Re: [CH] Jalapeno seasoning
Dennis Dye (socadye@mind.net)
Wed, 15 Apr 1998 21:51:29 -0700
I would like to Change my E-Mail address to socadye@id.mind.net
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> From: ChefChile <ChefChile@aol.com>
> To: begg.4@osu.edu; chile-heads@globalgarden.com
> Cc: pepperking@mindspring.com
> Subject: Re: [CH] Jalapeno seasoning
> Date: Tuesday, April 14, 1998 11:30 AM
>
> In a message dated 98-04-14 08:11:40 EDT, begg.4@osu.edu writes:
>
> <<
> Hi C-H's,
> Would John and Frank care to discuss the following statements,
> excerpted from John's recent post? :
>
> "We all know the perils of
> too much salt in the diet."
>
> Tell me what they are, and be very careful what you say!
>
> " The use of a "seasoning salt" ................................., not
to
> mention any possible health related problems there may be."
>
> What health problems are there for any normal healthy person?
>
> "Add the salt to the food separately."
>
> This from a chef? Why? Do you practise your craft in a cardiac unit?
Many
> dishes and cooking and preserving methods depend upon salt.
>
> "I'll step down from my soap box and those who wish
> may flame away. I'm ready to burn baby!"
>
> I'm not going to flame you, but I might make sauerkraut out of you!
>
> >>
> Well since I am only a Chef and not a member of the medical field I can
only
> relate to you the information as it appears to me. First of all Salt is
the
> most common source of sodium. Approximately 40% of salt is pure sodium.
Many
> foods contain sodium even though they do not taste salty. Most processed
> foods contain sodium, including your sauerkraut.
>
> The human body only needs about 500 mg of sodium per day. A recommended
> intake of less than 2400mg of sodium is recommended. If my memory serves
me
> correct that would be about 6 grams of salt, which isn't very much. To
the
> best of my knowledge we consume much more than that because many people
use
> salt in cooking and add salt at the table, not to mention the people who
use
> prepared foods which are notoriously high in sodium. Just read a label.
>
> For some individuals a high intake of sodium has been associated with
high
> blood pressure. Based on my limited knowledge of the human anatomy (yes
I do
> have some knowledge of the human anatomy, but we'll keep this rated "G")
high
> blood pressure is a factor in heart attacks, strokes, and other
circulatory
> problems. Since many people suffer from heart disease and it is among the
> leading killers in the US I for one am concerned.
>
> Many people do not have a problem with sodium intake. I know I do not
have
> high blood pressure at the moment, but I know that I could develop the
> problem. Do I live in fear of developing high blood pressure? No!
>
> Normal Healthy individuals may not have a problem with sodium intake.
That's
> fine.
>
> I add salt to the food I cook at home and in the restaurants that I work.
I
> add enough salt to bring out the desired flavor in the food, but not
overpower
> it. Some people I know like the taste of salt so they will add the salt
at
> the table, sometimes without even tasting the food beforehand. As a rule
I
> consider salt on the table as a necessity for those people who need to
adjust
> the seasoning of the food to suit their individual taste. For me I like
my
> potatoes to be salty, something I contribute to growing up where the
nickname
> of the city I lived in was the "Salt City" (Syracuse, NY) and where new
> potatoes where cooked in a salt brine and then immediately dunked in
melted
> butter then popped in the mouth. These of course are known as salt
potatoes.
> They are mmmmmmmgooood. By the way, I rinse sauerkraut before preparing
it
> for service
>
> So to answer your question about cooking in a cardiac unit I must say no.
My
> concerns about the use of seasoning salts in cooking are that they add
salt to
> the dish that my not be needed, thus ruining the intended flavor, and
that
> this additional salt is probably not needed by the body.
>
> Salt has been used a a food preservative and flavoring throughout
history, and
> will continue to do so for some time I imagine. I know I will continue
its
> usage for the immediate future. I have not said that everyone must stop
using
> salt. My concern was the use if seasoning salt. If you are adding onion
salt
> to a dish, why not just add fresh onion, granulated onion, or onion
powder,
> then if the dish needs it add the salt. If you are adding jalapeno salt
to a
> dish, why not add fresh jalapeno, dried jalapeno flakes, or jalapeno
powder,
> then add salt to the dish if it needs it.
>
> As a Chef I do have a responsibility to the consumer. It is my
responsibility
> to provide them with food that is not only tasty, but has been purchased
from
> reputable sources, has been delivered in good condition, stored in the
proper
> environment, handled only as many times as was necessary and finally
prepared
> properly. At home I have the same responsibility to my family and
friends. I
> do concern myself with the health of the consumer whether at home or at
the
> restaurant. I want them to return again and again for many years, so they
can
> keep contributing to my retirement fund. When possible I look for
another
> flavor to put in the dish so as to limit the amount of salt or oil, or
sugar,
> or fat...etc, etc. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work so
well.
>
> Yours Truly in Supreme Heat
>
> ChefChile@aol.com aka "John"
> TCS Mystic Fire Priest
> Monk of the SOB
> Executive Chef Ring O' Fire C=:-)
> Humble Servant to El Grande
>
>
>