Sea salt? What's the difference?

"Vanguard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus just,
say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when used in
cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it while
cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt on top?
Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities? Or is it
impurities that give it extra flavor (which means there would be regional
"varieties" of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

I see articles like http://www.auroraimporting.com/faq.aspx#12. Yet,
after reading it, notice that it never did address the question of why to
use sea salt. For all its explanation, maybe table salt would do, too.

Sea salt does taste a bit different because it contains a little bit of
whatever else is in the water. That can be good or bad, considering what we
dump in the ocean these days, and what's in the fish, like mercury. Don't
buy it for any nonsensical nutritional claims. Some people use it for
coating home made pretzels because they can't find kosher salt in the store.

Well, sea salt tastes like the *sea.* You know what it's like when
you're swimming in the ocean and you swallow water? It tastes like
that. (That's as good as I get in descriptions.)

I'm a no-frills guy -- my Basic Asian Cooking Pantry would consist of
like, six items -- but I still recommend Maldon sea salt. You can pick
it up in Maldon for just a couple bucks. 😉

Vanguard said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus
just, say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when
used in cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it
while cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt
on top? Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities?
Or is it impurities that give it extra flavor (which means there would
be regional "varieties" of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

I see articles like http://www.auroraimporting.com/faq.aspx#12. Yet,
after reading it, notice that it never did address the question of why
to use sea salt. For all its explanation, maybe table salt would do, too.

IMO it has a nicer, mellow taste compared to table salt. I don't like
all the iodine in table salt either. I do a lot of canning and iodine
will cloud the water when doing dill pickles. That turned me off of it.
I've been using sea salt almost exclusively for cooking and table use.

"Vanguard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus just,
say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when used in
cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it while
cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt on top?
Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities? Or is it
impurities that give it extra flavor (which means there would be regional
"varieties" of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

I see articles like http://www.auroraimporting.com/faq.aspx#12. Yet,
after reading it, notice that it never did address the question of why to
use sea salt. For all its explanation, maybe table salt would do, too.

Sea salt has small amounts of minerals other than NaCl. This affects the
taste in a very minor way. Sprinked directly on fresh tomatoes and in
similar uses some people can taste the difference, but in 99% of salt
applications it is a waste of money.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Vanguard said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus just,
say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when used in
cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it while
cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt on
top? Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities? Or
is it impurities that give it extra flavor (which means there would be
regional "varieties" of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

I see articles like http://www.auroraimporting.com/faq.aspx#12. Yet,
after reading it, notice that it never did address the question of why to
use sea salt. For all its explanation, maybe table salt would do, too.

IMO it has a nicer, mellow taste compared to table salt. I don't like all
the iodine in table salt either. I do a lot of canning and iodine will
cloud the water when doing dill pickles. That turned me off of it. I've
been using sea salt almost exclusively for cooking and table use.

Sea salt contains iodine. And you can buy uniodized table salt in almost any
market.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

x-no-archive: yes

I'm a huge fan of Maldon salt but only for sprinkling on stuff. It's
the texture that makes it different, more than the taste. Fantastic on
salads, baked potatoes etc. Putting in cooked stuff is kind of a waste
of money IMO.

Other salts have more distinct flavor but I still think you take better
advantage by using them for "finishing." In fact I just got a sampler
of different colored and textured salts labeled "finishing salts."

"Vanguard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus just,
say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when used in
cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it while
cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt on top?
Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities? Or is it
impurities that give it extra flavor (which means there would be regional
"varieties" of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

And what about all the other sorts of salts? Do they all taste different
too? I've only ever used table salt in everything. I've looked for kosher
salt for some type of recipe, but couldn't find it in our local shop.

Jen

"Vanguard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus just,
say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste (when used in
cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not use it while

cooking

Quoted message said:

and instead sprinkle it on later to have some crunchy salt on top? Why

use

Quoted message said:

sea salt? Is it controlled regarding any impurities? Or is it impurities
that give it extra flavor (which means there would be regional "varieties"
of sea salt)? And just what is "organic" sea salt?

It just tastes better. It is also much easier to work with. You cannot
make a decent salt crust with table salt. It just dissolves. Sea salt, and
kosher salt, resist this. They work better in salads too. I find that
larger sea salt crystals make an interesting flavor contrast. Rather than
saturating the dish, they offer a separate profile level that is quite
pleasant.

Paul

Quoted message said:

Well, sea salt tastes like the *sea.* You know what it's like when
you're swimming in the ocean and you swallow water? It tastes like
that. (That's as good as I get in descriptions.)

And that's a good thing?

-Martha Stewart.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, sea salt tastes like the *sea.*

Quoted message said:

And that's a good thing?

Yes! Take away the whole drowning thing and swallowing sea water can
be fun.

Besides, that's supposedly the good thing about scallops and oysters
and all that: they taste of the sea.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, sea salt tastes like the *sea.*

Quoted message said:

And that's a good thing?

Yes! Take away the whole drowning thing and swallowing sea water can
be fun.

I used to live on the beach (James Rockford-style) and swallowing
the water is no fun. It sure don't taste good. I loved the
beach/ocean, but I sure don't want to taste it on my food.

