The Sweetness of Salt

In various cuisines around the world, adding salt to fruits is a common practice. For instance, in Mexico, mango and citrus fruits are often spiced up with salt and chili powder. In the Philippines, mango with shrimp taste is popular, while in the southern states, salted watermelon is enjoyed. The reason behind this phenomenon lies in how salt affects our taste receptors. When we eat a fruit sprinkled with salt, we first notice the salty flavor, followed by a slightly delayed sweet fruity taste. This is because salt affects the sweet taste receptors for sugar, and it has been discovered that we have more sugar detectors in our taste cells than previously believed.

Experimenting with salt on different fruits can yield various results. For example, salt can make already sweet fruits like cherries and strawberries even sweeter, while it balances the flavor of fruits like grapefruit, pineapple, and watermelon. To try this, one can simply slice a ripe fruit, sprinkle it with salt (preferably large flaked sea salt for a more intense taste), and let it sit for about 10 minutes to create a gourmet dessert experience.

When chopping up iceberg lettuce, the tough core in the middle can be easily removed by holding the lettuce head in both hands with the core end down and slamming it against a cutting board. This loosens the core, allowing it to be easily pulled out, and the rest of the lettuce can be sliced without any trouble.

To spread hard butter easily, a grater can be used to flake off tiny pieces of butter that will melt instantly on warm toast. This technique is also employed by professional bakers to make butter easier to spread on cold bread.

For crispy bacon, it's best to start on a cold pan rather than a preheated one. Laying the bacon strips on a cold pan and then turning on medium-low heat allows the fat to render out of the meat, resulting in deliciously crispy bacon.

Boiling pasta in a frying pan can save time, water, and energy. By putting the pasta in a frying pan, covering it with cold water, and adding salt, the pasta can start cooking while the water heats up, allowing it to be ready faster than traditional boiling. The leftover starchy water in the pan can be used as a base for a sauce.

To make fluffy mashed potatoes, drying the potatoes before mashing them is the key. After boiling the potatoes, they can be dried by leaving them in a pot over low heat on the stove top or keeping them in a baking sheet in a low oven. Melted butter can then be added to the dried potatoes, coating the starch and resulting in mashed potatoes with the best possible structure and flavor.

To minimize tears while slicing onions, it's helpful to peel the onions, cut them in half, and leave them in a bowl of iced water in the fridge for half an hour before cooking. Freezing the onions weakens the chemical reactions that lead to tearing when cutting them.

To make avocados easier to peel, they can be frozen first and then held under warm running water. A few crisscross incisions can be made before peeling.

To keep herbs fresh, they can be stored like flowers by placing them in a mason jar or water glass with an inch of water. For parsley and cilantro, the jar can be covered with a plastic bag and stored in the fridge, while basil can be left uncovered on the counter to receive sunlight.

Leftover sauce can be saved from the trash by pouring it into an ice cube tray and keeping it in the freezer. These sauce cubes can be added to meals to enhance their flavor.

Storing sauces in the fridge isn't always necessary; some sauces can be kept in a cupboard, far from the oven, to protect them from temperature changes.

Coffee beans should not be stored in the fridge as moisture can change their cell structure and affect their flavor. However, if you prefer decaffeinated coffee, storing beans in the fridge might be a good idea.

Honey should be stored in a cold and dark place but not in the fridge to avoid crystallization and loss of beneficial properties.

Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature in a well-ventilated box or basket to maintain their delicious flavor.

To prevent sliced bananas from turning brown, citrus juice (orange or lemon) can be drizzled over them. This trick works for a few hours.

Chocolate should not be stored in the fridge as temperature differences can create condensed water on its surface, affecting its appearance and potentially making it harder to bite into.

Hummus should be stored in the fridge, whether homemade or store-bought. Homemade hummus can last up to one week, while unopened supermarket hummus can be stored in the fridge for about three months.

Eggs can be stored both inside and outside the fridge, as long as they are within their expiration date. However, if stored in the fridge, they should be placed deeper inside to avoid temperature fluctuations.

Proper food distribution inside the fridge is essential. Different areas of the fridge have different temperatures, with the shelves on the door being the warmest and closer to the freezer being the coldest. Following specific storage recommendations on some packages can help create the best food distribution.

Bread should be stored in a firmly closed box with a little bit of salt to protect it from mold. Cold air in the fridge will make bread stale quickly, but it can be stored in the freezer for up to six months to stay fresh.

To keep sliced cucumbers from drying out, they can be stored in an airtight container with fresh water for up to a week. Whole cucumbers last longer when stored outside the fridge.

The storage of avocados depends on their ripeness. Hard, unripe avocados should be kept away from the fridge, while soft and ripe avocados can be stored in the fridge to prevent spoilage.

Various food combinations might sound bizarre but can be surprisingly enjoyable. Examples include burgers with jam, pizza with hot honey, and Oreos with mustard.