I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
effect of kosher salt.

In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
chloride?

Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified kosher and
you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you would easily taste
it?

David

David Hare-Scott wrote:
> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
> effect of kosher salt.
>
> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> chloride?
>
> Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified kosher and
> you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you would easily taste
> it?
>
> David
>
>

All salt is kosher, unless you go out of your way to contaminate it with
pork or shrimp, etc. -- just like vegetables are kosher.

"Kosher" salt is a misnomer. It should be "koshering" salt; koshering is
the process of salting a chicken or piece of meat to draw all the blood out
of it. Koshering salt is rather larger crystal than table salt and has
been milled into little flakes to increase its surface area.

Kosher salt is fluffier than table salt or pickling salt, so if a recipe
calls for kosher salt and you substitute table salt you should reduce the
amount. I would use half the amount called for in the recipe, then add a
little additional salt to taste.

Best regards,
Bob

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> David Hare-Scott wrote:
> > I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
context,
> > that is not the question. What I am curious about is the
gastromonical
> > effect of kosher salt.
> >
> > In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure
sodium
> > chloride?
> >
> > Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified
kosher and
> > you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you would
easily taste
> > it?
> >
> > David
> >
> >
>
Snip>>>>
Hummm....

Is it just me but I find kosher salt tastes much different from table
salt. I think table salt is a little bitter and on the "chemical"
side.

I love the big ole kosher stuff and use it all the time. Liberal
sprinkle on a bagel with cream cheese...Ummmmm.

Mwestport wrote:

> I love the big ole kosher stuff and use it all the time. Liberal
> sprinkle on a bagel with cream cheese...Ummmmm.


Ummmmm what? Finish the friggin' thought!

~john


--
"This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized
nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police
more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!"
-- Adolph Hitler, 1935


"Waiting periods are only a step. Registration is only a step. The
prohibition of private firearms is the goal."
-- Janet Reno US Attorney General

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in
:

> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
> context, that is not the question. What I am curious about is the
> gastromonical effect of kosher salt.
>
> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> chloride?
>
> Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified
> kosher and you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you
> would easily taste it?
>
> David
>
>
>

All the salts (NaCl) used for cooking by man aren't pure. There are other
trace minerals in them. This salt ain't made in a lab it is either mined or
made by evaporation methods. These trace minerals and any additives make
for taste differences.

Most if not all boxes of salt sold as "table salt" have iodine (sp??) in
them, as well as a good chance of some sort of anti clumping agent (most
likely Corn Starch/flour). The Iodine is to reduce gouter type problems. If
you eat seafood regularly you shouldn't need introduced iodine, but I'm not
a doctor.

Kosher Salt has no additives. If you find Kosher Salt too expensive...buy
course pickling salt...it too has no additives.

Also kosher salt comes in a larger crystal/grain/flake than table salt.
Which means that volume measurements for kosher salt (like a tsp or 1/4
cup) use less salt (by weight) than the smaller grain table salt, so kosher
salted recipes tend to be less salty in taste. Kinda like the pound of
feathers versus the pound of iron thingie but not so obvious.

Kosher salt is easier to add to items by hand (Spinkle on things). Easier
to control amounts. Because you select by hand the amount you use, not
guess how much is coming out of a shaker. The area above a hot pan/pot can
be very humid and plug up your shaker's holes.

There is a very minor taste difference (at least to me) between table salt,
kosher salt, sea salt and pickling salt. This might be a mental thing. But
all salt (NaCl), used for cooking, basically comes from the sea...It is
just some seas dried up thousands of years ago and others are still around
today.

Salt can also collect odors/tastes from the air. Example: Some of the humid
air that comes from a pot of boiling cabbage will be extracted by any salt
near by...slightly changing the taste of your table salt over
time/exposure.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

hahabogus wrote:
> "David Hare-Scott" > wrote in
> :
>
>
>>I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
>>context, that is not the question. What I am curious about is the
>>gastromonical effect of kosher salt.
>>
>>In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>>chloride?
>>
>>Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified
>>kosher and you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you
>>would easily taste it?
>>
>>David
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> All the salts (NaCl) used for cooking by man aren't pure. There are other
> trace minerals in them. This salt ain't made in a lab it is either mined or
> made by evaporation methods. These trace minerals and any additives make
> for taste differences.
>
> Most if not all boxes of salt sold as "table salt" have iodine (sp??) in
> them, as well as a good chance of some sort of anti clumping agent (most
> likely Corn Starch/flour). The Iodine is to reduce gouter type problems. If
> you eat seafood regularly you shouldn't need introduced iodine, but I'm not
> a doctor.

