What I learned from this video is that there people who don’t like salt and/or salad dressing - and they walk among us largely undetected. Be careful out there!
A former boss of mine would literally eat a salad of fresh veggies with zero seasonings and love the taste. I was always amazed me because I couldn't do it...I have some sort of dressing!
I love dressing but not salt... I actually get dehydrated from not eating enough salt and have to remember to do a shot of pickle juice every now and then instead. I definitely do salt my food at appropriate times I just don't like to use as much as the recipe calls for.
yes i discovered long ago that when sauteeing onions, salting them as soon as they hit the pan makes them, and the entire dish, taste SO much better. there is a big difference when you give the salt time to pull out flavors from the onions rather than tossing it in at the end where it just sits on top of all the flavors and doesn't transform them.
Helen, so many people DO care about what you have to say about cooking! There are plenty of celebrity chefs with knife skills videos or meme "chefs" with their clickbait - but who taught me the science behind cooking skills? Who presented videos about the WHY behind knife sharpening angles, the details of the Maillard reaction, the differences among salts and salt substitutes? Who recommended a profound cooking book and presented real, practical cooking knowledge in an honest, approachable way? Helen did. And these are the things I use EVERY day in my cooking. The reason I can serve restaurant quality food to family and friends without being a trained chef is - primarily - because of Helen. So, please - keep doing what you do! You've made a difference in so many people's lives, and we all hope you get the views and admiration you deserve!💙
True of course but her point was more that she'd appreciate the money that comes from becoming a meme and getting millions of views, she wasn't expressing insecurity
The fact that people are giving praise and/or encouragement doesn't necessarily mean they missed her point. Some simply want to express appreciation for her unique talents and presentation - many of us value those more than memes, even if they don't generate as many views.
She really is a consummate educator. Not only does she really understand food, she has one of the most keen grasps of how to COMMUNICATE about her food knowledge that I have ever seen on TH-cam. Helen is absolutely a treasure.
This! I can't get my head around people who claim you can just salt your food at the table - it's a completely different experience from seasoning the food while cooking in proper order.
It depends on the permeability of the food. If the salt is going to just sit on the surface it doesn't matter when you do it. And there are some of us, who aren't salt-a-holics, who can taste the natural saltiness of foods.
@@bjones9942 to a certain extent. I like to dry brine my steaks by salting them and letting them sit in the fridge overnight. The salt draws out excess water and permeates into the steak and makes it all just s it should be. I also reverse sear my steaks, and I find the combination completely delightful. It often doesn't really need anything else at all.
@@adedow1333 There is no 'as it should be'. Every single person has their own likes, and dislikes - and bodies can be widely different in the way their senses work. I'm not a salt fan, nor do I like sugar. Umami on the other hand - give that to me as much as you can. I frequently use MSG instead of table salt because that's what I prefer. Do I think you should do it too? No.
The general positive vibe of Helen’s channel: Don’t be afraid of cooking! You can do it! Helen 5 seconds into this video: “First, we need to discuss the mathematical property of commutativity.”
And she finishes with "please make fun of me, more people will see it and I can take it. More hate means more $$$." Not gona lie, I love the cockyness of that while also being a very very humble person.
A margarita seems like a great example of this principle. Lot's of bartenders will add a pinch of salt to an acidic cocktail to make the flavors 'pop,' with the understanding that a small amount of salt in a drink won't make the drink taste 'salty.' In a margarita, you WANT the drink to taste salty - so you put the salt on the rim instead of in the drink, and the salt hits your palate first.
@@bunnyfrosting1744 Lots of reasons! Salt has an effect on your taste buds that tends to fire them up, and hitting your tongue with some salt just before hitting it with the drink can open your palate up to subtle flavors that might otherwise be hard to pick out. It also gets your salivary glands flowing, making cocktails with a salted rim literally mouth-watering. Finally, salt has a tendency to play down bitter flavors, while playing up sweet ones, and not overly impacting sour ones. So in a drink with lime - a citrus known to have some strong bitter notes compared to, say, lemons or oranges - it can actually help pull all the best qualities of the fruit forward.
Thank you, as a trained chemist, I can assure you that you are making total sense here. I really appreciate the way way you explain commutative properties as applied to food, and you gave me a lot to think about in my own cooking. Food is more than mere fuel for our bodies; it’s how we show we care for others, it’s a gift we give ourselves after a long day, and it should always be delicious even if it’s just a simple green vegetable or starch. You helped me think about how to best season my food and to consider which tastes I want to emphasize (salt, sour, bitter, sweet, umami) for each item.
Not a personal attack but this culture of "as a *insert profession or major here*, this is totally right/wrong" pisses me off so damn much no reason whatsoever just pure anger and hatred for this particular sentence it boils my blood
@@ghhhhhhhhhh it's because it comes off as pretentious. I'm a professional. Listen to this person. See I'm smart. They're smart. Its kind of showing off your own personal skills to verify someone else. But there's 0 proof of it either on the internet. So it holds no merit. In the real world.. people don't say "I'm a chemist" they would know because they'd be in a lab with other chemists or a conference etc. No need to announce it.
