A pinch, a dash & a smidgen…

Not too long ago…well, actually within the last five years or so I came across a curious tool.  I was in the “restoration hardware store” and I came across a set of measureing spoons.  They were in incriments of a pinch, a dash & a smidgen.  Hey, I can’t make this stuff up.  These are not actual chef terms…but rather from a bye gone era.  You might see them in an old cookbook that your grandmother may have had.  Nowadays some may just use the “chef’ pinch” which is about a teaspoon if I were to venture to guess.  We for the most part as chef’ use all of our senses.  Smell, touch, sight, sound and yes taste.  As you start to develope your pallet you will eventually know what to “look for” in the taste dept.  A tip about salt…kosher is best, it get’s stronger over time (or it potentiates) and is one of the toughest things to master in the kitchen.  Once you succeed you will be unstopable  Here’s how it works.  Let’s just say for arguement’s sake you are making five gallons of tomato sauce for a family get together.  This sauce will require a half a cup of kosher salt and fresh black pepper mixed.  So you figure it would save a lot of time if you just add the seasoning at the very beginning.  This way you can do other things and not have to babysit the sauce.  The total cooking time for your sauce is six hours.  You add you seasoning, and simmer away.  When you get the finished product to the table the result is frightening.  That half cup of s & p is now a cup and a half.  Why you might ask?  Simply put, it has multiplied by three times over time.  This rule pretty much goes for all herbs and spices.  Why does it work?  The longer you cook a sauce or gravy, the more it reduces and water is evaporated from it.  As this happens the spices and flavors will get stronger.  My suggestion to eveyone is to add your seasonings in stages.  It is a must to taste as you go, so you can add a bit at the beginning.  I made mention before about learning to cook with salt.  “Cooked” salt is a different flavor than raw salt at the table.  When you cook with it the salt will actually disolve and blend with whatever you are cooking  Salt added at tableside is well…just salt stuck to your food.  If you are using fine, or iodized table salt it actually will bounce off your food.  Sea salt on the other hand is not something I would cook with.  Unless you are using “fleurre de sel” which is the one exception, those fancy colored sea salt’ are actually finishing salt’.  They have a wonderful crunch and a good eye appeal.  They come from all areas and have different flavor profiles.  Gray salt actually comes from areas that have all the minerals that mimic the human body…including zinc, iodine and manganese.  It get’s it’s gray color from the clay in the area it is gathered from.  All in all salt is something we need to live and when used with resepect and knowlege is will be and is a cruitial detail of our everyday culinary life.

Well, that’s it for now.  As always I had a great time sharing with you my quest for knowlege and information and as always I will see you next time.  Bye.