If the salt is iodized, it will say so (in large type) on the package.
Much table salt is not iodized. The anti-clumping agent is sodium
ferrocyanide, a.k.a. "yellow prussate of soda" (sp?) so the cyanide part
doesn't scare people.

> Kosher Salt has no additives. If you find Kosher Salt too expensive...buy
> course pickling salt...it too has no additives.

Wrong. Some kosher salt contains sodium prussate (sp?), just like table
salt. I know Morton's kosher salt has contains additives, and it is labled
"kosher for Passover". IIRC, Diamond kosher salt does not have anticaking
additives.

If you want the purest salt possible, buy "pickling salt".

Best regards,
Bob

David Hare-Scott wrote:

> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
> effect of kosher salt.
>
> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> chloride?

It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
anti-clumping agents.

> Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified kosher
> and you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you would easily
> taste it?

I dunno about that, I use only kosher salt when cooking. To my tastes it's
"saltier" than table salt, which has a chemical taste to me.

--
Darryl L. Pierce >
Visit the Infobahn Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce>
"What do you care what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 08:48:30 GMT, hahabogus > wrote:

>Kosher Salt has no additives.

Nope. Some kosher salt has anti-caking agents, 'though no iodiine.

http://www.mortonsalt.com/consumer/p...koshersalt.htm

>If you find Kosher Salt too expensive...buy
>course pickling salt...it too has no additives.

This appears to be true.

> "Darryl L. Pierce"
>
>David Hare-Scott wrote:
>
>> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
>> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
>> effect of kosher salt.
>>
>> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>> chloride?
>
>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
>anti-clumping agents.

Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't. ALL salt is
kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too! "Kosher
Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for dressing
pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti clumping
compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think Jews go only
to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write special
kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the name
Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing on
you, ignorant beetneck!


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

PENMART01 wrote:
>>"Darryl L. Pierce"
>>
>>David Hare-Scott wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
>>>that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
>>>effect of kosher salt.
>>>
>>>In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>>>chloride?
>>
>>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
>>anti-clumping agents.
>
>
> Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't. ALL salt is
> kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too! "Kosher
> Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for dressing
> pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti clumping
> compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think Jews go only
> to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write special
> kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the name
> Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing on
> you, ignorant beetneck!
>
>
> ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
> ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
> Sheldon
> ````````````
> "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
>

Actually that's not the case entirely. I remember a friend physician of
mine, who had to write a Rx for a medication so that the pharmacist can
modify it to make it kosher for passover. I just don't remember the
medication.

Rich

--
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Dum spiro, spero. (Cicero) As long as I breathe, I hope.

Richard Periut wrote:
> PENMART01 wrote:
>> [snip]
>> compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think
>> Jews go only to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew
>> doctors write special kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin'
>> idiots.
>
> Actually that's not the case entirely. I remember a friend physician of
> mine, who had to write a Rx for a medication so that the pharmacist can
> modify it to make it kosher for passover. I just don't remember the
> medication.
>
> Rich
>

Penicillin? Or something with dextrose in it?

If it's not kosher, there's nothing the pharmacist can do to modify it and
fix it, but maybe there's an alternate formulation that is kosher (or
kosher for passover).

Best regards,
Bob

"PENMART01" > wrote in message
...
> > "Darryl L. Pierce"
> >
> >David Hare-Scott wrote:
> >
> >> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
context,
> >> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
> >> effect of kosher salt.
> >>
> >> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> >> chloride?
> >
> >It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
> >anti-clumping agents.
>
> Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't. ALL salt is
> kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too! "Kosher
> Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for
dressing
> pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti clumping
> compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think Jews go
only
> to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write
special
> kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the
name
> Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing
on
> you, ignorant beetneck!

