When someone asks you to pass the salt, do you pass the pepper shaker, too? I don’t
know of any etiquette “rules” about doing this -- but many people pass both. It may be
an old wives’ tale or superstition, but some feel it’s unlucky if you pass just one. Some
believe breaking up the team can bring about money problems or break-up a friendship.
It seems passing both salt and pepper together is a way to neutralize this bad luck.
Dr. Carolyn Dunn, RD, LDN addressed this topic in a recent Eat Smart, Move More,
Prevent Diabetes (ESMMPD) blog post entitled “Salt and Pepper: When to use Both,
When to Let Salt Fly Solo”. Dunn is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor
Emerita at NC State. Dr. Dunn starts her blog post with a quote from the late Chef Anne Burrell who said “salt and pepper are not married; they are just dating”. I love this quote. It’s like passing the salt and pepper shakers together---do you need them both?
Dunn goes to on to share information about both of these condiments. Salt (aka, table salt, kosher salt, sea salt) is a flavor enhancer. It intensifies flavors but has little flavor on its own. It also intensifies sweetness which is why most sweet dishes and baked goods have a pinch (or more) of salt (think: chocolate and caramel with sea salt). It can also help balance the flavors in a dish keeping it from being too bitter.
If you have ever had a baked good or soup that just does not taste good or tastes flat;
most likely, not enough salt. One of the reasons that restaurant food is so tasty is that
professional chefs are not afraid to add salt.
The blog post goes on to talk about the other member of this famous duo: pepper.
Pepper referred to here is black pepper or freshly ground black peppercorns not green
peppers, jalapenos or other fresh peppers. We’re talking the black pepper in the shaker. This black pepper adds a whole new flavor to a dish. It does not and cannot lift or balance the other flavors in the dish. It can only add its own new flavor. While this may be the additional flavor you need to make the dish delicious; it can’t replace salt.
So, why did Chef Burrell say that they were just dating? Because they don’t ALWAYS
have to be used together. When do you like both? Dr. Dunn says she loves them both
in foods such as scrambled eggs or clam chowder. What about you? I have to have
both on hard-cooked eggs. In some dishes flavors are enhanced by salt with the pepper adding another flavor note that is perfect.
On the other hand, would you want salt only? Perhaps with a stir-fried or Asian-inspired dish? Adding pepper to an Asian dish is adding a flavor that does not go with the dish.
Have you ever noticed that there are usually no pepper shakers in Asian restaurants?
(No worry about not passing both shakers here).
Also, dishes that are white or light in color generally don’t use black pepper because of the appearance. Do you want black specks in your dish? An example would be
butternut squash soup that would not look its best with black pepper floating in it. Note: there is something called white pepper that adds the pepper taste without the color.
So, how do you know what to use and how much? Dunn shared some insight.
First, it is your food. If you want black pepper in everything that is fine. You need to
understand, however that adding black pepper will not balance the dish, salt does that.
What if you are limiting your salt? The only other ingredient that can lift a dishes flavor besides salt is an acid. If you are trying to limit salt, use some salt sparingly and try adding lemon, lime, or vinegar to balance flavors.
You can check out Dr. Dunn’s original blog at the Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent
Diabetes website at Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes Website Link . ESMMPD is a CDC
recognized, 12-month diabetes prevention program based on strategies proven to
prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Something to think about the next time someone asks you to pass the salt.
Resources:
Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at NC Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu
