Grey Sea Salt?

[kadesma]

Originally Posted by mudbug

Is this the stuff that Michael Chiarello is always on about?

Yes Bug, one and the same I use it all the time..As I said before in another post, after baking my foccacia, I liberally brush it with evoo and then sprinkle on the gray salt..It does give you crunch and a nice taste.

kadesma

[mudbug]

Thanks, kadesma. But is it all that diff from the kosher salt Caine is recommending? I usually have a box of that, which gives a nice crunch to steaks and such.

[kadesma]

Originally Posted by mudbug

Thanks, kadesma. But is it all that diff from the kosher salt Caine is recommending? I usually have a box of that, which gives a nice crunch to steaks and such.

Bug,
for me I find that is has a different taste to it. I love it. But, my DH sees no difference, the kids don't give a whack as long as they don't have to cook Except Cade who has discovered salt!
If possible I'd just get a small pack of it, I'm beginning to see all the salts in the grocery store now. See if there is a difference for you before spending much on it. I have noticed that the price on these salts is now coming down. Guess they have been out long enough to be standard fair. I think also, that they are beautiful especially the ones with sun dried tomato and garlic in it and that using them gives a pleasure when fixing something everyday, making it just a little special..Makes ya feel good.
kadesma

[GB]

Mudbug, I have never been able to detect a difference in taste between salts. I did a blind taste test once and could not tell a taste difference at all between any of the ones I tried. What I did notice was the difference in the crystal size and shape. The "finishing salts", like this gray salt, have a large crystal which contributes to a fantastic crunch. You would not get that crunch with something like kosher salt. That burst of salty goodness when I bite into it is what I enjoy about those salts.

[mudbug]

thanks, kadesma and geebs. I was assuming it must be something about the crystal size, and "oomph" factor.

the "makes ya feel good" factor is really what it's all about, isn't it?

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Caine

It's salt, for crying out loud. You put in on food, it makes the food salty, just like every other salt known to man.

Use regular old Mortons kosher salt in a 2 pound box and use the money you save for an heirloom tomato or a better cut of steak to put the salt on!!

Yes, it is salt. Not one person is saying otherwise. I think what we are all saying about gray salt is because it is a larger chunk it gives a wonderful texture to many foods and a larger "chunk", be it gray or otherwise, gives a certain "burst" that not even kosher can give. In the end, yes, it's salt - but it's still different too.

[GB]

Mud, buy a few different types and try them yourself. While some of us here might not taste a difference, there are plenty of people who do. Your pallet may be better suited to detect the subtle flavor differences. You never know.

[Constance]

We don't have all those fancy salts available around here. I can find Morton's regular or coarse sea salt and Kosher salt.
Kim often uses Margarita salt when he wants a crunch.

[Caine]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

Yes, it is salt. Not one person is saying otherwise. I think what we are all saying about gray salt is because it is a larger chunk it gives a wonderful texture to many foods and a larger "chunk", be it gray or otherwise, gives a certain "burst" that not even kosher can give. In the end, yes, it's salt - but it's still different too.

I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to be able to tell the difference in taste from one salt to another, just like I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to detect a difference in salted and unsalted butter.

I actually quit watching Ina Garten because when she says "I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt in my recipe", I can't stop laughing. For at least week, that statement will come back to me and I will just start laughing uncontrollably. People have tried to have me hospitalized several times because of it. One thing that woman has proved time and time again is when it comes to salt, she doesn't know the meaning of the word control.

[GB]

Originally Posted by Caine

just like I challenge anyone except a professional taste tester to detect a difference in salted and unsalted butter.

You are joking right? You can't tell the difference between salted and unsalted butter? You may want to have your doctor check you out because there might be something wrong with your tongue. Salted butter is salty unsalted butter is not. Are you really saying that if you butter one piece of bread with one and another piece with the other then you could not tell the difference?