Can we talk about the way we talk about salt?

I was prepping with a new line cook yesterday and he asked me why we always say 'season to taste' instead of giving a real measurement. He pointed out that for a new person, that's like saying 'make it good' without any help. It hit me that maybe we're keeping some kitchen knowledge too vague. How do you guys teach new cooks to actually taste and adjust?

4 comments

4 Comments

felix4142mo ago

My buddy had this exact thing happen at his place last month. He told the new guy to salt the soup until it tasted right, and the kid just froze up. So my friend made him taste three bowls, one under-salted, one over-salted, and one just right, side by side. Said it clicked way faster than any words could. Sometimes you gotta show the wrong way to find the right one.

margaretramirez2mo agoMost Upvoted

Seriously? It's just soup. People act like seasoning food is some huge life skill you need a masterclass for. My cousin messed up a whole pot once and we just added more potatoes. It all worked out. Why make the new guy do a whole tasting test like he's in cooking school?

mark_ward2mo ago

Right, "just soup" until you're stuck eating bland mush for a week. That potato trick only goes so far. You can't fix over-salted broth with more spuds, you just get salty potatoes. I've seen someone dump a whole shaker in by mistake. Had to toss the whole pot. Tasting side by side is the fastest way to learn what "too much" actually means.

cole_flores4412d ago

So does this mean you're supposed to just let the new guy ruin a whole pot before he learns? That seems worse than a side by side taste test. The potato trick is a bandaid at best, and a waste of food at worst. I get that experience comes from mistakes, but there's a difference between a minor seasoning error and a full salt bomb that ruins dinner for everyone. Why make someone learn the hard way when a quick comparison can save a whole batch?