FASCINATING
FACTS ON SALT
Continued
from the previous page...
- 5. Fleur de Sel's taste is delicate, yet full and
round in your mouth. It doesn't sear the tip of the tongue as
some salts do. There is no bitterness, no sharpness. The most
important characteristic, however, is its texture; it crunches
pleasantly between your teeth and because it's crystalline rather
than flaky it dissolves slowly.
- 6. If Fleur de Sel leads the pack of artisan salts,
according to food writer Michelle Jordan, Celtic gray sea salt
isn't far behind. As late as 1996 it was a well-kept secret praised
by food writers, chefs, and loved by anyone who visited the marshes
of Brittany on the coast of France. But for many years it was
pricey and hard to get. Today, however, Celtic gray sea salt
is everywhere and reliable mail order sources (see below) sell
it for as little as $1.25 a pound.
- 7. The saltiness of a specific quantity of salt--be
it Fleur de Sel, kosher, granulated sea salt, iodized salt--
will vary depending on the type of salt. But generally, if substituting
kosher salt for iodized salt (the former a type favored by most
professional chefs) you'll have to use double the amount of larger
flaked kosher salt than the finer grained iodized salt to achieve
the same saltiness.
- 8. Even in the best conditions mining for salt it
a dangerous occupation. The harsh Indian sun (where much of the
world's supply of commercial salt in harvested) reflecting off
the white mountains of salt is hard on the eyes. In addition,
continued exposure to the salty brine can lead to skin lesions
which can become gangrenous --when there's too little salt, wounds
can't heal, while when there is too much they won't.
- 9. The mysterious ability of salt to affect flavor
beyond adding it's own character may be best revealed in dry
salting and brining. Short-term brining adds flavor to bland
foods and juiciness to normally dry cuts of meat. Long-term brining
transforms both taste and texture and preserves foods as well.
While dry-salting (used in bacon and hams) intensifies natural
flavors, contributes new ones and preserves; it is often used
on foods that will be smoked.
- 10. Sodium functions as an electrolyte, as do potassium,
calcium, and magnesium, all of which regulate the electrical
charges within our cells. Chloride supports potassium absorption
and helps oversee the body's acid and base balance. It enhances
carbon dioxide transportation and is an essential component of
digestive acids.
- Some information based on THE
FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
©Copyright, Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995.
- Salt factoids is an excerpt
from Salt and Pepper by Michelle Anna Jordan (Broadway Books,
1999).
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