@@ghhhhhhhhhh it’s really irritating when the profession they state has nothing to do with their opinion, being a trained chemist adds no validity to an opinion about food. If they said “I’m a trained chef” it would be perfectly reasonable.
@@KamisatoElias I get what Petty is trying to say but food is science it's chemistry so the op just wanted to say she makes sense especially explaining it with mathematical properties because that's how science works and life is just mathematical.
@@ghhhhhhhhhh I get what you meant. When I was younger I kinda used that card here in yt because people are doing it (although I'm not sure if I have ever did lol). Sometimes you need an expert to verify someone but not the way "as a doctor/scientists etc". People have phrased it on a wrong way, and making it as an excuse for boasting and that makes it irritating. When I'm trying to back up someone or share some information I just go straight to the details that I want to add on to make a strong discussion and to spark other people to be interested with the topic. The OP could've just eliminate their profession and just explain it with some details.
This matters in sandwiches too; the order of fillings in a sandwich matters. The texture of those fillings matters nearly as much as the flavour, because those textures and the order in which the flavour arrives *determines* the taste. In other words, the physical layering and arrangement of foods is not unimportant!
I agree, and would add that the thickness of the layers is a part of this too: I discovered that if I have a sandwich with slices of cheese, I prefer the taste of the sandwich more when the cheese is very thinly sliced. Same amount of cheese ... so for example, 2 thin slices instead of 1 thicker slice. The 2 slices can even be one on top of the other. So somehow, it is still better. Not sure I know why there is a difference.
Rich, I suck at making sandwiches and I always get this feeling like I'm not stacking in the right order. Can you please help me and tell me some tips that you use for sandwich stacking order? Thanks.
@@mynamewhatis7254 Using general categories and obviously accepting that you may or may not use all of them: Bread, then lubricant (butter, mayo, other sauces/dressings), salad, cheese, main filling, then repeat backwards to the other side. What happens is that you taste the bread first, then the fillings roughly in order. The main filling is the last to be tasted, but since it's usually the strongest taste, it doesn't dominate over the others this way because you've already tasted them; the flavour is then additive.
Helen is playing fire with a Dangerous Ragusea Meme. Some say Adam has never recovered, even after his move to Tennessee via the Meme Protection Scheme.
Honestly this video was a game changer- I made my own dressing with a pinch of salt as the recipe didn't include it, and followed the steps, heavy veg then gently fold into greens until coated. My partner who is a junk food lover tasted it, and said he could eat as a main meal for dinner, literally polished the bowl off. One of the best food experiences I've ever had 😭 Will be making way more salad and actually really enjoying it not just 'eating it because its okay and healthy'
I think this works for adding sugar to things, too. Growing up, my mom would make iced tea and add the sugar, lemon juice and a few drops of mint extract while it was still warm. Tasted great. But when we'd go to restaurants and (back in the day of dinosaurs, I guess) ordered iced tea, sweetened was throwing in a packet of sugar instead of them doing it. I hated it because I could taste each component part instead of that nice blending. I just got used to having unsweetened iced tea (maybe with a squeeze of lemon) and forewent the sugar. Which I am glad of now as I've been cutting way back on sugar these days.
I’m gonna take a wild guess that your mom is either from the South or someone from the South taught her how to make sweet tea correctly (I know you’re not in the South cause sweet tea Seoul’s already be available, the only people who drink unsweetened tea are those who like it, like me, and we are few and far between, and diabetics who add sweet n low). 🤷🏻♀️
@@TheBLGL It would have to be someone had taught her because she was definitely not from the South and her parents were immigrants from eastern Europe many a decades ago. (And I'd tried artificial sweeteners in cold iced tea and it was never any different than sugar in cold iced tea. Isolated tastes mixed together.) Not sure who it was, as I'd never known her to make it any differently my whole life.
You can always make a simple syrup to sweeten tea when cold. Using a simple syrup to sweeten will give the same results as sweetening when the tea is warm.
The main difference is that when adding sugar to hot tea, the sugar dissolves and incorporates evenly. If you use a liquid sweetener, like simple syrup, as David Lee mentioned, you can get that well-incorporated sweetness in cold tea. Also, I find Splenda incorporates way more easily into liquids, but the flavor is not the same. To my palate, it's brighter and less cloying, but I know it's not to all tastes.
As always, basically a perfect breakdown. This woman is really a marvel, with what is by a very long way the best cooking channel on TH-cam, and I regret not having discovered her sooner than I did. I've been cooking at home (and occasionally professionally) for a couple of decades now, and what's amazing is that even when I'm fully confident that I know a subject inside and out, I'll watch a video of hers anyway, because she brings such a delightful freshness to everything. I'm also a teacher, and I can say that a lot of the magic in what she does really comes down to her manner. She's extremely pleasant and enjoyable to spend time "with," as well as being extremely efficient and self-assured with her lessons. This is a rare and precious combination of traits among teachers, as anybody will remember from their time as a student. Thanks, Hellen, for all the time well spent! I sincerely hope you go viral :)
I very much prefer her teaching style over the rapid fire delivery, assault on the senses style that's so popular these days. I could just listen for hours to her calm, concise, to the point explanations.
