Salt

i love salt preserved foods, anything salted, pickled, smoked, cheese and most methods of curing require copious quantities of salt.

In fact it kinda bothers me to see people put huge quantities of salt on anything, just these thoughts pop into my head like "WTF are you curing that right here? Please tell me you're not gonna put that in your mouth...oh my god you put that in your mouth! Doesn't it hurt!?!" It's not like the food doesn't have flavors of it's own, y'know.

No, I know (rosemary + salt = one of my favorite combinations evah), but a little goes a long way.

Geurande, Maldon or Trapani.

This is completely mental in that you don't need that much salt if you are using other spices (I defy you to tell me that my garlic-curry-oregano-red pepper-DASH OF SALT fried chicken is bland).

And the rims of glasses containing margaritas = TOTAL CLASSIC, but that's like so "duh" I didn't think I'd have to reiterate that.

Just visualising this made me gain 5 pounds. And I thought I'd lost my tolerance for chicken, after eating it every which way, except dripping-blood raw.

French Fries is the only thing I DO put salt on. Since mum has high blood pressure from years of salty red herring, I try to avoid salt like the plague

I said adequate salt. "Dash of salt" might be adequate in this case, I wouldn't know until I tasted your chicken. If you put NO salt in your chicken, it would be guaranteed to taste like shit. It is something that is independant of other spices and the amount that should be added has nothing to due with the rest of the spices present.

Brining does wonderful things for the taste and texture of chicken, and that operation involves a lot of salt.

Last I heard (my father has hypertension) is that while salt aggravates existing hypertension, it is not actually a cause.

I know, Spencer, but I figure that tis better to prevent the possibility now, than have to take pills to manage the hypertension later.

(note: I rarely salt my food, at least food that I cook myself, after preparation)

I like that one huge salt dome that's down near New Orleans that the Tabasco people own, Avery Island itself -- this link talks about the history of the island (and the 'Mr. Ned' who started the company, rah!), this about said Mr. Ned himself. Clearly a man of vision and a brilliant name.

Screams time for a 'Ned' reunion on the family tree. Course, you may only count as 'distant cousin'.

But I only like salt in moderation, and when it is blended into the food, not as an after-thought at the table.

Excellent way to cut salt consumption: toast together sea salt and sesame seeds and use as a sprinked topping on steamed veggies ... excellent!

THEY WERE FANTASTIC. The "salt must always be added" hypothesis is on shaky ground. (CAVEAT: My olive oil might have had a miniscule amount of salt in it.)

Shakey ground? Hardly. Your experiment did not have a control, nor was it single blind, much less double blind, as it should be.

Besides, I question the judgment of someone who fries eggs in olive oil. You fry eggs in butter.

Also, I think you underestimate the amount of cayenne pepper I put on these eggs.

It would say on the package if there is salt added or not.

"Also, I think you underestimate the amount of cayenne pepper I put on these eggs."

So all you are saying is that if you put enough capsaicin onto something, it will kill your tastebuds enough to make anything palatable?

http://www.abbm.org/images/photos/abbm/salt%20lick%20vertical.jpg

It's interesting that you would think fried eggs MUST have salt added to them since you only seem to cook them one way.

Butter and eggs go *very* well together; there are many recipes using this combination. Bacon grease is ok. Sometimes if I am making bacon I will just cook the eggs in that. Olive oil will not do anything for the flavour of eggs (and I know this from using it when I have run out of butter).

"It's interesting that you would think fried eggs MUST have salt added to them since you only seem to cook them one way."

I make them many ways. I sometimes add spices similar to what you put on yours, although probably in lesser amounts. I sometimes add fresh herbs, whatever. But if someone cooks me some eggs w/o salt, it always tastes bad and I reach for the saltshaker.

You may be able to do mail order.

What i want t try is some of the portugese red salt.

Coarse sea salt. I use very little at the table, but having decent stuff around for cooking is U&K.

I was gonna get some nice salt and picked up a box of Maldon, but thought I'd ask ILX if there was a better one to try... OK, going to pass out now. Thanks

Maldon is good. Also try Guerande Fleur de Sel and Sel Gris.

green salt is the shiz

I like mauve salt.

I used to have a serious salt jones, but it's died down a bit in recent years. exceptions: fucking pretzels; corn on the damn cob; popcorn. These thing could never be salty enough.

S.A.L.T.

