# Silliest Foodie Item, Idea, or Trend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533 "2013-02-16T20:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/1 "2013-02-16T20:04:39Z")
My nomination is…gourmet specialty salts. Granted it’s not sweeping the nation, but I could only shake my head when a chef at a cooking demonstration at the Chicago Botanic Garden a few years ago made some kind of fish and vegetable dish. He made a great show of using some kind of Hawaiian volcanic salt in his dish, and went on and on about how using different kinds of exotic salts made all the difference in his culinary offerings. There’s websites too where you can buy different salts from Peru or Alaska or wherever, smoked, flaked, roasted, and for all I know massaged by Tibetan monks three times a day to “stimulate your Chi”. Okay, I made up the part about the monks, but one site has a salt that’s roasted in bamboo cylinders for thirty dollars a box that’s supposed to, quote, “stimulate your Chi.” I guess for thirty bucks, it better do something more than flavor my macaroni. :dubious: Anyway, salt is salt. I even raise an eyebrow when Alton Brown goes on about his kosher salt. (If he’s still doing that. I haven’t been watching lately.) But kosher is about as fancy as salt can get without getting ridiculous. So, other eye rolling developments from the realm of foodies? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/2 "2013-02-16T20:06:46Z")
I nominate foams. Maybe there’s a justification for making them, but for me it can’t possibly outweigh the “cat spit on my food” aspect of them. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/3 "2013-02-16T20:15:20Z")
Most fads of the last 20 years, if not longer. Especially when it’s encapsulated by one self-important chef or restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/4 "2013-02-16T20:23:13Z")
I keep hearing recently about the benefits of Himalayan Salt (Mostly from people trying to sell it, but also from some doctors). It makes sense that unrefined salt may be better for us than highly refined NaCl. I’d like to see a real study on it. Keeping my eyes out for some science. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/5 "2013-02-16T20:23:22Z")
I agree 100% on the salt. The color may look nice in the shaker/grinder (which is a second silly trend – pepper needs to be ground to release essential oils; salt has none), but there is no flavor difference. Alton Brown used kosher salt because its large grains made it easy to pinch a bit and put it into the soup (i.e,. it looked cool doing it). It made no difference in flavor (though something like pickling salt can make a difference, since its find grains means there more of it in a measure). Also, all salt is sea salt. It just depends on how recently it came from the sea. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/6 "2013-02-16T20:25:02Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I nominate foams. Maybe there’s a justification for making them, but for me it can’t possibly outweigh the “cat spit on my food” aspect of them. I recommend you don’t eat at former _Top Chef_ Marcel’s restaraunts then. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/7 "2013-02-16T20:26:25Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I nominate foams. Maybe there’s a justification for making them, but for me it can’t possibly outweigh the “cat spit on my food” aspect of them. I completely agree. Culinary foams look exactly like spittle-bug froth, and I’ve never been tempted to eat that. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/8 "2013-02-16T20:26:44Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I keep hearing recently about the benefits of Himalayan Salt (Mostly from people trying to sell it, but also from some doctors). It makes sense that unrefined salt may be better for us than highly refined NaCl. I’d like to see a real study on it. Keeping my eyes out for some science. So what life-essential ingredients are removed by “refining” salt? Dirt? Rocks? Fish poop? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/9 "2013-02-16T20:32:36Z")
Cupcake stores. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/10 "2013-02-16T20:50:28Z")
Refined salt is pure NaCl (plus iodine or whatever else we deliberately add to them). Unrefined salt is NaCl plus dirt. Explain to me how unrefined salt is better for us? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/11 "2013-02-16T20:58:36Z")
It isn’t, and I’ve never heard about health benefits of specific culinary salts, prior to this thread. Kosher and sea salts are primarily valued for their shape. A lot of people will tell you the various minerals make for a different flavor profile, but I don’t really buy it. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/12 "2013-02-16T20:58:49Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > So what life-essential ingredients are removed by “refining” salt? Dirt? Rocks? Fish poop? The claim (which I am not endorsing) > [@](#): > > Himalayan Salt is composed of natural elements such as nitrogen, beryllium, boron, magnesium, silver, palladium, iodine, rubidium and nickel–all elements that our bodies need for proper functioning ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/13 "2013-02-16T20:59:29Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Refined salt is pure NaCl (plus iodine or whatever else we deliberately add to them). But it \*is \*better when we grind it fresh onto our food, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/14 "2013-02-16T21:02:21Z")
All smoothies, all the time. My friend is about to go on a 2-month purifying blended fruit & vegetable binge before resuming her Paleo diet. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/15 "2013-02-16T21:07:26Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > “Himalayan Salt is composed of natural elements such as nitrogen, beryllium, boron, magnesium, silver, palladium, iodine, rubidium and nickel–all elements that our bodies need for proper functioning” > [@Recommended Dietary Allowances](#): > > Inorganic elements in foods that have no accepted biological function in animals or humans are aluminum, antimony, barium, **beryllium** , gallium, germanium, gold, mercury, **rare earth minerals** , **silver** , strontium, thallium, and titanium. > [@Penland](#): > > Although the trace element \*\*boron \*\*has yet to be recognized as an essential nutrient for humans… The primary role of \*\*nickel \*\*in the human diet seems to be as an allergen. And, of course, if we don’t get \*\*nitrogen \*\*from our salt, we’ll die. I accept you’re not sponsoring the claim, but as I completely suspected… how do you say “woo” in Himalayan? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/16 "2013-02-16T21:08:39Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > My friend is about to go on a 2-month purifying blended fruit & vegetable binge before resuming her Paleo diet. For certain values of “friend.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/17 "2013-02-16T21:08:54Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > All smoothies, all the time. My friend is about to go on a 2-month purifying blended fruit & vegetable binge before resuming her Paleo diet. Why does she need to purify after being on a Paleo diet? I thought that was already a pure way of eating. _sarcasm_ ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/18 "2013-02-16T21:11:03Z")
Erotic cakes. In this vein, I also erotic pastas and gummies in a candy store in Pasadena. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/19 "2013-02-16T21:16:24Z")
the term “foodie” itself. “locavore” is nearly as grating. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533/20 "2013-02-16T21:18:49Z")
:eek: > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Erotic cakes. In this vein, I also erotic pastas and gummies in a candy store in Pasadena. You what erotic pastas and gummies?! What?? WHAT!!! :eek::eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silliest-foodie-item-idea-or-trend/650533.md?page=2)