Quoted message said:

Besides, that's supposedly the good thing about scallops and oysters
and all that: they taste of the sea.

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water. Eating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

I'cve just had my share of ocean water, I guess.

Oh, and I'm still looking for my left shoe that got washed out
with the tide if anybody happens to see it. It's white and it's a
tennis shoe. Tanks in Advance.

-sw

In article <[email hidden]>,

Steve Wertz said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Well, sea salt tastes like the *sea.*

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Besides, that's supposedly the good thing about scallops and oysters
and all that: they taste of the sea.

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water. Eating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

When my son was little, he had a friend Joey. Joey's father would come
and pick up my son and take them to the beach in his old battered pickup
truck. He would collect abalone and other stuff while the boys played
on the beach. He always carried a 10 pound bag of potatoes in the back
of the truck with a pot. He would cook the potatoes in sea water, and
cook whatever else he caught.

--
Dan Abel
[email hidden]
Petaluma, California, USA

"Vanguard" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I've read several recipes where they mention using sea salt (versus
just, say, table salt). Okay, so what is the difference in taste
(when used in cooking)? Does it dissolve better or less? Do you not
use it while cooking and instead sprinkle it on later to have some
crunchy salt on top? Why use sea salt? Is it controlled regarding
any impurities? Or is it impurities that give it extra flavor (which
means there would be regional "varieties" of sea salt)? And just what
is "organic" sea salt?

I see articles like http://www.auroraimporting.com/faq.aspx#12. Yet,
after reading it, notice that it never did address the question of why
to use sea salt. For all its explanation, maybe table salt would do,
too.

Sea salt is the new foodie item. It imparts tastes of the local minerals.

--

Charles
The significant problems we face cannot be solved
at the same level of thinking we were at when we
created them. Albert Einstein

Quoted message said:

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water.  Eating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

Wait. You're eating the thing that *filters* the water, and you're
saying it tastes better than the water?

If ocean water was bad, why would people throw seaweed onto the food at
a clambake? Because the wetness keeps the food moist, and the salty
sea flavor penetrates into the food.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water. ating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

Wait. You're eating the thing that *filters* the water, and you're
saying it tastes better than the water?\

I can tell this is going to be over your head so I'm not even
going to bother.

-sw

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water. Eating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

Wait. You're eating the thing that *filters* the water, and you're
saying it tastes better than the water?

If ocean water was bad, why would people throw seaweed onto the food at
a clambake? Because the wetness keeps the food moist, and the salty
sea flavor penetrates into the food.

--- REPLY SEPERATOR ---
(only required due to OP using quoted-printable format)

Reminds me of the spoof commercial that shows a guy walking along a stream
and lake noting the purity of the water that goes into their beer is why it
has the cleanest and freshest taste. In the background you see a fisherman
that stands in his boat and pisses over the side into the lake.

I don't have a chemistry degree but I suspect the salt that they mine has
less [censored] and [censored] in it than that "clean" sea water dripping off that
seaweed that is covered with slime. From what I recall, the food was
*wrapped*, placed in a pit over a fire, and the seaweed thrown on top to
provide steam to help cook the food, not to permeate the food with the fish
urine and seaweed slime.

See http://bbq.about.com/od/specificdishes/a/aa060201a.htm for instructions
on how seaweed is used to steam the food to provide surrounding heat. Water
works just as good as long as you can manage to get it to surround the food.
The wetness is not to keep the food moist. It is used to create the steam
that actually cooks the food (as the direct heat from the stones would burn
up the clams). The water is not to drop onto the food to add a salty taste;
otherwise, that "salty" taste may be coming from something other than sea
salt.

From other posts, I take it that sea salt is never "cleaned" or otherwise
purified. Hmm, guess that's why it has more "taste".

--
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Quoted message said:

I can tell this is going to be over your head so I'm not
even going to bother.

You don't deal well with people you can't push around, do you?

For future reference, don't tell people they're wrong in regards to
what tastes good and what doesn't. It's TASTE. It's subjective.

Last, if you're married, ask your wife if she ever feels abused. You
don't handle it real well when you don't get your way.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can tell this is going to be over your head so I'm not
even going to bother.

You don't deal well with people you can't push around, do you?

For future reference, don't tell people they're wrong in regards to
what tastes good and what doesn't. It's TASTE. It's subjective.

Last, if you're married, ask your wife if she ever feels abused. You
don't handle it real well when you don't get your way.

Somwhere in all this babbling of yours I'm supposed to feel .... I
give up - how am I supposed to feel?

I guess you sure told me, eh?

ObFood: Chicken tenders tonight. Breaded and sauteed in butter.
Easy and simple. I'll save the foie gras, truffles and nacho
cheese dip for tomorrow night.

-sw

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

At least the mollusks and bivalves filter the water.  Eating a raw
oyster w/liquor isn't anything like taking a shot of ocean water.

Wait. You're eating the thing that *filters* the water, and you're
saying it tastes better than the water?

Pigs eat garbage. People eat pork.

What's the difference?

--
Dan Abel
[email hidden]
Petaluma, California, USA