Search for Salt

One of the big lessons taught in cooking schools is salt. Yup, that lowly NaCl. I'm amazed at the reaction to salt. Once in Soups and Sauces class at cooking school, we made some soup. I tasted it before presenting it to the Chef/Instructor and thought it wasn't too bad. "Needs more salt" she replied. So I took it back and added some salt. Oh my what a difference, so again I presented it to the Chef and she said "Needs more salt". I mildly protested, but went back and added some salt to pan. It was 100% better. So again I presented the dish and she said "It really needs more salt, really". I really protested, but did as Chef wanted and added more salt. Oh Man was she right. The dish exploded with taste and not just salt. When I presented it again, she said, "See...".

So if there are all these good chefs, then why don't they know how to salt? I can see in a nursing home or retirement home (ok not really). We went to a well known restaurant in Wheaton that closed some time ago by two brothers. I'm sure you know who. The food was well good, but it needed salt. But no salt was at the table. Given what I know now, they probably thought that only a philistine would salt this great food. Well, this philistine has tasted perfectly done food and this wasn't it. It needed salt. I've salted the salsa at Front Street Cantina once and added my lime from a beer. That needed salt too. I realize that the 'great chefs' know how to salt (yeah right), but the line cooks who are the work horses of the restaurants and are great cooks may not have the 'talent' the chefs do.

Put salt on the table. It isn't a slight to your abilities and can be important to a great experience.