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏: Master Chef 👩🍳/ Master Baker 👩🍳 Helen Rennie, thank you: again, Master Chef 👩🍳/ Master Baker 👩🍳 Helen Rennie, thank you
Greetings:,alleluia amen 🙏: Love ❤️, Enormous Hug 🤗: Be very, very, very safe, wishing you a pleasant afternoon, a fabulous evening ahead , a great 👍 night’s sleep 😴 and a wonderful day to follow tomorrow!
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏 ( fwiw) I purchased some low sodium salt 🧂 and , after a few weeks I noticed the I had lost weight as ( most likely) I was retaining less water 💦. Is low sodium 🧂 salt useful ?
It makes sense. Salt makes everything taste like more of itself. So adding it after the lemon, for example, would give us a more lemony flavor while also helping us detect some of the lemon sweetness and cutting the sourness. I like to add a small pinch of salt and every step instead of adding it all in one part or all at the end as most recipes direct.
always thought recipes where the result of years of testing, improving, changing etc. never thought about the order of for instance seasoning. Thank you for opening this window and allowing me to widen my view.
Thank you for this, it proves something that I’ve been experimenting with because I have to be on a low, low salt diet. I have category two diastolic heart failure, and I must keep my salt intake from every source down to about 25% of a normal daily dose. Can’t say that I always make it but I do try. Sometimes there are foods that you have to salt or you’re just not going to eat them, but if I do salt them I will end up gaining several pounds in 24 hours if I do. Water that is. And most of it will go into my lungs. So I have to be very very careful. Believe me, bland diet‘s make it very difficult to eat anything at all. So I’ve started taking a pinch of sea salt and dropping a few grains on top of my serving. When I take a spoonful of rice and sauce or something with noodles and sauce, or on ite of a steak, or a chop, the first thing to hit my tongue is salt. It is a microscopic amount of salt compared to what would be in the dish if I salted the dish beforehand or put a salted sauce on top of the meat. But because I’ve put just a few grains of sea salt on top, just like a pretzel, my entire mouth now feels very salty. And since I’ve been on a low salt diet for a couple of years now, believe me it’s easy for me to taste salt and so I do not need much. Thanks for validating what I’m doing. I love your videos.
that sounds like it would be so hard to maintain. but you're doing such a good job, figuring out this way to have that little bit of salt to make it bearable! we still have to find a way to live, after all! all the best to you
@@dukington101 Excuse me? Why are you mentioning sugar, this is all about salt. This is not about sugar in anyway. Sugar has nothing to do with this. It has nothing to do with my heart condition at all. It’s about my kidneys and the process of the kidneys measuring how much blood volume you have and deciding whether or not to retain water and salt depending on your blood volume. When you have autonomic nervous system disorders that mess with your blood pressure, an enlarged heart with a thick wall, and it doesn’t know how to relax, so you end up with a really strong heart that pumps really hard but doesn’t know how to relax so it doesn’t fill up completely with blood, so your blood volume will drop and your kidneys begin to retain both salt and water. It stashes it in your lungs, in your feet, ankles, legs, arms, belly, face, neck, and even your back.. This has nothing to do with sugar in any shape or form. If I eat a ton of sugar or no sugar at all it would not change a single thing about my heart condition Or my water retention.. So why are you bringing up sugar?
@@jennifermorrison4363 thank you, and yes it is extraordinarily difficult, and depressing. But it’s more depressing to gain anywhere from half a pound to two or 3 pounds overnight because you had salt, or you drink too much fluid. That’s another part of the struggle, it’s not just cutting back the salt you also have to drink less than 2 L of water a day. That part is maddening. I’m going to Stanford University cardiology department because I have been doing a great deal of studying about my condition and I am not being treated properly from what I can see. Basically if I do not get the rest of this water off it will kill me within the next year or two. So with that hanging over your neck at all times cutting back the salt isn’t as hard as you think. But yeah like you said you have to live, because unrelenting drudgery is not a life.
@@LiluBob wow, that's awful. I hope you get answers soon, and the treatment you deserve. It must be so hard trying to live like that. I feel for you hunny, my heart goes out to you. Stanford sounds like the best place to go, such a high standard and good reputation. Goodness....hang in there love. Keep fighting, keep asking questions until you get real answers. I have a complex medical issue of my own and I know how frustrating and infuriating it can be dealing with healcare systems. Never give up, the right doctor is around the corner.
I remember seeing in Nik Sharma's "The Flavour Equation" that adding acidity before salt enhances our perception of the latter when we are doing final seasoning, leading us to use less of it.
Forget liking and subscribing! When it comes to the bottom-line on TH-cam, ridicule is much more effective than praise. Wow Helen, this has to be an all time classic. Greetings to you from India. For a regular baker and an irregular chef like me, folks like you are my Michelin star teachers. Thanks for all that you do.
