Salt-

[mattl]

I'm not a salt snob or even aficionado, Mostly I use Morton Kosher Salt in cooking, on vegetables and in salads, and Hain Iodized Sea Salt for baking.  No special reason why, just what I've used for many many years.  My Hain sea salt ran out the other day and I picked up a new container.  First thing I noticed is it's now smaller -- there is no shortage of salt and other than greed I can think of no reason to shrink the can from 26 oz to 21oz.

 

The second and real issue, one I called the company about is they changed the ingredients, and other than a few loose grains of salt the rest was a solid brick.  I had to chop it apart.  They went from "Salt, Calcium Silicate, Dextrose, Potassium Iodide and Calcium Bicarbonate" to "Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Dextrose, Potassium Iodide" I keep the container in my cupboard with a fairly large hole in the top so I can easily plunge my measuring spoon in, and in all the years I've used it it has never caked.

 

I'm sure it's all to save money, yet I find the product suffers.  Odds are I will not buy Hain again, and look to other sources.

 

[vacerator]

Same here, but

last time they were out of Morton Kosher salt, so I bought Allessi sea salt. The crystals are fine for boiling water, but too large to season food with, other than a dry rub for meats. Next trip I got a salt grinder with kosher sea salt.

 

[sudsmaster]

I like just about any kind of salt...

Lately for table use I prefer "Popcorn Salt" (Morton). It's extra fine, and I believe one can use a bit less of it compared to normal salt for the same initial taste, when it's applied to the exterior of various foods. It also tends to adhere better to stuff like raw veggies.

Of course mixed into food thoroughly there's probably little difference.

 

[launderess]

Downsizing packages

Is and has been going on for better part of decade or more.

A five pound bag of sugar from Domino or even store brands is now about 4lbs or so.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/09/packaging-downsizing-less-is-not-more/index.htm

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/business/29shrink.html

Don't use much salt outside of what is required for baking. Cooking try to use little as possible and just buy whatever is on sale. For brine or some meats use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Keep the box open at tear spout and it never cakes or clumps up.

 

[tolivac]

The downsizing should be ILLEGAL-after all you are paying for say 5 lbs of sugar or salt-that is what you should be getting!!!!Again I am willing to pay for the standard sizes.And the off sizes may pose difficulties in recipes.This is one of the few things that should be regulated under Federal law.Same wit the "1 lb" containers that are only 14 oz.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Downsizing

It's not much different for plants. A "1 gallon" potted plant is actually about 2.5 quarts.

And let's not forget dimensional lumber. When I was a kid I actually thought a 2 x 4 was 2" x 4"!

Chuck

 

[yogitunes]

Mom used to put some rice into our salt shakers to keep them from clumping during Summer months with lots of humidity....

 

[robbinsandmyers]

I like using the Mortons Kosher salt for most cooking but have started using Fleur De Sel I bought off Amazon and also La Baleine salt, both from France as a finishing salt for salads, pizza, etc I dont want to cook the salt into because it will dislolve into the other flavors. So glad I found this combo. A good California EVOO with some crushed red pepper and sea salt and maybe balsamic vinegar and Im dipping the bread as fast as I can slice it lol.

 

[sudsmaster]

I use water softener salt (Sodium Chloride) to make brine for pickling. It has no other additives and works just fine.

My mom also taught me the rice in salt shaker trick. But about 10 years before she passed, she called me up because she couldn't remember what she used to put in salt shakers. I told her and she seemed quite relieved. After that it seemed like a slow decline.

 

[rp2813]

Lumber & Iodine

A rough 2 x 4, I believe, still measures 2" x 4".  Finished lumber has always been smaller.

 

I just saw a cooking show last night and learned that for some recipes iodized salt is preferred, as it adds a desired flavoring in some cases.  IIRC, the recipe involved boiling a lobster, possibly for Newburg, in water with iodized salt added.

 

[luxflairguy]

I've always used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt.  Lots of magazines have talked about how it takes less DC salt in ratio to Morton's for the same salt to water ratio for brining.  Even the "pinnacle" magazine Cook's Illustrated raves about it.  I prefer the taste of DC over Morton's and have used it for over 25 years.  Funny though, I'm having a hard time finding DC here in North Carolina in anything but small sizes.  Usually get 2# boxes in Seattle.    Ordering it from Amazon.  Also prefer Baleine sea salt over Morton's.  Flake size is larger and has a better tongue flavor.    We had a great salt tasting class in culinary school.  Still makes me sick thinking about how much salt we ingested in one 2 hour class!  Greg