin D. Smith (@clevepride140) July 13, 2024
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