@@rini9325 The OP (original Post) said “Forget liking and subscribing. Riducule is much (Bottom-line) much more effective than praise”, so I was just trying to help! 👍. I fully agree that Chef Hellen is an excellent teacher as well as a very lovely and charming young lady! A+++++
I can't ridicule such an amazing chef!! Thank you for your personable teaching. I'm a very experienced cook, and yet I always learn something new from you!! Keep it up, and you'll soon be viral! 🙂
Helen you are absolutely a delight and I am grateful I found your channel today. I take this concept a step further- I like to consider which side of the food will end up facing my tongue vs the roof of my mouth . For example, I arrange my next spoonful before putting it in my mouth such that sauces go on the spoon first and then pile the food on top. This guarantees that the maximum amount of sauce is tasted before getting swallowed. In the same vein: we don't appreciate how much flavor you miss out on if you just swallow food quickly without letting it touch the tastebuds. It *really* makes a difference. Anyway, I LOVE to find someone who thinks so deeply about food. I feel less weird!
Omg this makes so much sense! I think this is exactly why when I eat street tacos in Mexico and add some spicy sauce and lime, they always need a little bit of salt at the top (even though the meat in the tacos is already salted and seasoned). I've been doing that since I was a kid and many people here do it as well. It always puzzled me. Great explanation!
Hi Helen! I noticed unintentional pun in the beginning of your video ☺️ Adam: “Why I season my board and not my steak” Helen: “Well I’m not on board with that”
Helen, I’m on the west coast, wishing I could take one of your classes, in person. I love your videos. Every time I watch them I learn something new. Seasoning, properly, is something I love learning about. It’s the difference between being a passable cook and an excellent one. It takes any dish up a notch. Thank you for persevering!
@Helen Rennie I made your small container liver pate last weekend. It was the best liver pate I have ever made. The recipe is a keeper for me now. Thanks for making the video’s you make. I wish I could make it to Boston to take a class in person.
@@helenrennie to prove your point, the order in drinking tequila the ritual way is licking the pinch of salt, shooting the tequila and only then closing with the lemon.
Ethan Chelbowski and Pro Home Cooks did a recent video on spices and herbs. For the serious home cook I think it is a fantastic intro into the idea of flavor profiles evolving with heat. I feel like this video is in the same vein. Adding acid at the beginning of the cooking process cuts almost all of the brightness, adding it at the end keeps most of it, adding it on the plate doesn’t keeps all of it. Same with salt. The process steps, order of operations, and timing are what I find take my cooking from good to great using the exact same recipe and ingredients.
I like what Adam has to say in general about broad topics, but I appreciate the detail work that you have about fine tuning. I remember specifically running into that warping baking sheet phenomenon and being so confused by it until I watched your video on it!
Thank you for the clarity here! I'm really having a "makes sense and is logical", but coming up with it is not that easy. It's also a good explanation on why Salt and Pepper added on the table is much more "potent", it kind of "coats" the outer layer of the food, making contact with your tastebuds, instead of being mixed up in the food.
Yup, try it with half fry egg. Salt the runny egg yolk in pan and off pan. The former taste like saltiness with/inside yolk while the latter like literally yolk and granule of salt (and a bit of yolk smell).
Been cooking since I was a young child, and have even done so in a restaurant setting. There is some very obvious but clearly overlooked insight in this video, thank you for the wisdom, I subbed and look forward to watching more of your videos!
Helen, sooner or later your channel is going to go viral, the content is just too good! Most people are looking for soundbytes, but there is a contingent that is looking for real information, well presented. I predict 6 months. Just keep doing what you're doing. And thank you.
Just stumbled on you now, I love how you understand the algorithm and dont take yourself too seriously. BUT, more than that I think you really go into the subject in a very thoughtful way. You're clearly speaking from experience, but I love that you seem willing to question your preconceptions. All of it together makes your video very enjoyable and incredibly informative. Huge fan of what I just saw.
What an amazing video! In Australia I am often served a 'naked' salad, one without dressing. The dressing is put on the side, and it never does seasons well. I also have found that I seem to add salt, acid and the salt again. I will continue to do that, but now I know why. A million thank yous for all I've learned from you over the years.
I learned from my glancing contact with recipes for Indian cooking that the order in which seasonings are applied has a big influence on the final enjoyment of a dish.
This was actually quite interesting! I eat a salad for dinner 3 or 4 times a week (these are actually a whole meal with protein and everything, mostly tuna fish). I have noticed that saltiness and acidity vary greatly from one salad to the next, and I have wondered more than once if the order of the ingredients (I season with olive oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar and salt) was actually important. I alway ended up thinking that those variations in taste were mostly due to "eyeballing" the seasoning. I will make sure I add the salt as the last ingredient because sometimes it surprises me that I seem to need to add much more salt than others in order to hit the desired level of saltiness.
Yes. My dad loved salt, which my mom wanted him to eat less of. To him, salting at the table was always necessary. She would salt while cooking and get angry that he salted at the table. She said it wasn't needed because she'd salted it while cooking. Honestly, I constantly suggested she just stop salting his food when she cooked it and let him do his thing at the table.
I am in a college dorm with no means of cooking at all and I still watched this video. I sent it to my parents. Hopefully it’ll circulate through those cooking circles!!
I remember accidentally discovering my personal favorite salad dressing - freshly squeezed lemon juice with salt. At some point, I realized that for me, lemon juice and salt need to be mixed beforehand and then mixed into the salad together - any other use of those two ingredients just didn't work as well for me.