Some medications are not kosher as they are made from organs of a non kosher
animal, such as a pig. Doesn't mean the presciption itself is kosher. I
found this....

Question:
How is it that G-d placed some of the Refua for various sicknesses in non
Kosher animals?
As a result a person who keeps Kosher has no choice but to take a medication
that is produced from a non Kosher animal.

Answer:
The animals that aren't kosher are forbidden not because of themselves, but
because Hashem said so. When one is sick and has to eat a non kosher animal
because of Pikuach Nefesh he has the Mitzva of Kashrut on one side and the
Mitzva of "Vechai Bahem" (one should perform the Mitzvot and live) on the
other. Since Pikuach Nefesh outweighs Kashrut, the situation is not that he
is eating non kosher but he has no choice, rather the animal is not at all
forbidden anymore, at this time, for this person. That is what Hashem
wanted, and the prohibition is no longer valid for this person.

Rabbi Ro'i Margalit

Orion wrote:

> "PENMART01" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>>"Darryl L. Pierce"
>>>
>>>David Hare-Scott wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
>
> context,
>
>>>>that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
>>>>effect of kosher salt.
>>>>
>>>>In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>>>>chloride?
>>>
>>>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
>>>anti-clumping agents.
>>
>>Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't. ALL salt is
>>kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too! "Kosher
>>Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for
>
> dressing
>
>>pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti clumping
>>compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think Jews go
>
> only
>
>>to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write
>
> special
>
>>kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the
>
> name
>
>>Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing
>
> on
>
>>you, ignorant beetneck!
>
>
> Some medications are not kosher as they are made from organs of a non kosher
> animal, such as a pig. Doesn't mean the presciption itself is kosher. I
> found this....
>
> Question:
> How is it that G-d placed some of the Refua for various sicknesses in non
> Kosher animals?
> As a result a person who keeps Kosher has no choice but to take a medication
> that is produced from a non Kosher animal.
>
> Answer:
> The animals that aren't kosher are forbidden not because of themselves, but
> because Hashem said so. When one is sick and has to eat a non kosher animal
> because of Pikuach Nefesh he has the Mitzva of Kashrut on one side and the
> Mitzva of "Vechai Bahem" (one should perform the Mitzvot and live) on the
> other. Since Pikuach Nefesh outweighs Kashrut, the situation is not that he
> is eating non kosher but he has no choice, rather the animal is not at all
> forbidden anymore, at this time, for this person. That is what Hashem
> wanted, and the prohibition is no longer valid for this person.
>
> Rabbi Ro'i Margalit
>
>
There are medications that are injected, which are derived from pork
intestines. In the glatt kosher hospital I frequent, the rabbi has
stated that since it's not ingested, it's allowed. Same thing for the
Shabbos elevator; you don't have to press (light) nothing; it's
automatic and opens and closes on every floor.

Rich

--
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Dum spiro, spero. (Cicero) As long as I breathe, I hope.

"Richard Periut" > wrote in message
...
> Orion wrote:
>
> > "PENMART01" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>>"Darryl L. Pierce"
> >>>
> >>>David Hare-Scott wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
> >
> > context,
> >
> >>>>that is not the question. What I am curious about is the
gastromonical
> >>>>effect of kosher salt.
> >>>>
> >>>>In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> >>>>chloride?
> >>>
> >>>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
> >>>anti-clumping agents.
> >>
> >>Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't. ALL salt is
> >>kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too!
"Kosher
> >>Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for
> >
> > dressing
> >
> >>pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti
clumping
> >>compounds... and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you think Jews
go
> >
> > only
> >
> >>to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write
> >
> > special
> >
> >>kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the
> >
> > name
> >
> >>Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing
> >
> > on
> >
> >>you, ignorant beetneck!
> >
> >
> > Some medications are not kosher as they are made from organs of a non
kosher
> > animal, such as a pig. Doesn't mean the presciption itself is kosher.
I
> > found this....
> >
> > Question:
> > How is it that G-d placed some of the Refua for various sicknesses in
non
> > Kosher animals?
> > As a result a person who keeps Kosher has no choice but to take a
medication
> > that is produced from a non Kosher animal.
> >
> > Answer:
> > The animals that aren't kosher are forbidden not because of themselves,
but
> > because Hashem said so. When one is sick and has to eat a non kosher
animal
> > because of Pikuach Nefesh he has the Mitzva of Kashrut on one side and
the
> > Mitzva of "Vechai Bahem" (one should perform the Mitzvot and live) on
the
> > other. Since Pikuach Nefesh outweighs Kashrut, the situation is not that
he
> > is eating non kosher but he has no choice, rather the animal is not at
all
> > forbidden anymore, at this time, for this person. That is what Hashem
> > wanted, and the prohibition is no longer valid for this person.
> >
> > Rabbi Ro'i Margalit
> >
> >
> There are medications that are injected, which are derived from pork
> intestines. In the glatt kosher hospital I frequent, the rabbi has
> stated that since it's not ingested, it's allowed. Same thing for the
> Shabbos elevator; you don't have to press (light) nothing; it's
> automatic and opens and closes on every floor.
>
> Rich
>
how interesting! Makes perfect sense, that the elevators would open
automatically, but have never been in a kosher hospital. Thanks for the
insight.

Suzan
>

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> If the salt is iodized, it will say so (in large type) on the package.
> Much table salt is not iodized. The anti-clumping agent is sodium
> ferrocyanide, a.k.a. "yellow prussate of soda" (sp?) so the cyanide part
> doesn't scare people.
>
> > Kosher Salt has no additives. If you find Kosher Salt too
expensive...buy
> > course pickling salt...it too has no additives.
>
> Wrong. Some kosher salt contains sodium prussate (sp?), just like table
> salt. I know Morton's kosher salt has contains additives, and it is
labled
> "kosher for Passover". IIRC, Diamond kosher salt does not have anticaking
> additives.
>
> If you want the purest salt possible, buy "pickling salt".
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

Well you learn something every day. I would have never imagined it - but it
is the case that sodium ferrocyanide is an approved additive to salt in some
countries.

Just a broad observation (not directed specifically at Bob), I find that
many generalisations made in NGs are biased towards what is available in the
USA and the practices common there. This is quite understandable as a large
number of participants are from there but it means that the international
reader has to filter and evaluate what he/she reads even when everybody says
it is so.

{Long intense threads about the relative merits of brand names that I have
never heard of make me glaze over :-) OTOH I learn things here that I
wouldn't 'staying at home'.}

So far I have determined that "table salt" and "cooking salt" mean different
things around the world and the additives that salts do or don't have also
varies considerably, kosher salt is probably the same. So off I go to buy
some kosher salt (whatever that may be in Oz) and find out for myself.

Thanks for the information.

David

PENMART01 wrote:

>>> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
>>> context,
>>> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
>>> effect of kosher salt.
>>>
>>> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>>> chloride?
>>
>>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
>>anti-clumping agents.
>
> Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't.

Do you mean in the US or across the globe? I've never seen table salt that
didn't have iodine added, but then I only ever see Morton's and the store
brand every place...

> ALL salt is
> kosher... all the Earth's seas are kosher, the entire planet too! "Kosher
> Salt" refers to its use, kashering meats... like pretzel salt is for
> dressing pretzels... and some brands of kosher salt do indeed contain anti
> clumping compounds...

Thanks for the info. Actually, I seem to remember you pointing this out to
me previously and it must've slipped my mind.

> and so what, all chemicals are kosher... do you
> think Jews go only
> to special kosher pharmacys???? You probably think Jew doctors write
> special
> kosher prescriptions. duh! What friggin' idiots. Anyone dares have the
> name
> Darryl L. Pierce has got to be anti semitic. Archie Bunker has nothing
> on you, ignorant beetneck!

Is that like a darker shade of redneck?

