Kitchen Essentials

Sa, Sa Sa Salt 'n Pepper here.

In his book Salt, Mark Kurlansky makes a very compelling argument that salt, and the pursuit of it, is the most important commodity in human history. He explains how ancient roads often follow a circuitous path which all either end or begin at salt deposits. This was likely the result of thousands of years of mammals, marsupials, and such traipsing through the wilderness to find salt. Or how about the word "salary" which is derived from the Roman word for salt, which coincidentally was what the Roman empire used to pay their soldiers.

Furthering Mr. Kurlansky's premise, the most important ingredient in your kitchen is salt and pepper. Properly seasoned food tastes better. And that is the whole goal right? But for many of you out there, you are still using table salt and pre-ground pepper.

If it works for you, fine. But chances are if you switch to kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, your finished product will improve. Kosher salt, traditionally used by Kosher butchers, does a better job of penetrating the surface of food, thereby resulting in a more thoroughly seasoned piece of food. I keep my salt in a little olive wood box, sprinkling it on with my grubby fingers.

Kosher salt is flakier and coarser than regular NaCl. When seasoning a piece of beef, you can actually feel and see the salt, allowing you to judge if the food is seasoned properly by sight (as well as taste). Kosher salt is "softer" as well. The flavor is less chlorinated and more well-rounded. If you begin using Kosher salt, you will notice the harsh, chemical taste of regular old salt. Also, kosher salt is more forgiving, which means fewer run-ins with over salted food.

Pepper. You use it more than you think. The pre-ground stuff is a joke. Even if you don't want to invest in a $20 pepper mill, at least buy the little tube of whole peppercorns with the grinder for a lid. Please, I beg of you. Even if you don't want to go to all the trouble of grinding peppercorns, at least buy some whole peppercorns, place them on the cutting board, cover them with a towel and beat them like a red headed stepchild with a heavy pan.

Look at you becoming a better cook already. Next week, we introduce a technique. The tension builds. For those of you who don't think you can cook, check out this perfect recreation of risotto carbonara by Legend. If he can do it, half in the bag, emerging into a hangover, and with a Coleman stove, trust me you got it.