I like to replace a spoonful of the vinegar for soy sauce in my vinaigrettes for a similar effect. Preferably tamari, the full-soy stuff so it's still acidic/harsh. Shoyu, the soy sauce most Americans are used to, is actually more wheat than soy because it makes for a much less harsh final product. I love shoyu but when I want that vinegar bite tamari works better.
I don’t think ridicule is a good thing. What is great is the ridiculous amount of knowledge and competence you manage to pack into your lessons. It’s very much appreciated! 🥰🥰🥰
Helen, your videos are full of info, very detailed, and very trustworthy. Your explanations are priceless and your voice is very soothing. You have a wonderful channel and a captivating style of teaching and showing us recipes. I hope you get the recognition you deserve. Any chance you'll have more online classes anytime soon?
Helen asking for ridicule over subscribers is EXACTLY what convinced me to subscribe! Love the fact that I've found a new channel to devour all the foodie facts ❤️❤️
Hey, thanks! Great concepts that helped me understand why a piece of lamb I cooked recently marinated and afterwards basted in hand-chopped salsa Verde needed that much extra salt when it hit the table. Cottage cooking is always a challenge when you don't have the tools you're used to. Still fun of course!
Getting into learning to cook on my own as I was always the sous chef to my parents and just happened to stumble upon your channel! Definitely going to go watch your other videos :) you give such a calm energy that is especially preferred to the showy, all in your face chefs that I frequently see
I don't learn recipes, I learn techniques and concepts. I like videos like these where I don't learn so much how to cook such and such, but concepts I can translate to everything I cook
This is how I cook too. I learn flavor combinations and techniques. Then, when I cook, I pull things that I currently have in my cupboard to try to make an interesting dish. I cannot memorize recipes but I can remember approximations of proportions, what foods and spices go together, and go from there.
Thank you for a really good discussion of seasoning food. I learned to season early, like at the beginning of a cook so salt blends well. These cooking show on tv always bother me when they insist something isn’t seasoned because they can’t taste the salt. I agree with you, salting properly done enhances flavors but doesn’t stand out on its own.
Oh man! I haven’t even watched it yet, but just by the title I imagine this topic is about a lesson I also just recently learned! Is it about how you should wait to season until after you’ve added your acids? Because that definitely is a lesson I learned recently in my salsa verde. Let’s find out! ::Edit:: Oh wow. A lot more content than I had imagined. Well, towards the beginning of your video you did allude to my thoughts : I have recently learned that you can’t try to nail down the salt seasoning without also adding the acid. The acid acts like such a flavor-enhancer that its little buddy salt can’t shine without it. I was making salsa verde and I kept adding more and more salt and it just wasn’t popping. And once I added some acid, BOOM! The salt was more pronounced than I had intended, and I realized my error. I have also made the same mistake with other sauces, even hollandaise. I would adjust the salt until it was just right, and then once I added the acid, all of a sudden the salt was overpowering because the acid kind of amplified it. So now my own rule is that if a liquid component of a dish is going to be driven both by acid and salt, I like to adjust the acid first and then dial in the salt, in that order.
I am sorry Helen. I could never ridicule someone who has taught me so much, inspired and amused me so effectively and generously. A truly gifted teacher, who makes the world a better place for those lucky enough to witness.
Please don't ever stop talking about the real art of cooking and seasoning. You have genuine good knowledge about cooking culinary skills that should be acknowledged and not just degraded to memes. I wish you the absolute best in your life and journey.❤️
What I like to do is, if I'm making an ensemble of veggies like corn + peas or potatoes + beans, I will cook the salt/acid into one of them more than the other. I like to have my flavors not all integrated with each other, so that lets me cook the seasoning properly into the food, without making a uniformly-seasoned result. So I can have some bites that pop more with one seasoning than another, and then take another bite that shines on a different dimension of the seasoning than the first. It might be a little evil, because it plays with addiction and reward-seeking trying to find that perfect bite again, but I like it. But, I also like to add a splash of vinegar right before I eat (especially on top of a bowl of soup) -- which you specifically discourage in this video, so I'm not sure how much others like that kind of effect!
I love adding vinegar or lemon juice to things before eating, so it's the first, strongest flavor I notice! But I think I tend to prefer strong flavors in general and most people don't seem to enjoy the same amount of acidity I do.
in the last few minutes of this video this lady just took TH-cam to a whole new level. she said forget about liking and subscribing the bottom line is ridicule. how incredibly succinct and aware haha wow
I hope you don't go chasing the numbers like some of the other TH-cam cooks out there (skater dude, puppy eye dude, guy with his shirt off, rich and almost bored lady) as well as some of the established chefs (with too many minute changes to the same 6 dishes). Your credibility is impeccable. Your direct style, with some pretty funny asides, is very engaging to me.
Great vid! I always appreciate your vids because you explain your thought process. That is more important than ratios, measurements, or recipes. It helps develop an idea of how ingredients work together.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, and I'm hooked. Your demeanor, your depth-of-knowledge, your communication style are all wonderfully honed. (As a bonus, I got some incedental ASMR from this!) Thank you for sharing your wisdom, and yes, people do care about what you say.
I love the intersection of mathematics and food. Very interesting concept! I think this explains why I dislike some vinaigrettes. Might need to rethink my dressing application. Thank you Helen!
