THE IMPORTANCE OF SALT IN GASTRONOMY

Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is an essential mineral for our bodies and our cuisine. When it comes to regulating blood pressure in our body, it ensures the acid-base balance. It is also an essential mineral for our muscular and nervous systems.

However, it is necessary to pay attention to the amount of use, because just like its absence, it has a negative effect on our body. To keep this in the most important corner of our minds, let's look at the kitchen part that is essential for salt...

Salt has been a substance of great importance since ancient times, and wars have even been fought over it. It was also considered sacred and was also referred to as white gold. This is because it has so many uses. The main areas are its absorption as nutrients, the flavor it imparts to food, long-term preservation of food and its use as chemicals. In fact, salt, which permeates every aspect of our lives, from its use as a cooking technique to jet fuel, will be our crown jewel for as long as humanity exists.

Since ancient times, people have used salt to prolong the spoilage of food. With food that can be stored by salting, people were able to protect themselves from hunger in difficult times. The salt contained in the food became indispensable for the palate. It has taken its place as the main hero in every era, every culture and almost every recipe. This multifunctionality of salt, which is now even added to desserts, has led us to the taste, quality and correct use of salt.

So how does salt become flavor? Let's take a closer look at the protagonist in our kitchen...

HOW DOES SALT TAST?

Before salt was used as a dietary nutrient in ancient times, it was a mineral that people obtained naturally from the plants and meat they consumed. Over time, salty rocks and waters were discovered in nature and found their place in the palate. Many foods have become tastier by adding salt. So much so that most foods felt bland and tasteless without salt. Today it continues to be used to flavor all the foods we consume, from soups to meat and vegetable dishes, from desserts to salads, from pastries to drinking water. So how do we perceive salt as a taste?

The taste is achieved through the taste buds in the mouth. Each bud has receptors that recognize different tastes. Some cells perceive the taste of salt, while others perceive the taste of bitter, sweet, and umami, while others perceive the taste of sour. The simplest receptors in the taste buds are those that detect salt. The sodium in the salt compound activates cell channels and sends taste signals to the brain. As the sodium ratio increases, the signals become stronger and the taste of the foods we eat can be perceived. Here, when all these flavors and factors such as texture, smell and temperature of the food come together, taste is created.

SALT AND ITS PLACE IN GASTRONOMY

Salt is one of the most important elements in gastronomy. It is both the main touch of flavor explosions in unique recipes and the key ingredient used in staple food transformation, cultural activities and flavor development. Today, when we look at the cuisine of any culture or region, we encounter the absolute dominance of salt. Salt is the common ingredient in the hands of a humble salad maker and the world's most famous chefs.

Salt interacts with fat, protein and water in the nutrient structures and influences tissue and food reactions. As a result of the research, it was found that salt has serious effects on criteria such as food fermentation, pH, moisture and fat content. For example, using the right amount of salt when making fermented foods is very important for the formation of fermentations. Additionally, salt dissolves in water, allowing water to penetrate the flour more quickly. The ability of salt to dissolve some proteins is a factor that makes processing meat products possible.

One of the most important uses of salt in gastronomy is its use as a cooking technique. Especially in modern gastronomy, it is often used in products such as fish and egg yolks. This technique involves drying the product by removing the water and replacing it with salt.

Because salt prevents bacteria from forming, foods can be stored for a long time in brine or canned form.

• We can generally list the functions of salt in gastronomy as follows:
• It suppresses some flavors and enhances others.
• It increases the density of liquid foods such as soups.
• It is used as a cooking technique in kitchens.
• It allows the products to ferment.
• It is used for long-term storage of food without spoiling.

Salt is important in gastronomy for both health and taste. The body's inability to absorb the salt it needs also affects satiety. Therefore, it is necessary to provide our body with enough salt. For this reason, on the one hand, it is important to use healthy salt and at the same time increase the taste of the food.

salts; It can be divided into table salt, sea salt, rock salt, Himalayan salt and spring salt. The healthiest of these is spring salt. Natural spring salt comes from underground fault fractures and is obtained without any additional additives due to its high salt quality and mineral wealth. The largest natural spring salt in Turkey is Delice Salt, which also received the first geographical indication registration in this area.

WHICH FOODS USE THE MOST SALT?

Our body does not have the mechanism to produce salt itself. Therefore, we get the salt we need from the food we eat. Therefore, the correct use of salt in the foods we consume is very important. Salt has a major impact on food conversion and fermentation. We can see the effects of salt in almost all the foods we consume.

Bread

Obtaining a fermented dough in bread making depends on the leavening activity. Therefore, the use of salt in the dough fermentation process is important. It also helps maintain acid balance by preventing unwanted bacteria and organisms. In other words, using the appropriate amount of salt when baking bread affects the physical properties of the dough and adds flavor to the bread.

Meat

Salt affects the proteins in meat. It softens the meat by increasing the water holding volume of the proteins and gives the meat the ability to be sliced ​​and processed. It also affects the cooking time of the meat.

Cheese

Salting is the most important process in cheese making. It allows the cheese to ripen by influencing the enzyme activities during the formation phase. It creates the shape of cheese by separating the whey. In addition, it prevents the cheese from spoiling, ensures its long shelf life, influences its aroma and adds flavor to the cheese. Different methods such as brining or dry salting can be used.

Pickle

is the main factor that causes vegetables and fruits to ferment by breaking down the sugars they contain. It inhibits unwanted microorganisms and preserves nutrients.

Tomato paste

The use of salt in tomato paste is very important. Used in sufficient quantities, tomato paste can remain intact for a long time. Since iodized salt waters down the tomato paste, coarse salt should be used. The quality and taste of the salt used directly affects the taste of tomato paste.

olive

The most famous method of consuming olives is the fermentation of olives by salting them. As a result of this process, the bitter and metallic taste of the olive is removed and it is preserved for a long time to be consumed on our tables.

Preserved

It is used as a canning method for long-term storage of perishable foods. Salt can be used as a brine or dried in canned vegetables.

With its rich mineral content and unique taste, Mayi Tuz brings the insane natural spring salt from the depths of the earth in its purest form into your kitchen. You should definitely try it to have a feast of flavors on your palate…

Source: www.mayituz.com