Unseasoned food

[ChangeAgainAgainAgain]

I've eaten at a few other people's houses in the last couple of months, and I've really noticed the absence of seasoning, and no salt or pepper mills on the table.

I grew up in the 80's, where salt was added in cooking to everything, so obviously it's great for health that we're no longer adding salt to vegetable water etc.

I don't generally add salt to cooking, but I always put salt and pepper mills on the table, and would generally add some to my plate.

I've recently been served meals such as grilled salmon, boiled baby potatoes, steamed veg, with no seasoning, no herbs, not even butter or EVOO on the potatoes. Or a roast dinner, no seasoning added in cooking at all, not even on the potatoes. No salt and pepper mills on the table. Honestly to me, these meals taste super bland.

Now, I'm an old fogie, and the people hosting me have been various ages, but all younger than me. Is this just how it is now? People's palates have changed?

So, AIBU to say that whilst not adding excessive salt in cooking is a great thing for health, it's normal/polite to have salt and pepper mills on the table?

IANBU - bring on the salt and pepper
IABU - times have changed. Cruet sets have no place in the modern world!

I put salt and pepper on most things and like well seasoned food.

This has made me think of my MiL though, I've been doing her shopping since covid and she's never once asked for salt and pepper and a small pack of oxo cubes appears to last months.

I think the world of her but her food is awful. 😅

Is she ruining the meal if that’s the way she prefers it?

I am very much in the salt to taste after cooking camp. Only add salt to pasta water for cooking, since that does make a difference, but it leeches out the vitamins in fresh veg (which I mainly steam as much as poss), use lots of fresh herbs, lemon juice etc. Happily season once served, sea salt and black pepper on the table, hot sauce too - but in a restaurant always taste first. Lots of my friends happily slather on the salt before ! Some places serve dishes so oversalted I can't eat them. Stopping smoking many moons ago definitely helped recover my palate, I very much oversalted when I was on the cigs. It was a revelation !

Reminds me of Goodness Gracious Me: “Going for an English”

“Bring me the blandest thing on the menu!”

I rarely add salt and pepper after cooking, it would be added during the cooking process. But maybe it depends on whether you heat food up (from a jar/frozen etc) or make sauces from scratch.

You’re quite right. It’s more how can she know it will be to her taste if she hasn’t gauged the base level of saltiness.

for example we will both order something with chips. I will taste one and decide if they need salt and often they are already plenty salty. She will just salt with abandon and then taste it and I can’t help but feel you could really ruin a plate of food that way as you can’t tremor the salt after.

Then why wouldn't you serve minced beef and onions in tomato sauce and let people put in their own chilli, coriander, cumin and herbs and call it a chilli con carne?
Cooking is chemical reactions. Salt does more than just change the taste in things.

Actually that would be better as chilli con carne is rank. (Although so is mince and tomato sauce). If someone is going to serve up something like that then I don’t imagine a bit of salt either way would make a difference.

But that’s what I’m curious about - with so many variations of herbs and spices that people use, who is to say what is ‘right’? What is ideal for one person is not for someone else and if you are cooking for someone, presumably you want them to enjoy it.

See, I don’t get that.

So they have spent ages preparing the food and you don’t even notice?

And you would eat something that tastes crap because enjoying it isn’t important and you are enjoying the ambience?

Seems fairly pointless going for a meal in that situation but maybe that’s just me 😀

You’d hate to eat at my house, I never use salt or pepper. I stopped eating salt before I was 10 because I didn’t like the taste. However, I have ARFID and can’t eat strong flavours - bland is best. That’s not to say I can’t taste the flavour of food though.

No, still don’t get it. You are grateful they pick the ingredients and cook for you but you don’t notice whether its any good? Do they know that? Because it seems a little insulting - why not just order a takeaway and save them the expense and time 🤣

‘Thanks for inviting me. The food that you spent ages planning, preparing and cooking was probably okay but I can’t say I really noticed.’🤣

I like pretty much all food but it isn't massively important to me. If someone invites me over and they have provided a 4 course, carefully crafted meal or a one pot one course meal or a takeaway or whatever I will almost certainly enjoy it all but not take that much notice of what I'm served.

I don't ask anyone to cook for me, I assume those that give invitations to dinner enjoy doing so. I can't make myself care more about food than I do ao I don't see how it could be rude to just enjoy it and be polite.

Maybe it’s me but I think that’s quite odd. Not being bothered about what’s served up even though it could be a two minute job or an all day task? Do you tell your friends that? Because most people wouldn’t bother doing anything with any effort in that case!

Oh yes, but I only use soy sauce in specific dishes. In fact I don’t use siracha, fish sauce, soy often.
More cinnamon, ginger, 5 spice, juniper and bay.
If there’s one salty ingredient, then I don’t use another. I wouldn’t salt a dish with cheese or bacon.
I don’t use stock cubes (salt) unless I’m desperate. I make stock from carcasses and veg scraps, no salt.

All spice is a great seasoning for meat. It’s incredible on pork shoulder or ham (obviously that’s already salted).

I hardly ever use actual salt, and am very conscious of it when eating out. Your palate just adjusts.

Wouldn't they? People talk a lot about loving cooking and hosting and I always appreciate when anyone has gone to lots of effort. Doesn't make it a significantly more or less pleasurable experience to eat though!

If I've ever been asked what I would like I've always been clear I am happy with anything and not to go to any trouble but if someone likes cooking and takes pleasure in providing I'm not going to put them off.

I would happily eat gourmet food from all round the world every night cooked by a private chef if it was an option. Or I could eat pasta and pesto every day for the next year and aside from the health implications not really be bothered.

They could save themselves the hassle - I would see that as a waste of food and ingredients and time if you don’t care about the food 🤣

Your friends must be fascinating 🤣