TH-cam algorithm wants entertainment, not useful information. Don't bother yourself. Praise us with the good content that is what matters. I love cooking and that was truly a new concept for me. I usually mix all the ingredients in the meat and let it rest for one hour or less and then cook/fry it. I'll try different seasonings. Thank you.
Helen, this is really profound. I've watched some of your videos before but this came up completely randomly as a youtube suggestion. Some thoughts on this: chemists know that reactions happen faster when reacting surface is increased (reactions only occur when reagents are in contact, so only on the surface, unless it's liquids or gases). A few flakes of salt on the tongue give a far greater concentration vs. salt dissolved in lemon juice or vinegar and spread out. I think this is well illustrated with large salt crystals on top of pretzels (I can only imagine how nasty it would be to just add the same amount into the dough). It's better to get a few intensely flavored morsels on the palate, rather than a whole bunch of intensely salty everything. I think that's why large shavings of parmiggiano in a salad work better than grated powder of parmesan. And really, it's why kosher (flaky) salt is better than "table salt" (tiny crystals) for finishing (in soup or sauce it makes no difference). Using coarser salt is a way to consume less salt while not getting less salty taste. Back when sugar was in short supply, in Russia there was a concept of "чай с сахаром вприкуску" - instead of dissolving a spoon or three of sugar in one's tea, one would gnaw on a little cube of sugar along with their tea, enjoying a similar sweetness, while using less of the precious sugar (I've only read about this in books). I would also guess that squeezing a lemon over salted food washes away some of the salt. Which is why when I'm using a bit of oil, vinegar, Worcestershire or citrus on a roast or steaks, I apply all the liquid, then the salt and dry rub, so it sticks to the liquid. But then, if it's a full submersion, like brining a turkey, then it doesn't matter. I like salting (kosher or coarse salt) a cut of meat before cooking. Salt draws to the surface water-soluble proteins, which help with the crust. I've heard plenty of matter-of-fact assertions, like "salt dries out meat" and that it should only be salted after cooking. Obviously that's not true, I rarely ever end up with dry meat, usually if I wasn't attentive to timing. Not sure how anyone can "hate salt" - it's an essential nutrient and a taste we naturally crave. There's nothing else in nature that replaces it. But yes, too much salt would be repulsive. Loved the video. Sorry, I don't do ridicule, so I write lengthy comments instead ;)
Helen, have you considered that you're too effective of a teacher for the algorithm? You're videos and clean, clear, and so well scaffolded. Right now, you are probably hitting close to 100% on-topic, the whole video. Maybe it's time to consider an 80/20 off-topic/on-topic or even a 50/50 and pepper the videos with 2-3 sponsored ads and only release as youtube shorts... I'm kidding, I hope the algorithm blesses you without having to change. I know I have appreciated your lessons and presence over the course of the pandemic, so thank you.
@@bluejar5614 weirdo comment and just extremely wrong her not being your cup of tea doesn't mean its an universal truth of the universe i find her to be lovely
It is worth considering that the youtube algo can and will change in future. Quality content will not. probably small consolation for your bottom line right now, but i would not be surprised if you tube started to prioritize 'throwback' videos in its algorithm. especially for content that is timeless (like cooking). keep up the good work!
@@taxicabbuffet Adam Ragusea has a certain style which probably appeals very much to Americans (citizens of the USA), which is convenient, because Americans are the prime demographic of TH-cam last time I checked. Not to disparage his work ethic and talent/s, just saying. When I show him to friends they say "this guy is really American"; again, that's not a bad thing, but just an observation.
@@mrbouncelol I love ragusea to death but yea 100% if I had to guess why he's much bigger than Helen despite both producing consistent quality content I'd say it's Adam's ocasional gold mine recipe ie brownies pizza etc there's a bigger base line in cooking knowledge or interest required for Helen imo
💯 points Helen! I discovered it and never researched for the grounds of how the ingredients add when cooking. Coincidentally last weekend I was trying to expain this to someone, I will share your video with them.
Can't express how much autenticity I felt in this video! This is not somenthing I have been getting from youtube recently and I would love to tell you I appreciatted a lot! :)
This is so interesting! It also reminds me a lot of drinking culture, like where you lick salt and citrus before a shot of tequila, or use a salt/zest/sugar rim on a cocktail or highball glass. First impressions matter
I am very glad the Algorithm recommended one of Helen’s videos to me a few months ago. The quality of the editing, the recipes and techniques, the dry humor… She should really have more views and subs!! Now she’ll have to get the other 2 Adam memes under her belt (white wine and chicken vinegar on the right)!
To My Fellow Cooks, Note: the following is an email I sent to my friends and fellow cooks: Although this video contains some complex explanations, I have to send it to you because I am in it. When she talks about a student she had last year that she will refer to as Harold, that Harold is actually me. The photo she shows is the photo of my salad that I made while attending her class, and sent the photo to her. Ha! (And Helen, I’m totally cool with you sharing this.) It truly was a good wake up call for me although you guys may have known this from the get-go. The resolution in my case was never to drizzle dressing on top of a salad. Rather, I was to dress it. That is, to mix the dressing in a bowl, add the salad, and lift it with my fingers so that it would be evenly distributed among the ingredients. Makes a big difference! “Confessing your sins one to another” has some advantages. For one, it makes me a bit more humble, and secondly may be of benefit to those who learn from my mistakes. So have a laugh on me. And, thank you Helen. I always learn from you.
