# Iron Chef: 15 Years To Master Salt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878 "2006-02-24T03:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/61 "2006-02-26T01:45:15Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I seem to remember that one of them was some kind of “moon salt” that was sea salt harvested only under the light of a full moon. I can’t believe that it tastes any different than salt gathered any other time (or that I would personally be able to tell it from Morton’s) but they were taking it all very seriously. If there’s really any difference between all those different kinds of salt and salting strategies I’m sure it’s much too subtle for me. To answer the moon salt thing, the highest tides occur during full moon which churns up more minerals in the water and gives a supposedly different taste to the salt. The whole master of salt thing is exaggarated but the mark of an excellent chef compared to a merely good chef has always been in the ability to master simple things. Thomas Keller, perhaps the top chef in the US speaks about how he will never master hollandaise, a simple sauce consisting of egg yolks, wine vinegar, butter and tarragon. He makes it every day yet he always finds something he can do to make it better. Salting isn’t just about adding the right quantity, salt often has a complex interplay with other ingredients depending on the timing and method. Chiefly, dry salt acts as a dessicant, drawing moisture out of cells. However, salt in a solution behaves exactly the opposite, rawing moisture into meat and making it more juicy. The trace minerals in salt including potassium and nitrites can have significant effects on the curing process of meats and salt selection is a very important part of caviar making due to the complex interplay of salt and eggs. Salt added early into the cooking process will be absorbed more by the ingredients and is reputed (but not actually confirmed by any tests) to slow down the cooking of beans. Some salts are slightly basic or slightly acidic which can drastically affect the speed of cooking of certain vegtables. Heavily salted water used for blanching vegtables locks in the green colour and prevents leakage of the nutrients into the water. The texture of salt also plays an important role, different salts sprinkled onto a piece of meat will be absorbed at different rates. Kosher salt (which really should be known as koshering salt) has large, flat crystals which are designed to stick onto the side of meat and speed up the koshering process. Ordinary table salt, on the other hand, is cubic and will simply roll off meat. Salt in crystal form, when eaten, also provides differing textures and flavour release due to their geometry. Fleur de sel from Brittany is prized for it’s light, fluffy structure which, when sprinkled at the last minute over a soup, provides a very gentle, perfumed salt taste as the crystals melt on your tounge. Maldon salt from Britain is prized for it’s large, flat grains which provide a hugely satisfying crunch when sprinkled over a salad. And that’s just the white salts. Theres grey salt from Geurende, Red salt from Hawaii, Pink salt from Australia, Black salt from India, Orange “Jurassic” salt from Minesota, Smoked Black salt from Denmark… each of which has a very distinctive flavour due to trace chemicals which can’t be duplicated. Salt is by no means a simple subject and proper salting _is_ one of the defining marks that shows off the true ability of an exceptional chef. The salt wizard actually showed off a few techniques I’ve never seen or heard of before. The first thing that comes to mind is the salting the paper thing he did. I’m going to play around with the concept some more because I can see the potential. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/62 "2006-02-26T02:05:08Z")
Marquise of Marshmallow. Pleased to meet you all. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/63 "2006-02-26T02:10:26Z")
Pontifex of Parsley ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/64 "2006-02-26T02:19:21Z")
I shall henceforth be known as Chieftan of Chocolate Chip Cookies ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/65 "2006-02-26T04:18:47Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > I’m the Acolyte of the Snickerdoodle. Ahem. You are the Acolyte of the Supreme Baker of the Unearthly Delicious Snickerdoodle (that would be _me_). [Emeril]Pork fat rules![/Emeril] ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/66 "2006-02-26T04:39:46Z")
> [@Cheez\_Whia](#): > > Ahem. You are the Acolyte of the Supreme Baker of the Unearthly Delicious Snickerdoodle (that would be _me_). > > [Emeril]Pork fat rules![/Emeril] True dat, true dat! (I made a batch the other day. Everyone said how good they were. “They aren’t as good as my Mom’s!” They never are! But they’re still damn good!) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/67 "2006-02-26T06:36:45Z")
> [@jweb](#): > > I shall henceforth be known as Chieftan of Chocolate Chip Cookies Oooh… can I change mine? I want to be the Christ of Cupcakes. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/68 "2006-02-26T09:20:16Z")
I am the Ceasar of Salads. I have diplomatic relations with King Croutonkhamen ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/69 "2006-02-26T10:26:06Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I am the Ceasar of Salads. > > I have diplomatic relations with King Croutonkhamen As the Prince Regent of Pasta, I sentence you to death for the heinous crime of _punnery_. ---
**Author:** ![Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olive_The_Other_Reindeer)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/70 "2006-02-26T10:26:39Z")
I am the Princess of Peas!! Olive ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/71 "2006-02-26T11:11:15Z")
Bwha ha ha ha ha !!! And I rule over all of you, Crow, High Lord and Executioner of Leftovers! Bow down before me, or stay in the back of the fridge till your blue and fuzzy!!! CMC ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/72 "2006-02-26T13:53:17Z")
I’m just a lowly Baron of Buttah now, but once my uncle in Scotland dies, I’ll inherit his title and be the Head Highlands Haggis Honcho. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/73 "2006-02-26T14:06:36Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > I’m just a lowly Baron of Buttah now, but once my uncle in Scotland dies, I’ll inherit his title and be the Head Highlands Haggis Honcho. Perhaps we are related! I’m the Laird of Lychees. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/74 "2006-02-26T14:19:52Z")
Nothing of responsibility for me Just call me the Jambalaya Jester ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/75 "2006-02-26T14:25:22Z")
I’m Mayor McCheese. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/76 "2006-02-26T15:26:46Z")
Fall in line, for I am The Captain of Cumin. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/77 "2006-02-26T15:35:08Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > Perhaps we are related! I’m the Laird of Lychees. Oh, good. I thought you wanted to be a Highlands Honcho, too. You can’t, you know. There can be only one. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/78 "2006-02-26T16:01:21Z")
::cuts off Skip’s head:: ---
**Author:** ![Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olive_The_Other_Reindeer)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/79 "2006-02-26T20:38:21Z")
> [@Little Plastic Ninja](#): > > Monarch of marinade here. Also sultana of stir-fry. Shouldn’t you be the Sultana of Raisins? Olive ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878/80 "2006-02-27T01:18:37Z")
> [@Olive](#): > > Shouldn’t you be the Sultana of Raisins? > > Olive And one might question why you are not, say, the Okolnichiya of Olives. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-chef-15-years-to-master-salt/345878.md?page=5)