# When I add salt to water for cooking... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629 "2009-09-11T00:42:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/21 "2009-09-13T00:32:57Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Al dente. Italian, not Spanish. Really unimportant point, but in Spanish you would say _al diente_ (that is if you were translating it - they may just borrow directly from Italian, I don’t know). \*A \*+ _el_ = _al_ in Spanish, and in Italian you also get _al_ but from _a_ + _il_. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/22 "2009-09-13T00:49:43Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > People like the taste of salt, and probably think something is missing without it. But all that’s missing is the salt, not the flavor of the dish. Sugar makes food taste sweet; pepper makes food taste like pepper; oregano makes food taste like oregano; garlic makes food taste like garlic; etc. But salt, magically, does not make food taste like salt. :dubious: Not entirely true, > [@](#): > > adding NaCl to some foods can increase the volatility of certain chemical compounds, meaning the molecules are more easily released to the air, and of course aroma is an important part of the taste experience. Finally, studies have shown the sodium in salt can suppress bitter tastes. [The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2718/is-sea-salt-better-for-you-than-regular-salt) ETA:[Tip](http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/tip-twist-spaghetti-into-the-pot-no-oil-022056) to prevent spaghetti sticking together. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/23 "2009-09-13T05:11:40Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > If the Italians have been doing it forever, then they haven’t tasted pasta without salt. They don’t know. Somehow, I really, really doubt that. I’ve also made bread forgetting to put the salt in it. It was terrible. Bland, nearly inedible stuff. Nobody in the house but me would eat it. I couldn’t believe that a little salt could make that much difference, but it does. Salt to me is like MSG in its “amplifying” effect on the tastebuds. The flavor of MSG isn’t simpy umami to me. It intensifies other flavors. My reaction to salt is much the same. Even in sweets, where I don’t taste any “saltiness”, a little sprinkle of salt seems to “brighten” and liven the flavors. ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/24 "2009-09-13T06:35:48Z")
I don’t think you should ever rinse pasta. Washing off the starches on the outside of the pasta makes it more difficult for sauce to stick. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/25 "2009-09-13T12:02:12Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Somehow, I really, really doubt that. I’ve also made bread forgetting to put the salt in it. It was terrible. Bland, nearly inedible stuff. Nobody in the house but me would eat it. I couldn’t believe that a little salt could make that much difference, but it does. > > Salt to me is like MSG in its “amplifying” effect on the tastebuds. The flavor of MSG isn’t simpy umami to me. It intensifies other flavors. My reaction to salt is much the same. Even in sweets, where I don’t taste any “saltiness”, a little sprinkle of salt seems to “brighten” and liven the flavors. Neither of these experiences refute the idea that this is a matter of habituation. If you try eating foodstuffs supposedly requiring salt for an extended period of time, and you still feel it’s required, then you have a case. Peter Barham in his book _The Science of Cooking_ describes experimenting with various amounts of salt, from what’s required in the recipe down to zero, and finding no significant deterioration in taste. I’ve tried cutting down on salt myself, for various foods, and found that after a period of adjustment they taste just as good without, and that adding salt back just makes them taste salty. I haven’t tried this with pasta, but I believe with a sufficiently slow reduction of the amount of salt I’d have the same experience. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/26 "2009-09-13T16:42:55Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve never tried it with pasta but we always cook lobster in seawater and it tastes great. Second this regarding crab. Cooking crab in plain water - blandblandbland. But in seawater (at least Puget Sound water) makes all the difference. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/27 "2009-09-13T16:56:16Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Neither of these experiences refute the idea that this is a matter of habituation. If you try eating foodstuffs supposedly requiring salt for an extended period of time, and you still feel it’s required, then you have a case. There’s scientific data upthread that shows salt does other things to flavors other than making them taste “salty.” For me salt level is on a continuum of “bland” -\> “full” -\> “salty.” As to the matter of acclimation, I’m not acclimated to putting salt on my fruits. However, I’ve tasted melons with just a tiny sprinkle of salt on them and they don’t taste “salty” to me. They just taste more intense. It’s not a habit I want to pick up, though, since I get plenty of salt from other sources. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/28 "2009-09-13T16:59:04Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > I don’t think you should ever rinse pasta. Washing off the starches on the outside of the pasta makes it more difficult for sauce to stick. Yeah, I can’t think of a case off the top of my head where rinsing pasta is desirable. I’m sure there’s exceptions, but for most of the types of dishes I make (puttanesca, all’amatriciana, arrabiata, etc.), the pasta itself needs the starch for the appropriate stickiness with the sauce. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629/29 "2009-09-13T19:01:34Z")
Moving to Cafe Society, since the OP about boiling point was answered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-add-salt-to-water-for-cooking/509629.md?page=1)