Salt is one of the most important ingredients at the cooks disposal and yet it has received a bad rap for the past decade or two. The reason behind much of this is, no doubt, the health implications of ingesting too much salt/sodium.
However there are dangers of ingesting too little as well. This issue of ingesting too little has almost no connection to eating in the US, most of us need to tone it down.
One way to do this is to cook for yourself if you have the ability and facilities, this way you're in control.
There was a time when the statement that a man (or woman) was said to be "worth his salt" was of the higher compliments that could be given. This was when salt was hard to come by and therefore very expensive, at times rivaling precious metals in value and where workers were sometimes paid their wages in salt.
Why is/was salt so important? Salt when used as a preservative was responsible for helping save entire populations from starvation in the winter, on long seagoing voyages and preserving the harvest/hunt for leaner times.
This isn't the world we live in now, but interesting none the less.
Current chefs and food lovers have given the good name of salt new life and in turn opened up the field for discovery for millions of cooks, gourmets and gourmands.
When I was growing up, we had one salt in the house: iodized salt. At the time I didn't know that there were any other types of salt available. It was only when I started to cook in better restaurants that I was turned on to kosher salt. What a revelation!
The purpose of iodized salt was to easily replace the absence of iodine in the American diet, this was mostly because, as my grandmothers cooking attested, we over-cooked every green vegetable. All of 'em, until they were battleship gray. No nutritional value whatsoever.
Then came the food revolution of Alice Waters, Julia Child, Jaques Pepin and company.
Today iodized salt has almost no place to call home in our food society, or at least it shouldn't have one.
During my last trip to San Francisco I did a taste test with a good friend of all the salts that she had in her kitchen and the experience was illuminating. She had two sea salts and iodized salt. The two sea salts were very similar in taste, one was very fine in texture and one was more coarse. The iodized salt when compared to the others was nearly indelible.
She went out the next day and bought a box of kosher salt. I haven't asked her about what her experience is now with this new information, but I know that she doesn't look at salt the same way as she had prior to our tasting and discussion.
So let's talk salt.
Iodized salt should be used for killing slugs and, and, and I can't think of another use. Certainly it should not be in your food. If you occasionally eat salad or broccoli or Brussels sprouts etc. you're getting your iodine. I would rather take an iodine supplement than to have it in my food. Distance yourself from that junk and store it among your gardening supplies.
Kosher salt is the mainstay of the modern commercial kitchen. It is a clean tasting salt and once you understand how to use it, it will be you're "go to guy" in the salt tray. (more on the salt tray later)
The kosher salt that I use is Diamond Brand. The reason is two fold: one, this is the first brand that I learned about and two, the ingredient list has one word - salt. There are other brands available but you should look at what is inside. If there are other ingredients such as "yellow prussiate of soda". I wouldn't use these products as there is more in it than I want.
These days we are able to purchase a great many more "finishing salts" than our parents, or older siblings in many cases.
Finishing salts come in four main categories.
Fluer de Sel, the salt that forms at the top of the evaporating ponds. The names is derived from the salt “blooming” into crystals at the top of the water. This type is also known as flake salt for the delicate crystals that form.
Sel Gris, or gray salt. This is the salt that is collected at the bottom of he ponds. It is usually a little wet and will pick up its distinctive flavor from the minerals that were present in the pond.
Rock Salt. Salt formed usually into large masses that are cut, chipped or ground for use as seasoning or in the case of Himalayan salt blocks for service and even for a cooking surface.
Flavored salts. These are smoked, have dried mushrooms or truffles, chilis etc added to the salt.
At my house we have a "Salt Dish", an elongated oval glass dish that holds five small bowls each of which has a different salt in it. Our line-up is this: kosher salt, Sel Gris de Guerand (a French salt we purchased during our last visit),
Flingsalt (a Swedish flake salt that was given to us by some very dear friends),
Hawaiian red salt,
and a Himalayan pink salt.
We also have three little jars that sit next to it, a Turkish Black Pyramid,
Cypress Hardwood Smoked
and a Black Truffle salt that makes a hard boiled egg sublime.
This is just the beginning of what is available and all but the kosher salt are considered a "finishing salts", that is a salt to be added after cooking but before the dish has reached the table. Use sparingly for the best results.
If you live in a metropolitan area, there is likely to be one or more stores available to you where you can find some interesting salts to add to your repertoire. Here is the display at a local grocery. The clerk could not answer my questions, merely saying "They're different kinds of salt"
We are blessed in a way here in Portland Oregon to have a store that sells only salt, chocolate and wine. It is staffed by people who really are worth their salt. Very knowledgable and eager to help. I can't say enough! If you can't find a source in your community try reaching out to The Meadow. I asked them if I could put their info in here and they were thrilled! AND they ship! If you are interested in learning more go to www.atthemeadow.net Here are some photos of their amazing shop.
So play with the salts that are available to you. Let me know what you think and find out.
Next up: Bacon: salt, sugar and smoke make an ordinary item sublime.
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