1) The document provides a recipe and instructions for making saltillage dough using cornstarch, water, and table salt. Optional herbs or spices can be added for color. 2) Tools used for sculpting with the salt dough include exacto knives, edged skewers, and a quiet work station. Patience is described as the most important tool. 3) The document shares photos and details of several salt sculptures the author has made, including owls, wolves, fish, and frogs. Awards and critiques of the pieces are mentioned.

1. Saltillage
Presentation by Thomas G. Ciapi
CEC,CCE,CCA,AAC

2. Saltillage
Saltillage Dough Recipe
Makes 1 Quart
Ingredients:
One Cup- Cold Water
One Cup- Cornstarch
Two Cups- Table Salt
Optional-Different Herbs or Spices for Color
Instructions:
•On Stove Top, add Water and Cornstarch together in Sauce Pan. Keep flame low.
•Make a quick slushy, but do not over heat or it will rubberize on you. Bring water
and Cornstarch to about 125 degree’s. This process takes 3 to 4 minutes.
•Add Salt and stir until all combined.
•Lay out on Saran wrap, feel consistency in hand, and roll up like tootsie Roll.
•Label as desired, and store in cool place.
Note: Popcorn Salt can also be used, but I found that it cracks easier and is not
as durable. Different herbs, and spices can give different colors, as too some
form of Vegetable juice from cooking. I also like to use Cooking wines and stay
away from Food Coloring.

3. Saltillage
The tools of the trade are quite simple. You start off with your Salt Dough.
In side frame can consist of Styrofoam and thin wiring all purchased from Hobby
Lobby. I also get a lot of Foam from Packaging from Flown in Fish to building
furniture purchased from Big Lots.
Exacto Knives, Edged Skewers help me to define leaves, details in wings, bodies,
faces, etc.
A nice quiet work station at work, or I prefer at home sitting up on a work bench is
for my peace of mind.
Patience is the best tool to do sculptures. I started doing show pieces later in life
after I could no longer work on Ice Carvings. Twenty plus years on the back made
me do Cheese Sculptures, Tallow, and then Salt.

4. Screech Owl with Rodent

5. PFG Food Show 2005, Silver Medal
Screech Owl with
Rodent.
The use of Dried
Rosemary for
whiskers, and black
pepper for the eyes
were used for rodent.
Dried Raisin were
used for eyes and
beak on the owl. The
claws had olive
slivers.

6. Ben E. Keith Food Show, SA, 2006
Bronze Medal
Howling at the Moon!
Area’s of Fault:
Back Legs too long
Needed more
definition, not refined.
Did Piece in 4 weeks.
Not Patient enough.
Only had a picture to
go by.

7. BEK Food Salon, Austin, 2007
Silver Medal
Indian war Chef with
food and canister
setting.
Only Flaw:
Face

8. Channel Catfish, TRA 1995, Silver
Medal
First Sculpture of
Channel Catfish.
I worked on this
project for several
months while doing a
cold food show piece.
The eyes were made
of Raisins.

9. The beginning phases to my wolf pack
sculpture.
Building your
structure is the key to
a nice finish.

10. BEK Food Salon, Austin, 2008,
Bronze Medal
Two Wolves in a
troop.
I tried to do accented
colors in different
areas.
Would have captured
a silver except for the
body proportion on
the wolf laying down.
The body was too
long.
The eyes were made
of Cloves.

11. Conroe Food Salon, 2010, Bronze
Medal
Tree Frogs.
Multiple facets of
Coloring. Water
greenish blue from
Cabbage . Brown from
Ground Cumin. Green
from Spinach. Yellow
from Ground Mustard.
I liked this piece and
took months to do.
Eye’s were made of
Dried Cherries.

12. Saltillage
We all share a common bond in this industry. Our talents go
beyond the perimeters of Creativity. It surpasses the desires
of putting together our shared strength for food.
God gave everyone a dream to believe, do, and challenge.
Look for your hidden treasures among your culinary talents.
You will be surprised at the good things we continue to grow
from with our hidden imagination.
I hoped you enjoyed this presentation, but most of all, it’s the
education we take back that we can give to others! Spread
your knowledge!