Well, I knew not to substitute table for Kosher, but I didn't know the brand made a difference. Further, I have two Morton kosher salts in my cabinet. One is fine and one is coarse.

I always use the Diamond Crystal -- have for years!

Interesting...it explains why, when I was entertaining a trained chef, she was so pleased to see Diamond Crystal in my kitchen. I didn't know the difference, it just happens to be the brand my food co-op carries.

Very interesting! but I confess, I've never used Kosher salt. Should I? I have all kinds of salts, but none is Kosher (to my knowledge).

PM, it's not necessary unless your recipe calls for it. Then it's important to know what kind of salt they mean and the equivalences.

All salt is kosher to eat, though some may prefer it have a rabbinic mark to say it's unadulterated. :)

"Kosher Salt" is what the box says--in big letters--when it's salt used for kashering. Most meat is kashered by the butcher nowadays so even a lot of Jews aren't really sure what to do with Kosher Salt. It's rubbed and pounded into the meat to draw out the blood, and isn't required if the meat is cooked on a spit or open grill where the juices can fall into the fire.

Well, I looked and I have Diamond Crystal kosher and sea salt...yay ME! HAHA!

I rarely use the amount of salt called for in a recipe, especially if it's a chef recipe and even more so if it's from the East Coast. I use the measure given as a guide and know how much less salt to use depending on what's called for. :)

I use fleur de sel when cooking, but just plain old Morton's when baking, unless it specifies something else.

Plain old in a box salt contains "anti caking agents"....I want just salt...so I use Kosher salt. As for amount? I taste....my dough, batter, soup, sauce, marinade etc.

I’ve switched over to sea salt. Don’t use Morton’s anymore after I became schooled on anticaking agents. I do have Diamond kosher in the house, but use it to scrub my cast iron!

If I am making a new recipe (except for bread), I generally cut the amount of salt in half, especially if it can be added later. If it is a Martha Stewart recipe, I use one-fourth the amount of salt she specifies, and in desserts, I often omit the salt altogether, especially in candy, chocolate, and ice cream. I've tried all of those recipes both ways and much prefer candy, chocolate, and ice cream without salt.

The Kosher salt I have is Morton's, and so that might be one reason I need to reduce the amount of salt in recipes, but normally I cook with sea salt. I use Kosher salt when I am grinding garlic with my mortar and pestle. I don't measure the salt for this and add just enough to get the garlic to dissolve. I also have some large crystal salt in a salt grinder that I bought in Brazil, but that won't last terribly long. It has pink salt in it, but I guess it might be refillable. I bought the salt grinder (and a pepper grinder with multicolored pepper) because we had kitchens where we stayed and did some of our own cooking there.

I have a lovely block of pink Himalayan salt.....but no grater will grate that fast enough for me to salt much of anything....so it sits there looking pretty while I pinch out the other salts to use.
the only thing I use table salt in a box for is melting ice....or a pastry.
Lars? I guess you don't like salted caramel?

I leave my Himalayan block in the tray trolley for use as a serving piece, and have a grinder with Himalayan salt in it for cooking. Actually finishing. There are a lot of fancified salts that just taste like salt to me, but the Himalayan does have a unique flavor. It's kind of soft and mellow. Very nice on meats. I doubt one could tell the difference gram for gram from other salts in baking and most cooking.

Lars, I think it's cool that you have souvenir seasonings. :)

Linda, your are right - I hate salted caramel, and I prefer to make my own caramel which has no salt whatsoever. I also do not use any salt when I make toffee, and if I eat toffee that does have salt in it, I can really taste it.

I am very much enjoying my souvenir seasonings - it's nice to have a reminder of the trip.