Hi Harold! So cool of you to comment. Mistakes are nothing to laugh at. That's how we learn. And if it helps someone else learn, that's even more cool. It was an absolute pleasure to have you in my class and I hope our paths cross again :)
@@JuniperBoy True, but I usually make salad for 3 days. And some people like more dressing than others. If the initial taste of the dressing is not enjoyable, maybe the dressing could be improved?
@@JuniperBoy - I understand and agree with what both you and N7Mith are saying. My workaround, which is basically just a coincidence, is that my 'go to' lettuce is Romain, which not only lasts longer than most in the fridge, but even dressed, lasts pretty well to the next day. Noticing that, I now add additions to a salad, after the lettuce is dressed, usually. Seems to work best for me, regarding leftover salad, which sometimes happens.
This is an awesome video!!!! Normally people do a lot of pointless babbling about nothing related to the topic of the video, but this whole video is just straight, useful facts!
Got Covid last month and my taste buds are still way wacked. Food now tastes horrible to the point that I have to force myself to eat in order to get nutrition. My salad is now run through a blender so I can just drink it down instead of having to tolerating the awful flavors I taste. I ate some chicken liver the other day and did sense a liver taste. Hopefully my taste bud sensations are coming back. Luv your videos!
I love how you noticed that the order affects taste! I have always found that to be true. I am very particular about it. Even which side of a cracker faces upward in an appetizer can greatly affect the outcome. Thank you! As a sidenote-- Covid-19 has recently amplified salt and sugar for my daughter. So I wonder if that affected your students as well?
This is the video that first introduced me to your channe a few weeks agol. Since then I've been binging your videos every day! I'm not even much of a cook but I find your content so engaging and relaxing to watch, and I've learned so much about cooking. Keep making great videos!
I found this fascinating! The seasoning contemplation is great, more stuff like that! Screw TH-cam! Speaking of such things, I find nothing more upsetting in restaurants than undersalted french fries. Appealing to the lowest common denominator or maybe just being afraid of complaints (or just lack of skill), results in my having to compensate by salting the cooled fries myself, which doesn't adhere to them, but rather mostly spills down to the bottom of my plate, so that the bottom layer of my fries are invariably inedibly salty. A pet peeve for sure.
sorry -- I don't have a wok. Nothing against them, I just don't know much about Asian cooking. Kenji is the king of woks. He has a new book out about wok cooking.
Excellent, thank you. When I was a young bride instructions were to add oil and toss / mix, then add vinegar and toss / mix, can’t remember when to add seasonings.
What I learned from this video is that there people who don’t like salt and/or salad dressing - and they walk among us largely undetected. Be careful out there!
Hahahahaha
Exactly! Who doesn't like salt?!
depends on which kind of salad dressing
A former boss of mine would literally eat a salad of fresh veggies with zero seasonings and love the taste. I was always amazed me because I couldn't do it...I have some sort of dressing!
I love dressing but not salt... I actually get dehydrated from not eating enough salt and have to remember to do a shot of pickle juice every now and then instead. I definitely do salt my food at appropriate times I just don't like to use as much as the recipe calls for.
yes i discovered long ago that when sauteeing onions, salting them as soon as they hit the pan makes them, and the entire dish, taste SO much better. there is a big difference when you give the salt time to pull out flavors from the onions rather than tossing it in at the end where it just sits on top of all the flavors and doesn't transform them.
It also pulls out excess water and allows them to caramelize! Yum!
Me too! I love her recipe for it, easy.
Am
I also always add a pinch of salt to onions at the beginning to make them moist, I can always add more later
this is the trick of indian moms everywhere, the complexity of the dish doesn't just come from the spices!
Helen, so many people DO care about what you have to say about cooking! There are plenty of celebrity chefs with knife skills videos or meme "chefs" with their clickbait - but who taught me the science behind cooking skills? Who presented videos about the WHY behind knife sharpening angles, the details of the Maillard reaction, the differences among salts and salt substitutes? Who recommended a profound cooking book and presented real, practical cooking knowledge in an honest, approachable way?
Helen did. And these are the things I use EVERY day in my cooking. The reason I can serve restaurant quality food to family and friends without being a trained chef is - primarily - because of Helen.
So, please - keep doing what you do! You've made a difference in so many people's lives, and we all hope you get the views and admiration you deserve!💙
Can I ask what the book was that she recommended? Thanks in advance
@@shinny4070 th-cam.com/video/j1-bkvCj9vg/w-d-xo.html
@@ic3fang thank you
True of course but her point was more that she'd appreciate the money that comes from becoming a meme and getting millions of views, she wasn't expressing insecurity
The fact that people are giving praise and/or encouragement doesn't necessarily mean they missed her point. Some simply want to express appreciation for her unique talents and presentation - many of us value those more than memes, even if they don't generate as many views.
Wow, that metaphor about serving a cake with vanilla extract on the side was a great way to wrap my head about this lesson. You're brilliant!
