Does salt need a new costar on the table?

Against Pepper - Salt needs a new companion.

For myself, a concerto of table spices, not a replacement for black pepper, would be better. I really enjoy the selection of hotness that Thai Restaurants provide. It's not right until a single drip of perspiration falls from the end of your nose.

Interesting article. I usually try to refrain from adding anything to my dish that the chef didn't intend me to taste. Exceptions of course are when something is really bland or asian/mexican restaurants where soy or chilis are expected to be added.

All that being said I wouldn't necessarily remove pepper from the table but rather add a couple things, depending on the dish and what would truly enhance its flavor and not cover it up.

I personally think that pepper needs a new costar, let's get rid of the salt!

I'm generally ok with no salt - but if a restaurant is going to pull it from the table then they should make sure the food is seasoned properly. We've experienced a few occasions over the years where food was grossly underseasoned and there are not salt shakers on the table. Needless to say I asked for some salt.

Am I the only person irritated by the big pepper grinders? What's the deal with that - the food is served and before you even take a bite someone is asking if I want "fresh ground pepper". It's a practice that gets under my skin and some very very nice places here in town do this. If it needs pepper put it on in the kitchen.

Is ketchup a spice?

Am I the only person irritated by the big pepper grinders? What's the deal with that - the food is served and before you even take a bite someone is asking if I want "fresh ground pepper". It's a practice that gets under my skin and some very very nice places here in town do this. If it needs pepper put it on in the kitchen.

I enjoy freshly ground pepper on salads and some dishes. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if they left a small grinder on the table, instead of the table service from the giant one. I'm not even opposed to using the pepper shaker, but a peeve is shakers with undersized holes. You'll frequently see me remove the cap to obtain the requisite quantity of peppery goodness.

I'm a big fan of the small grinders on the tables- if only they didn't have a tendency to disappear!



I also love finishing salts and peppers. I went through a phase were I served Himilayan Pink and Sichuan Pepper Blossoms as accoutrements. They are a lot of fun in that the diner gets to play with thier food and really gauge the impact of something so- taken for granted- as salt and pepper.

Now I myself am in the 'as the chef intended' category- with the exception of salads, as nobody to the best of my knoweledge salts or peppers salads.

Is ketchup a spice?

Absolutely

Is ketchup a spice?

Absolutely

It's a vegetable.

[Robin Garr]

Is ketchup a spice?

Absolutely

It's a vegetable.

Would Ronnie Raygun lie? Oh, wait ...

Is ketchup a spice?

Absolutely

It's a vegetable.

It certainly is! If pizza can be a vegetable ketchup certainly can be.

Is ketchup a spice?

Ketchup is a waste of a perfectly good tomato.

[Robin Garr]

I like the Vietnamese restaurant approach.

Vietsauces.jpg

Ketchup is a waste of a perfectly good tomato.

You, sir, never had the opportunity to eat calf liver prepared by my Grandfather.

I like the Vietnamese restaurant approach.

Yeah, roger that. I go through a LOT of Shriracha sauce. Sometimes I squirt a little hot sauce on the back of my hand and lick it off. My wife is sincere in her delusion that this is crude behavior. I don't see how, I learned it in bars. Also wasabi paste. On the non-Asian side it's hard for me to eat eggs without Tabasco or similar.