--
Darryl L. Pierce >
Visit the Infobahn Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce>
"What do you care what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"

David Hare-Scott wrote
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
> > If you want the purest salt possible, buy "pickling salt".
>
> Just a broad observation (not directed specifically at Bob), I find that
> many generalisations made in NGs are biased towards what is available in the
> USA and the practices common there. This is quite understandable as a large
> number of participants are from there but it means that the international
> reader has to filter and evaluate what he/she reads even when everybody says
> it is so.

Right. In the US table salt has been iodized for many decades. I do not
ever recall seeing a goiter on a living human, just in photographs of
people outside the US. I also do not ever recall seeing a container of
table salt in the US that was not marked Iodized unless it was special
purpose.

> {Long intense threads about the relative merits of brand names that I have
> never heard of make me glaze over :-) OTOH I learn things here that I
> wouldn't 'staying at home'.}

Chuckle. I love reading about products from other continents. Without
RFC, I would have never tried Lyle's Golden Syrup (yum) or Vegemite (ugh).

> So far I have determined that "table salt" and "cooking salt" mean different
> things around the world and the additives that salts do or don't have also
> varies considerably, kosher salt is probably the same.

Agreed. It's as pure as you can get with easy refining methods, with
only a little anticaking addictives. For NaCl purity, kosher is the
way to go.

Personally, I have switched to Mortons Lite Salt. It's about 50-50
potassium chloride and sodium chloride. I don't need any potassium
supplements any more. If I could get the entire world outside of my
house to switch to sea salt (with 10ish % potassium) I could also use
sea salt at home.

David Hare-Scott wrote
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
> > If you want the purest salt possible, buy "pickling salt".
>
> Just a broad observation (not directed specifically at Bob), I find that
> many generalisations made in NGs are biased towards what is available in the
> USA and the practices common there. This is quite understandable as a large
> number of participants are from there but it means that the international
> reader has to filter and evaluate what he/she reads even when everybody says
> it is so.

Right. In the US table salt has been iodized for many decades. I do not
ever recall seeing a goiter on a living human, just in photographs of
people outside the US. I also do not ever recall seeing a container of
table salt in the US that was not marked Iodized unless it was special
purpose.

> {Long intense threads about the relative merits of brand names that I have
> never heard of make me glaze over :-) OTOH I learn things here that I
> wouldn't 'staying at home'.}

Chuckle. I love reading about products from other continents. Without
RFC, I would have never tried Lyle's Golden Syrup (yum) or Vegemite (ugh).

> So far I have determined that "table salt" and "cooking salt" mean different
> things around the world and the additives that salts do or don't have also
> varies considerably, kosher salt is probably the same.

Agreed. It's as pure as you can get with easy refining methods, with
only a little anticaking addictives. For NaCl purity, kosher is the
way to go.

Personally, I have switched to Mortons Lite Salt. It's about 50-50
potassium chloride and sodium chloride. I don't need any potassium
supplements any more. If I could get the entire world outside of my
house to switch to sea salt (with 10ish % potassium) I could also use
sea salt at home.

On Mon, 08 Mar 2004 15:28:46 GMT, "Darryl L. Pierce"
> wrote:

>PENMART01 wrote:
>
I mainly wanted to comment about the last paragraph in this post, but
thought I would throw in all my comments to postings in this thread
here.

>>>> I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural context,
>>>> that is not the question. What I am curious about is the gastromonical
>>>> effect of kosher salt.
>>>>
>>>> In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
>>>> chloride?

A previous post mentioned that table salt tastes different. There are
two reasons, one is probably the presence of iodine in their table salt.
That does give a metallic background to the salt which some can taste
more than others. The other factor is the size of the flakes. When
used as a finisher (added just before serving and not fully disolved),
the larger salt crystals give a definite 'bite' to the tongue.

>>>It *is* pure sodium chloride. Table salt has iodine added as well as
>>>anti-clumping agents.

Pickling salt doesn't contain anti-clumping agents and will dissolve
without clouding in cool water. Kosher salt dissolves very slowly in
cool/lukewarm water. It is this ability to absorb more liquid than other
salts before dissolving that made it the preferred salt for koshering.

>> Not all table salt has iodine added, vast majority doesn't.
>
>Do you mean in the US or across the globe? I've never seen table salt that
>didn't have iodine added, but then I only ever see Morton's and the store
>brand every place...

