Cooking Salt

Cooking salt is the most basic seasoning. It heightens flavors, preserves foods and provides a pleasant, salty taste. Despite its detractors, salt must occupy a primary place in your gourmet cooking pantry. Moreover, a little salt is good for you.

Sure, I understand the health risks, especially for those with heart problems, but it is up to them to monitor and control their intake. Besides, cooking salt is a necessary ingredient these days; peoples' pallets have become accustomed to it, and even crave it.

Culinary or Table - is sodium chloride (NaCL). It is one of the minerals essential to human life. It contains no fats, calories, proteins, or carbohydrates.

Rock - is available in both edible and nonedible forms. Non-edible forms include rock salt for ice cream churns and for thawing frozen sidewalks.

Iodized - is commonly used in the United States. Iodine has no effect on the flavor, but is added to provide an important nutrient to people.

Sea - is obtained by evaporating seawater. Sea salt contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium.

Kosher - has large crystals used for the "koshering" or curing of meats. It can be substituted for kitchen salt. Chef's use this salt most often.

Be sure and consider which kinds of cooking salt are called for in your various recipes. And, if you desire, feel free to cut back a bit on the recommended quantities, in the name of health. Don't forget, your taste buds are the best judge of saltiness anyway.

Bottom Line: Use cooking salt to suit your taste.

Chefs use many different kinds of salts. The most common one is kosher salt. Specialty markets carry a large variety of salts. They can get pricey, but for that special dish adds so much flavor. Malden Sea Salt is great on grilled foods.

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