Salt

Saratoga Olive Oil Co. is best known for having a diverse selection of balsamic vinegars and olive oils, which (amongst many uses) make wonderful salad dressing– we also have a wide variety of sea salts for adding flavor to every dish! But did you know the word “salad” originated from “salt,” thanks to the Romans salting their leafy greens and vegetables?   

A frequently underrated ingredient, salt is used in so many ways that (ironically) its importance is sometimes forgotten. At times the subtle differences between salt types can also make it seem overwhelming when faced with such a selection. In this post you’ll more information on how to effectively use our sea salts in place of regular table or kosher salts. Despite what you may have heard, sea salts are for more than just “finishing” your dishes!

What’s the difference between salts?

Table Salt

Mined

Kosher Salt

Much coarser than table or fine sea salt, kosher salt has a flat plate-like shape or a hollow pyramidal shape. Flat shapes are made, typically using rollers, when the cubic crystals are forced into shape. The pyramidal shapes are made through the Alberger process, which is an evaporative process that uses steam energy. Though this salt was developed for preparing kosher meats in accordance with Jewish laws, the salt may not always be truly kosher.

There are differences in the way kosher salt, sea salt, and table salt taste—and in the way they measure, too. Kosher salt is courser than table salt and fine sea salt, so you actually get less “salt” per teaspoon, because it won’t pack as densely in the measure. This matters mostly when baking, where the chemical interaction of salt and other ingredients can affect leavening and other texture issues. But for non-baking (savory) recipes, the salts are all interchangeable—after all, you can always add more at the end.

Table salt and fine sea salt measure the same, but table salt has added iodine (it was added in the 1920’s to help counter an epidemic of thyroid diseases)—which alters its flavor. You may not notice the difference in flavor unless you taste them side-by-side.