Salt rocks. Sure, too much of it ain’t going to do anyone much good; however, when used as it ought to be used, it can be one of the greatest ingredients you add to pretty much any dish.
Why Salt Works so Well with Anything
We are naturally drawn to salt for a number of reasons. First off, we’ve got just five tastes that our palates can discern, with saltiness being one of them. Therefore, we simply like the saltiness that salt provides. Next, salt helps other foods taste better since salt draws out flavors from foods by getting them to release molecules into the air which pleases our senses of smell and taste. Finally, salt balances out other tastes that we may not enjoy much, such as bitterness or sourness, which is why adding a touch of salt to lemonade is such a successful time-honored trick.
The Added Punch offered by Flavored Salt
Although salt all by itself is quite wonderful all on its own, it becomes downright magical when it is flavored. At its most basic level, flavored salt works because the salt gives other flavors layers of flavor so that, say, the singular sweetness offered by a caramel becomes a more nuanced delight when a pinch of salt has been added to it. The saltiness and sweetness playing off of one another tricks our mouths and minds into thinking there are more flavors going on than there really are.
How to Get Started with Flavored Salt
The danger of using salt, flavored or not, is that a little goes a long ways. If you are new to flavored salt, you need to start with baby steps and see how you like it. In fact, we always recommend that people use less flavored salt than their recipes call for. Finally, add the flavored salt as close to the end of the cooking process (except when using it as a rub) as possible. In fact, using them as a finishing flavor is often the best choice.
Also, read the descriptions and reviews found here on Milford Spice to find the right flavored salt for you. As you grow comfortable using these magical salts, you can spread your wings and start flavoring soups, desserts, noodle dishes, salads, and pretty much anything else you your kitchen sends out to loved ones.