tips and tricks
SALT 101
This kitchen staple accentuates the flavor in dishes. But which types are best?
WRITTEN BY BARBARA TWITCHELL
PHOTOS BY JACI GOODMAN
“Where would we be without salt?” James Beard once asked.
Where, indeed. This unpretentious little seasoning is such a kitchen staple that it is often taken for granted. Yet, it is so vital to life, health, food preservation, and cooking in every culture worldwide that it has helped chart the course of civilization since the dawn of time.
Not that any of us think about that when we reach for the shaker. No, what we think about is flavor.
“Salt’s role is to round out or bloom flavor,” says Lara Ritchie, culinary director of Nothing to It Culinary Center in Reno. “In the mind of a chef, it’s as integral to the recipe as the main ingredient.”
The Rundown
For those enterprising cooks willing to expand their horizons, there is a dizzying assortment of salts to add interest and flavor to the dishes they create. Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular:
Table Salt
This is the most commonly used variety. It is highly processed and contains anti-caking chemicals and, most often, iodine, both of which negatively affect flavor. Its fine texture makes it suitable for baking.
Kosher Salt
This is preferred by most chefs for cooking. It has a coarse, flat flake that dissolves easily, has a softer flavor than table salt, is free of additives, and provides flavor without over-salting because of its large surface area. If you only have one salt in your kitchen, this should be it, Ritchie says.
Sea Salt
This is the choice of most chefs for table use. Harvested by natural evaporation from a living ocean, sea, or bay, it contains trace minerals from the region of origin. Optimally, it is unrefined or minimally refined and additive free. Some domestic sea salts are more refined than European ones and may contain additives, so check the label before you buy.
Premium Sea Salts
These are the caviars of salts. There is a wide variety of them hailing from all corners of the world, each as unique as the exotic locale from which it was harvested — always by hand. They are unrefined and contain natural minerals and nutrients that influence their color and taste. Their extraordinary flavors, delicate natures, and premium price tags dictate that most are used as finishing salts, sprinkled on foods before serving to maximize impact. Some prime examples are:
Fleur de Sel
This is prized for its earthy flavor as well as texture and crunch.
Sel Gris or Celtic Salt
This moist, gray salt has a sharper, bolder flavor.
Smoked Sea Salt
This adds a smoky flavor to a wide range of dishes.
Blended Salts are most often sea salts to which additional seasonings — such as herbs, berries, or mushrooms — are added. Examples are truffle salt or Herbs de Provence salt. Let your imagination run wild with this one!
“It’s a new dimension,” Ritchie says. “If you’re already salting your food, why not influence flavor in a different direction while you’re doing it? It’s a ton of fun!”
Reno-based freelance writer Barbara Twitchell loves to play with her food — well, at least when it comes to the seasonings. She looks forward to trying some of the new blended salts she discovered while researching this article.
