We all take salt for granted, perhaps because we use it everyday. In fact, we would die without it.

How salt functions as a flavoring for food remains a bit of a mystery, even today. Salt adds its own flavor to a dish, though it enhances some flavors and inhibits others; it will help decrease bitter tastes and reduce other harsh tastes, enabling flavors to blend more harmoniously.

Originally, all salt came from the sea. Today, some salts are mined from deposits left after seas receded or dried-up. The salt is extracted, boiled down, and then crystallized in various degrees of fineness. Sea salt is actually extracted from ocean water. For virtually all Americans, table salt, which is finely ground, and highly refined with both added iodine and free-flow chemicals, is the only salt they’re aware of.

"Coarse salt" is a common name for kosher salt. Many people feel that this is a far better tasting salt than the common table salt because it is less harsh, less bitter, and less salty. It is also a great background salt that can be used to enhance other flavors.

Sea salt is saltier and with a brighter flavor. This salt is obtained from the evaporation of sea water, either naturally or artificially from evaporation pans.

For centuries, salt has been used for many other purposes, especially as a preservative. Today, it is still widely use for preserving olives, cheese, and seafood, as well as for curing. Salt preserves by drawing out the moisture, therefore, limiting the humid environments that promote the growth of bacteria.