blake murphy wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:33:26 -0600, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
>
>>On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:53:55 -0700, aem > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Most home cooks using fresh ingredients, in my observation, use too
>>>little salt for best tasting results. And they don't use it at the
>>>right times. They fail to salt pasta water, they fail to salt the
>>>water for boiling potatoes, they fail to salt deep fried things
>>>_immediately_ upon draining, they fail to salt aromatics when they
>>>sweat them at the beginning of a recipe, they fail to salt the chicken
>>>before they roast it, etc., etc., etc. Then they sprinkle some salt
>>>over the dish at the end and wonder why it isn't as flavorful as it
>>>should be. -aem
>>
>>AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>I have read too many noted chefs and food scientists lately, that have
>>said this. Salt doesn't just make things salty, if it is added during
>>the cooking: it helps expand flavors and develop them. If salted is
>>added at the end of cooking, food just tastes salty. And you end up
>>using more salt than you would if you added it during the cooking
>>process.
>>
>>I know we have talked about this ad nauseum on rfc, but I am amazed at
>>folks that won't even try to test it out. It's isn't a hard
>>experiment. Just try cooking one of your normal dishes, and add salt
>>at a different point in the process. For instance, if you only salt
>>at the end, try adding it a bit earlier, say when sweating vegetables.
>>Or salt the chicken before you roast it...say a few days before. The
>>difference can be amazing.
>>It's not a difficult experiment. And you might be very surprised.
>>
>>Christine
>
>
> do you find that to be true when boiling potatoes? i can see it while
> sweating onions, but i usually forget.
>
> your pal,
> blake

I have done it both ways and i don't see a difference, i just never use
salt, well, on popcorn and when i make a big pot of beans but other than
that i just never need salt and my food is very tasty. Most food has
salt of some amount in it. Of course back when i used to make bread i
would use standard amounts.

Now pepper, especially freshly ground black pepper i am addicted to.

Of course if i were to make french fries or onion rings i am sure i
would salt them, so also if i took it into my head to make potato or
game chips. And some of the "salted" meats are very nice but i don't
make them myself. As nice as they are i have yet to brine a chicken.

Now if i make a vinaigrette for immediate consumption i will add a pinch
of sugar just to marry flavours, if im going to serve the vinaigrette an
hour or more after i make it i don't add sugar.
--
JL