The expression “take it with a grain/pinch of salt” means to not take it with great importance. However, salt melts snails, so it’s important to them. A one-line saying is:
“The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.”
The saying was first posted on Twitter on March 23, 2011. Salt is often using in preparing escargot to eat, but a different chemical process is involved (as explained in ScienceBlogs, below),
ScienceBlogs
How does salt melt snails?
Posted by Janet D. Stemwedel on May 11, 2009
In light of our recent snail eradication project:
Why does salt “melt” snails and slugs? (And how do people manage to prepare escargot without ending up with a big pot of goo?)
(...)
So, how on earth can you cook these critters — including seasoning to taste with salt — without ending up with a big puddle of slime?
Cooking involves raising the temperature of the snails and their cells enough to denature the proteins in the snails. This increased temperature also changes the cell membranes — after the cooking, the membranes are no longer semipermeable, but rather allow diffusion of water and solute in both directions. This (plus the denaturing of the proteins inside the snail cells) helps keep the snail insides in, rather than drawing all the water out and deflating the snail that was holding the water.
YouTube
Salt on snail? It works
LaGGySN1P3R
Uploaded on Mar 7, 2011
No snails were harmed while making this video.
Twitter
† CKY †
@befismile
The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.
3:14 PM - 23 Mar 2011
Twitter
Gracey
@Eyecandy691
The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.! (Shame)
3:35 PM - 23 Mar 2011
Twitter
JR
@cymru_lfc
The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.
3:49 PM - 23 Mar 2011
Google Books
5,000 Great One Liners
Compiled by Grant Tucker
London: Biteback Publishing
2012
Pg. ?:
The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.
YouTube
What happens when you pour salt on a snail.
Ryan Stewman
Published on May 21, 2013
http://www.breakfreeacademy.com/entou…
I’ve always wondered what happens if you pour salt on a snail. I’ve got a ton of snails in my yard, so today I did a little science experiment. via YouTube Capture
Twitter
PlayVolt
@PlayVoltYt
The life of a snail is taken with a pinch of salt.
1:03 PM - 8 Dec 2016
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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