Knowledge Base > Char Nolan - Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)

Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)

Char Nolan - Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)

This event was on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 11:00 am Pacific, 2:00 pm Eastern

Join Chef Char Nolan in her virtual office as she welcomes all of your questions. This event was created for you and we encourage you to ask anything – from cooking techniques to cou… Read More.

Recorded

Question:

You mentioned that you don't use salt. Since Rouxbe, I am experimenting with salt as I layer. ie. making pasta, cooking beans, etc. What do you do?

— Jane Barnett

Answer:

Well, you know, it's funny that you've asked that because when I was a student at Rouxbe, uh, the majority of when I remembered, um, of my assignments began with this was an oil free assignment. I did not use salt. And, um, for the mo most part, everything worked beautifully. I had a very sticky looking, um, risotto because I think risotto probably needs to have, uh, you know, the, the oil to kind of make it jiggle on a plate, but I just cook without it. And it seems to work. And, you know, uh, if you go into, uh, flavors and how we develop flavors and how we surrender old ones, it takes about 21 days for your taste buds to change. So that's, uh, what I do. But, um, yeah, it's really funny, you know, 'cause sometimes, uh, we'll go out to eat or something and, uh, I'll say, I'll taste it and I'll say to my husband, oh, I can't eat this. I have to send it back. It's so salty. And he'll taste it and he'll say, oh, it tastes fine to me. So again, salt is an acquired taste, as is sugar. So, um, that's what I do. Yeah, and I also use a lot of lemons. You know, lemons, if you go back to the lemon assignment in the beginning, uh, your, your taste receptors, uh, for lemon and salt are on the same part of your tongue. So, uh, lemon flavors beautifully. And it's a wonderful way to also layer anything that you make. That's why at the end of the soup dish where it says, um, add, um, apple cider vinegar, that apple cider vinegar really lifts up the flavor.
Char Nolan

Char Nolan

Chef Instructor

@char_nolan