 | Lynn Rosetto Kasper is host of The Splendid Table. . . a nationally syndicated public radio call-in program devoted to the bountiful world of food, broadcast on KMUW FM89, listener supported public radio serving Wichita and South Central Kansas. Tune in every Saturday from 3 – 4 pm and join Lynne and her guests! For more information about FM89 membership, programming and special events, visit us online at www.kmuw.org |
Food & Drink
2002-02-01 15:23:00
Salts & kreplach
Question: When I go to the store these days there are many different kinds of salt: light salt, sea salt, table salt, Kosher salt, fine, coarse, with iodine and without. It's no longer just Morton's in the round box. I need a crash course.
Answer: This is a very good question because salts are confusing. Let's break it down into the basics: iodized table salt, Kosher salt, and sea salt. I don't know what light salt is but I don't want it in my body. That stuff tastes like a chemical factory. Iodized salt is mined from the land, as opposed to sea salt, and has iodide added to it. It comes from the days when people who lived away from coastal areas sometimes had problems with goiter because they had no iodide in their diet. It's inexpensive, commonly available, and the one most of us know. Kosher salt also comes from the land but its structure is different - a grain looks like a snowflake whereas a grain of regular iodized salt is shaped like a cube. Kosher salt is very light so it weighs less per tablespoon than iodized salt and, consequently, is less salty tasting because there's less of it per measure. Kosher salt usually has nothing added to it and connoisseurs of salt tend to like to cook with it because it's not expensive and has a pure salt taste. Sea salt is from evaporated sea water and the flavor will change according to where it comes from. Some may taste sweet or hot and strong in the mouth, and I have a fascinating one that actually tastes like roses. But the Rolls Royce of salts is Fleur de Sel, or "flower of the salt," and comes from an island off the coast of Brittany. As the sea water begins to evaporate, the first crystals that form have a very fragile structure and a delicate, sweet, complex flavor. Taste and try sea salts because you'll find a lot of good ones available. I find I no longer like the taste of iodized salt - it burns me - and that's because I've been tasting these other salts.Question: What are kreplach?Answer: Kreplach are small filled noodles, similar to ravioli. They are generally filled with cheese or chopped meat then simmered in broth or added to soup