Oh ffs.

http://gothamist.com/2010/11/09/doh_your_can_of_soup_is_nothing_but.php

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/08/28/drudge-siren.gifhttp://www.boingboing.net/2009/08/28/drudge-siren.gif

i've changed my mind about salt. i love it. that reminds me, i need to get another box of diamond kosher salt -- current one is nearing the end.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html?hp&_r=0

Hell Yeah

woohooooo

thought this was about that movie at first

God I love salt. I salt everything, even pizza. It's OK though because I have low blood pressure. Mmmmmmmm salt.

omg i used to salt pizza and ppl used to give me these looks

i was like, stop, it's just salt, it's just pizza, it's not like i'm pouring lithium on my ice cream

woohooooo

thought this was about that movie at first

― surm, Tuesday, May 14, 2013 1:35 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ditto. but in case my thoughts on the matter weren't clear in the other thread: go Angelina!

but also go French Fries!

i used to salt pizza. not anymore but sometimes i get the odd craving for like, seaside heights boardwalk-style big gloopy pizza slices with a generous heaping of salt

haha didn't even realize how apropos my DN is

omg i used to salt pizza and ppl used to give me these looks

i was like, stop, it's just salt, it's just pizza, it's not like i'm pouring lithium on my ice cream

― surm, Tuesday, May 14, 2013 1:39 PM (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

THANK YOU.

People look at me like I'm insane when I do this but it is so so good. Except on time years ago I was stoned and mistook the sugar for salt and put A LOT on and that was not so good.

seaside heights boardwalk-style big gloopy pizza slices with a generous heaping of salt

WANT. YES.

i will also salt pizza. i'm out of control with mashed or baked potatoes, i need like discernible, un-dissolved salt crystals on every bite.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/health/panel-finds-no-benefit-in-sharply-restricting-sodium.html?hp&_r=0

Hell Yeah

― 乒乓, Tuesday, May 14, 2013 12:51 PM (3 hours ago)

too much salt is still bad, guys :(

here are the authors' conclusions:

http://i40.tinypic.com/2zp59pw.png

shouldn't be shocked to see the media report poorly on public health/medical stuff after the oregon medicaid thing last week, but i also read that first study the NYT linked to - i can't say i'm exactly surprised to find that it's not such a good idea to give patients with class 2/3 heart failure, who had been hospitalized in the past month, and only 8% of whom are on a beta blocker, 500-1000 mg (!!!!) of furosemide in addition to severely restricting their sodium and fluid intake. that's not standard of care (for good reason) and not really externally valid - the authors of this new review say that in the paper as well

well i'll be sure never to give patients with class 2/3 heart failure who had been hospitalized for the past month and of whom only 8% are on beta blockers 500-1000 mg of furosemide, that's definitely my take away from this study

lol the point is that study the NYT cited (and misinterpreted) has no bearing on literally anyone in this country

less salt is still better than more salt

sorry i follow a strictly headline-based diet

the article is just pointing out that there's no point in adhering to the recommended 1,500 mg sodium intake when no positive benefit has been found for it compared with 2,300 mg a day sodium intake

for most people, 1500 probably is better than 2300. that the data are lacking doesn't mean it's not probably true. the average american eats/drinks about 3400 mg/day, so the lower the better. the issue with the article was that it asserts that there may be harms to restricting sodium past 2300, which is almost certainly not true

uh the article asserts that there may be potential harms and then links to studies that show the basis for thinking there may be potential harms, i really don't see what your problem is

i could have sworn i just made a post where i mentioned that i was familiar with the data that were linked to (unlike, i assume, the author of the NYT piece), highlighted what i thought were some limitations were, and linked to a screenshot of the conclusion of the review in question where the investigators confirmed what i'd said. i could have just dreamed that

here's what happened: we have some recommendations on dietary sodium intake from the AHA and some government agencies based on data looking at the effects of dietary sodium on surrogate measures of cardiovascular disease such as blood pressure. blood pressure outcomes are cool and all but the CDC tasked this panel with finding out whether restricting sodium below certain levels actually had an effect on mortality or heart attacks and strokes, which obviously is more important. the panel basically said "well all of this evidence really sucks, it's either really poorly designed or it looks at people who aren't like americans in terms of their diet or medical therapy. but basically more salt is bad for you, and there's not enough evidence to say whether shooting for 1500 vs 2300 is either good or bad. there are some instances where it looks like you don't want to severely restrict sodium intake, such as if you have heart failure and for whatever reason are getting ten times as much diuretic as normal people with heart failure do. but we basically agree with the current practice of eating less salt"

the AHA sees this report and basically says "yeah this isn't really anything we don't already know, everyone should definitely still consume less salt than they do now, and in the absence of evidence showing harm, we still like 1500 for a lot of people." IRL since most people get 3-4 grams of sodium a day, despite being hypertensive, going down to 2300 would be great. 1500 is a pretty tough number for most people to shoot for given their current habits. i probably eat 2-3 grams a day

dang, i just got owned

<3

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/09/10/should-salt-have-a-place-at-the-table

oh yes

Oh FFS yes.