I Have JUST Raised My Cooking To A New Level - Imported SALTS!

[matcom]

ok. just saw the most FASCINATING Food Network show on salt. yes, salt. I had never even THOUGHT about salt as having a different flavor depending on the region it comes from. (DUH ME)

anyhoo, salts that come from different regions can DRAMATICALLY change the flavor of a dish.

sooooooooo

I did a little searching and found this: http://www.saltworks.us/

salts from all over the world!

i now have a NEW HOBBY! I'm starting with a Sicilian sea salt and 2 different Fleur de Sel's (each from different regions)

i'll now be collecting and using different salts from all over the world in my cooking. what a GREAT hobby/experiment this will be

HEADS UP GOPisEVIL!!!!

:bounce:

[Warpy]

1. Caveat emptor!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x18622

Check out the consensus.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

2. On that thread the consensus seemed to be that everyone

loves it.

Me included!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. Go for it.

The salts are fabulous. Especially sprinkled over the top of foods. Unbelievably subtle variations. What a fun new hobby.

[matcom]

4. that is my understanding

they are used as 'finish salts' where you dont' actually cook with them but sprinkle them over the finished dish.

the special i watched said different salts will dramatically enhance the dish. they even used a salt on a chocolate dessert

i'm really looking forward to this

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

7. Most chocolate dishes call for a little salt.

I remember watching Jamie Oliver. He & the head chef he worked for in France got into an arguement. Oliver insisted that there was no need to put salt in a chocolate dish. He didn't think the salt did anything. The French chef insisted that salt was necessary. One day Oliver made the same chocolate souffle twice, one with salt, the other without. He concluded that the salt did make a difference & has used salt ever since.

[TygrBright]

13. Salt enhances sweet flavors like sugar and honey.

One tip I got early on when I moved to 7,000 ft.: Up the salt in your sweet recipes by a pinch or so. High altitude tends to dull flavors a bit, salt picks them back up.

Far as I can tell, it works.

saltily,
Bright

[Karenca]

23. Olive Oil Copetta-So good. A Batali desssert that uses salt with gelato!

OLIVE OIL COPPETTA--

OLIVE OIL GELATO,
STRAWBERRIES,
PASSIONFRUIT GRANITA,
BASIL SYRUP,
CAPEZZANA OLIVE OIL
&
MALDON SEA SALT.

It's not mushed up----it's presented in sort of layers----

Believe me, this is sooooo much better than it sounds!

[wildeyed]

5. Fun!

I doubt my palette is subtle enough to tell the difference, but I like to try new things. This sounds like fun :)

[midnight armadillo]

6. Get over to Christina's Spices in Cambridge!

I know you're a boston area DU-er. Get your butt over to Christina's in Cambridge (1255 Cambridge St, by Inman Sq). They run a spice store next to their ice cream store.

I bought some Pakistani "black salt" a while ago from there. It's from volcanic deposits and the taste is hardly subtle: lots of sulphur! It's fantastic on scrambled eggs and omelettes. I recall they had a wide variety of salts on hand, although it's been a while since I've passed through.

Also check out the paprika varieties. Very tasty.

[matcom]

8. THANKS!

i don't get into the city often but this might require a special trip!

[midnight armadillo]

9. don't forget the ice cream!

Christina's of course has some truly weird and interesting ice cream flavors, for don't forget your khulfi ice cream :)

[Tab]

21. This is nearly right around the corner from where I work

Literally, 1.3 miles.

I will definitely check it out.

[GOPisEvil]

10. It's SALT!!!!! It tastes...SALTY!!!!

OK, maybe, MAYBE smoked salt is different...

I have sea salt and kosher salt and THAT'S IT!

Elitist. :eyes:

[matcom]

11. no, no, no. these are supposed to be DIFFERENT!

adding a whole NEW level (and type) of flavor.

you know David, you damned 'Paula Dean' southerners could USE something OTHER than a fucking stick of butter for EVERY dish :eyes:


































:P really. wish you had seen this show. it was absolutely FASCINATING.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Actually, I think I know what show you're talking about.

It does sound sort of interesting. Let me know how it goes.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a pork tenderloin marinating. I need to turn it. :D

[matcom]

14. if it were ME....

i'd finish it off with a sprinkle of Himalayan Pink salt

but that's just ME :D

:hide:

[GOPisEvil]

16. Heh...pink? Himalayan?

Probably seasoned with yak piss. :P

[matcom]

18. .....

Himalayan Pink Salt
Himalania is an unrefined salt that comes from in the Himalayan Mountains at altitudes of over 10,000 feet! This is a fossil marine salt and is rich in many minerals including Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Iron which gives the salt its beautiful speckled pink color. Once a year, in the springtime, the salt is transported down from the mountains to the Nepalese valleys by caravans of yaks. This is the principle income for the mountain peoples of the area. Each canister comes packaged with a little wooden spoon. Cases come packed in a convenient display box. This salt makes a great gift.

:rofl:

[GOPisEvil]

19. Caravan of yaks!!!!!

:rofl:

[matcom]

20. seems to me to be the PERFECT condiment

:rofl:

[Hand]

24. DUPE--self-deleted

[Hand]

25. There's a really good movie about these yak caravans...

It's called "Himalaya", shot in Nepal with a mostly local non-professional cast. Fascinating story!

[NMDemDist2]

15. there is NO dish that a stick of butter can't improve

just saying....

:evilgrin:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

17. I usually opt for two sticks. n/t

[Duer 157099]

22. Trader Joe's has Red (and Black) Hawaiian salt

and I got some, but haven't yet tasted it (I got the red cuz it was purrrty) :)

[DemExpat]

26. I never knew how delicious a salt can be

until I found this organically approved Atlantic sea salt traditionally hand harvested from Portugal that tastes out of this world and adds something very special to all foods.

:hi:

DemEx

[kestrel91316]

27. I brought home a little box of Fleur de Sel de Camargue from Provence

in 2001 and used it up last year. Now I see it in stores like Whole Foods!

I still would rather go back to France to get more, lol. But for the $$.