Scratch Cooking, The Way Forward. Make Your Own Seasoning Blends & The Virtues of Maldon Sea Salt

Not being able to get out of the house is the reason a lot of people are turning back to cooking from scratch.

For those of us who never stopped, and for those who are treading, for the first time, into this muddy patch, having an idea of flavour profiles, which herbs and spices go with which protein and mixing your own spice blends is a way of not only cutting out the middle man, but also becoming an expert in what you and your family like to eat.

 In many cases, there are traditional flavours that go together, tomato & basil or tomato and chilli. But have you ever tried olive & white chocolate, a sweet and salty taste sensation?

Or what about chocolate & sage for an ice cream with a twist, or maybe butternut squash & lime, a great combination for a soup with a little pizazz?

Be brave and try different combinations. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t like it.

 Sometimes having a reminder, see the downloads page, can give you a nudge to try flavours that you may not have thought of.

Let’s face it, there are only so many ways to cook a chicken, but by adding different herbs and spices, it can make a Thursday night chicken dinner into a dinner party dish.

 With the downloadable Mix Your Own Seasoning list, you’ll be able to mix and store your own blends of herbs and spices, mixing them to your own taste, heat and saltiness.

So those mixes you use most in a day to day basis such as the ones for the chicken or if you’re lucky to have the weather for it, the BBQ (we can all dream of sunshine) you can make more of so you’ll never run out.

You’ve probably already got most of the individual herbs and spices you need to put together the mixes in your cupboard anyway, but something that comes up again and again is the issue you of the type of salt to use.

I’ve a couple of different types of salt in my cupboard, everyday table salt, and Maldon sea salt.

Why I hear you ask, well this is why?

Maldon sea salt, a flavour worth trying

Everyday table salt is something I use when I’m baking or boiling potatoes. It’s easier to dissolve because of its small crystals.

 It’s not something I would put on the table to use to add flavour to a dish. I wouldn’t add it to my fish and chips, for that I’d use Maldon salt

.Because normal table salt is highly manufactured, anti-caking chemicals are added to stop it clumping together, maybe fortified iodine too, which all go to give it a bitter taste.

Not something I want to add to my herb and spice mixes which is something I use to add flavour not add bitterness to my dishes.

Maldon sea salt is a seasoning which has very low magnesium making it have an incredibly low bitter taste. It’s organic, and because of the way it’s produced, when the sea water is evaporated, magnesium, calcium and potassium are left which add flavour, not a bitter after taste. Making it perfect to add to seasoning mixes and as the salt of choice to put in the middle of my table for guests.

Add to sweet recipes for salted caramel tarts, or my salted caramel and walnut millionaire’s shortbread.

And of course, for my fish and chip supper treat.

Use it at the end of cooking to add an extra flavour. Be careful, it’s quite intense, so do a taste test first.

Try your own taste comparison test with table salt and Maldon sea salt.

Pour out two small piles, one of table salt and one of Maldon sea salt, taste them individually, rinsing your mouth in between, and then you’ll be able to decide which you want to use and when.

Go along to Maldon Sea Salt website and take a look at how it’s made

 Enjoy Your Sweet Life

Sprinkle Maldon sea salt at end f cooking for extra favour.