Ah, you must live inland. I live within 50 miles of the ocean and
almost all salt is non-iodized. There is some iodized salt available,
but it is a small amount of shelf space.

In my travels outside of the US, I don't recall ever seeing iodized
salt. But, most places I have been have been near a sea coast.

Lastly, another poster mentioned about how much extra kosher salt to add
instead of table salt. By weight it is all the same. A gram of table
salt has the same amount of NaCl as a gram of kosher salt. By volume,
though, the amount varies by brand of kosher salt. 2 cups of Diamond is
the same as 1 cup of table salt is the same as 1 1/2 cups of Morton.

Not too much disagreement on my part. I'm a chemist and agree that salt is
sodium chloride (NaCl). Impurities have little influence upon its taste.
What does is particle size, i.e. how finely it is ground. The finer it is
the greater the surface area that is in contact with the tongue and the
bigger the hit. There are some qualifiers. Kosher salt is prilled, i.e.
fused and sprayed into a tower. As it falls down the tower it solidifies
into the form with the smallest surface area, namely spheres. This form has
the least surface area per unit weight so will taste less salty. When
crystallized from solution, it will have a much greater suface area per unit
weight because it has a cubic structure so will appear to be saltier. If I
could draw pictures on Usenet I could make it clearer...sigh!

As far as the fineness argument goes find the coarsest sugar (or salt) you
can. Put some on your tongue. Crush some on a hard surface with the back
of a spoon, taste it again. Whiz it in a spice or coffee blender (clean),
taste again. You'll taste the difference.

When it's in solution it makes no difference, salt is salt. Weight for
weight there is no difference, when you measure by volume, bulk density will
make a difference. The European way of weighing ingredients works so much
better.

Robin

"hahabogus" > wrote in message
...
> "David Hare-Scott" > wrote in
> :
>
> > I understand the concept of kosher food in the religious/cultural
> > context, that is not the question. What I am curious about is the
> > gastromonical effect of kosher salt.
> >
> > In what way is kosher salt different from (more or less) pure sodium
> > chloride?
> >
> > Is the difference clearly noticable so that if a recipe specified
> > kosher and you used standard cooking salt (or vice versa) that you
> > would easily taste it?
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> >
>
> All the salts (NaCl) used for cooking by man aren't pure. There are other
> trace minerals in them. This salt ain't made in a lab it is either mined
or
> made by evaporation methods. These trace minerals and any additives make
> for taste differences.
>
> Most if not all boxes of salt sold as "table salt" have iodine (sp??) in
> them, as well as a good chance of some sort of anti clumping agent (most
> likely Corn Starch/flour). The Iodine is to reduce gouter type problems.
If
> you eat seafood regularly you shouldn't need introduced iodine, but I'm
not
> a doctor.
>
> Kosher Salt has no additives. If you find Kosher Salt too expensive...buy
> course pickling salt...it too has no additives.
>
> Also kosher salt comes in a larger crystal/grain/flake than table salt.
> Which means that volume measurements for kosher salt (like a tsp or 1/4
> cup) use less salt (by weight) than the smaller grain table salt, so
kosher
> salted recipes tend to be less salty in taste. Kinda like the pound of
> feathers versus the pound of iron thingie but not so obvious.
>
> Kosher salt is easier to add to items by hand (Spinkle on things). Easier
> to control amounts. Because you select by hand the amount you use, not
> guess how much is coming out of a shaker. The area above a hot pan/pot can
> be very humid and plug up your shaker's holes.
>
> There is a very minor taste difference (at least to me) between table
salt,
> kosher salt, sea salt and pickling salt. This might be a mental thing. But
> all salt (NaCl), used for cooking, basically comes from the sea...It is
> just some seas dried up thousands of years ago and others are still around
> today.
>
> Salt can also collect odors/tastes from the air. Example: Some of the
humid
> air that comes from a pot of boiling cabbage will be extracted by any salt
> near by...slightly changing the taste of your table salt over
> time/exposure.
>
> --
> Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
> and water.
> --------
> FIELDS, W. C.