I am an expert at using different salt.
I’ve ruined entire dishes by over-salting, under-salting, and even by using the wrong brand of salt in a favorite recipe.
You see not all salts were created equal.
I want to set you forth on an adventure to discover how you can create a masterpiece out of a simple dish by using different kind of salt.
And while we’re here you should know that adding your salt with a sprinkle of #goodintentions will transform your meals in to a glorious situation.
Let me introduce my good friend Daina, who spends most days sitting on my studio kitchen table (yes on it) watching me like a hawk.
As I cook or heat a dish she always pays attention, watches closely and observes what I am doing so she can create the same textures and flavors when she is cooking #smartwoman.
We’ve had many laughs together, eaten truly epic meals and will talk about human behavior till the wee hours of the morning as we sip tea and eat homemade chocolates that have been seasoned with salt.
(My Next Level chocolate is made of pure cacao paste, cacao butter, a little sweetener and salt).
She is forever grateful for that life-changing lesson.
Daina is one friend that is always asking questions and commenting when I cook:
“Wow, how do you make that so tasty?”
“I made that recipe and it didn’t turn out as good as yours”
Or
“Hey Cynth, what did you put in that dish?”
Before I can answer, our gazes will meet and in that moment she already has it “wait… waaaait… let me guess: Salt?!”
“Yes mate, it’s salt”.
She’ll raise her hands in the air with a smirk on her face and in a loud voice declare “the secret salt that Chef Cynthia has”.
I’ve taught thousands of people that salt is one of the building blocks of flavor, and more importantly, I’ve taught Daina how important it is to mix her salts up.
Practically it’s like this: every time you run out of salt, don’t buy the same brand again.
Experiment, explore, and discover for yourself. Here’s just a short list of the incredible variety of salt that is available for us:
– pink Himalayan
– Maldon sea salt
– kosher
– fleur de sel
– grey
– Hawaiian black lava
– truffle
– smoked
Not to mention the salty flavors you’ll find in
– soy sauce
– tamari
– shoyu
Salt carries with it the energy and flavors from its place of origin. Whether it’s flakey crystals harvested from the sea, pink and black rocks from the Himalayas, or the smokey one imbued with local wood smoke, all the vast natural processes that have combined for its creation are captured in salt.
Chemically, It is mainly sodium chloride, but your tongue will tell you there’s an entire universe of difference between chemically refined table salt and crystals of lava salt from Hawaii or the large, flakey crystals of Maldon sea salt from the UK.
There’s also a huge difference between cheap supermarket soy sauce and wheat-free organic Tamari from Spiral Foods.
So try it out for yourself and explore it.
And while you’re at it, spare a thought for me as I’m writing this sitting on my couch in my undies and some random long sleeve shirt which I swear I didn’t buy but just appeared in my closet.
I was going to google some facts about it but you know what – apart from the fact that google makes me spin out, there’s no way in hell googling something will tell you what it tastes like. Or how it combines with chocolate in the most epic way imaginable. Or which is perfect for you and your #goodintentions in every meal.
The best part is this – now that I’ve opened your eyes (just like Daina’s), you’re going to go on an adventure.
And that’s what this is about. Less Google. More hunting for salty glories. More salt and #goodintentions in every meal.
Visit my YouTube Channel to see my salts in action!
You’re the best.
Chef Cynthia Louise
