Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs

Gourmet Food

The Scoop on Salt
or
Why Sea Salt?
By Barbara Seelig Brown

One of the most common questions I am asked when I am teaching a cooking class is why sea salt? I find that Sea salt suits my healthy style of cooking and provides interest, therefore, I use it for everything.

There are three common salt choices: table salt, kosher salt and sea salt.

Table salt has additives to keep it free flowing. It can be harsh tasting and mask flavors, but is sometimes preferred for baking because of the fineness of the crystals.

Kosher salt, which is processed in accordance with Jewish law, is made up of large flakes that dissolve very easily when they come in contact with food. It is the lightest and fluffiest of the salts. Because of its composition, many cooks prefer the feel of kosher salt, as it does not stick to your hands.

Sea Salt contains the most minerals; however, the amount of minerals found in any salt is negligible. Sea salt can also have a more concentrated "salt" taste, which allows you to use less to get the flavor benefits of salt. Hand harvested sea salts are the healthiest and most natural.

The benefit of cooking with salt brings is that it brings out the flavors of the food you are cooking. You could say that salt makes some flavors come alive or become brighter. For cooking, it is a good idea to keep a ramekin or small dish of salt next to the stove so that you can salt by pinches rather than shaking the salt shaker over the pot or bowl. You have more control if you pinch and salt by hand rather than shaking.

The American Heart Association recommends that you keep your daily salt intake to 2400 milligrams or approximately 1 teaspoon so cooking with salt is quite acceptable. A pinch (approx. 1/8 teaspoon) or two of salt in the pot is divided amongst all the servings so your salt intake is generally less than salting at the table. What should be avoided are processed foods that are high in sodium. Those who take in too much salt are generally getting it from fast food or processed food rather than their own home cooking. Home cooking allows you to be more in control of your salt intake as well as fats and sugars.

Sea salts come in all shapes and sizes from fine to coarse, from processed to unprocessed. The unprocessed are the most natural. Fine sea salt is best used in cooking and the coarse more expensive varieties are best used at the table or to finish a dish.

The Cooking of School of Aspen, (www.cookingscoolofaspen.com) has the most varied selection of sea salts that I have encountered. Some of the varieties that they carry are Danish Smoked, Peruvian Pink, South African, and Japanese just to name a few. As owner Rob Seideman and his customers have become more interested in sea salts, they have added an arm to their business called Salt Traders, which searches out and imports new varieties of sea salts.

The Danish Smoked is made in a style devised by the Vikings. The evaporating process takes place in a vessel over an open smoky fire containing juniper, cherry, elm, beech and oak. Peruvian Pink comes from an ancient ocean, trapped underground, which feeds a spring located in Andes Mountains. The salt is hand harvested by individual Peruvian families. South Africa has a climate perfect for the formation of salt crystals, strong, unpolluted winds, more months of hot dry weather allowing for high evaporation and the icy Atlantic Ocean. This salt is hand-harvested from the shores of St. Helena Bay, near the Berg River. Japanese Sea Salt is hand harvested on Oshima Island. Prior to 1997 this salt was only available to members of the macrobiotic movement, but fortunately a century old policy was changed and now we can enjoy this Blue Label Sea Salt.

One of my absolute favorite sea salts is an Italian sea salt with fresh herbs, SALLE ALLE ERBE delle MARLUNCHE, that I get from Soprano Specialty Foods in Glen Cove, NY. It is a blend of Italian Sea salt, fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, fresh sage, and black pepper. This salt can be used either as a cooking ingredient or as a finishing touch at the table. It is such an aromatic treat when you open the jar that you know your cooking will taste divine. Blending sea salt with fresh herbs is typical of the Veneto in Italy and one whiff of this will take you there! I use this in my meatballs, my vegetable soups, and on any grilled or roasted meats or vegetables.

All salts do not perform the same way in the kitchen and I remind you that sea salt should be used a little more sparingly than kosher salt or table salt as it tends to taste saltier. Sea salts can also be pricey. The common grocery store varieties such as La Baleine, in the tall blue cylinder, can cost $2.95 per pound as opposed to the hand-harvested varieties that can weigh in at $36 per pound. Remember of course, that we are not using it by the pound, but more likely by the pinch or salt spoon. The ways that you use different salts will also change the end result of a dish. Cook's Illustrated Magazine did a number of different taste tests for their September/October 2002 issue and found surprising results. For instance, they preferred one type of salt on a roast beef and another in a soup or stew.

Bottom line, you must decide which salt to use based on your dietary requirements, your style of cooking and your pocketbook. If you do find yourself looking toward some of the interesting sea salts on the market, I promise you that you will not be sorry. Food is a part of the journey of life and salt is an integral part of the journey.

ŠBarbara Seelig Brown, all rights reserved

Stress Free Cooking by Barbara Seelig Brown's Lifestyle Designs

Gourmet Food

Stress Free Cooking
by
Barbara Seelig Brown's
Lifestyle Designs