It really was. I thought she was going to say icing and when she said extract i was like “daaaang now i get it”
It was a brilliant analogy, even though I pretty much completely disagree with her about my salad. (I'm not a culinary expert, btw!)
She really is a consummate educator. Not only does she really understand food, she has one of the most keen grasps of how to COMMUNICATE about her food knowledge that I have ever seen on TH-cam.
Helen is absolutely a treasure.
brb gotta season some popcorn for this one
How are you so fast and so on point?
cant say i expected this crossover, but it's making me want to add some pomegranate molasses to my french toasted pizza
Love your videos, man!
NO. you stop watching TH-cam and go make me more content!!!
ahh so this channel is how you're so big brained...
This! I can't get my head around people who claim you can just salt your food at the table - it's a completely different experience from seasoning the food while cooking in proper order.
I have heard this one from chefs with a degree :D
It depends on the permeability of the food. If the salt is going to just sit on the surface it doesn't matter when you do it. And there are some of us, who aren't salt-a-holics, who can taste the natural saltiness of foods.
@@bjones9942 to a certain extent. I like to dry brine my steaks by salting them and letting them sit in the fridge overnight. The salt draws out excess water and permeates into the steak and makes it all just s it should be. I also reverse sear my steaks, and I find the combination completely delightful. It often doesn't really need anything else at all.
@@adedow1333 There is no 'as it should be'. Every single person has their own likes, and dislikes - and bodies can be widely different in the way their senses work. I'm not a salt fan, nor do I like sugar. Umami on the other hand - give that to me as much as you can. I frequently use MSG instead of table salt because that's what I prefer. Do I think you should do it too? No.
Some people are idiots.
The general positive vibe of Helen’s channel: Don’t be afraid of cooking! You can do it!
Helen 5 seconds into this video: “First, we need to discuss the mathematical property of commutativity.”
And she finishes with "please make fun of me, more people will see it and I can take it. More hate means more $$$." Not gona lie, I love the cockyness of that while also being a very very humble person.
A margarita seems like a great example of this principle. Lot's of bartenders will add a pinch of salt to an acidic cocktail to make the flavors 'pop,' with the understanding that a small amount of salt in a drink won't make the drink taste 'salty.' In a margarita, you WANT the drink to taste salty - so you put the salt on the rim instead of in the drink, and the salt hits your palate first.
Why would you want alcohol to taste salty?!
@@bunnyfrosting1744 thats the equivalent of saying why would you want a cake to taste sour, when lemon flavoured cakes exist
@@bunnyfrosting1744 Lots of reasons! Salt has an effect on your taste buds that tends to fire them up, and hitting your tongue with some salt just before hitting it with the drink can open your palate up to subtle flavors that might otherwise be hard to pick out. It also gets your salivary glands flowing, making cocktails with a salted rim literally mouth-watering. Finally, salt has a tendency to play down bitter flavors, while playing up sweet ones, and not overly impacting sour ones. So in a drink with lime - a citrus known to have some strong bitter notes compared to, say, lemons or oranges - it can actually help pull all the best qualities of the fruit forward.
@@bunnyfrosting1744 alcohol can taste really sweet + "hot"
I hate salt on my margaritas. It's gross and ruins the whole thing
Thank you, as a trained chemist, I can assure you that you are making total sense here. I really appreciate the way way you explain commutative properties as applied to food, and you gave me a lot to think about in my own cooking. Food is more than mere fuel for our bodies; it’s how we show we care for others, it’s a gift we give ourselves after a long day, and it should always be delicious even if it’s just a simple green vegetable or starch. You helped me think about how to best season my food and to consider which tastes I want to emphasize (salt, sour, bitter, sweet, umami) for each item.
Not a personal attack but this culture of "as a *insert profession or major here*, this is totally right/wrong" pisses me off so damn much no reason whatsoever just pure anger and hatred for this particular sentence it boils my blood
@@ghhhhhhhhhh it's because it comes off as pretentious.
I'm a professional. Listen to this person. See I'm smart. They're smart.
Its kind of showing off your own personal skills to verify someone else.
But there's 0 proof of it either on the internet. So it holds no merit.
In the real world.. people don't say "I'm a chemist" they would know because they'd be in a lab with other chemists or a conference etc. No need to announce it.
@@ghhhhhhhhhh it’s really irritating when the profession they state has nothing to do with their opinion, being a trained chemist adds no validity to an opinion about food.
If they said “I’m a trained chef” it would be perfectly reasonable.
@@KamisatoElias I get what Petty is trying to say but food is science it's chemistry so the op just wanted to say she makes sense especially explaining it with mathematical properties because that's how science works and life is just mathematical.
@@ghhhhhhhhhh I get what you meant. When I was younger I kinda used that card here in yt because people are doing it (although I'm not sure if I have ever did lol). Sometimes you need an expert to verify someone but not the way "as a doctor/scientists etc". People have phrased it on a wrong way, and making it as an excuse for boasting and that makes it irritating. When I'm trying to back up someone or share some information I just go straight to the details that I want to add on to make a strong discussion and to spark other people to be interested with the topic. The OP could've just eliminate their profession and just explain it with some details.
Helen, the measure of your worth is not in the number of viewers but in the quality of your content. For me, you already have the gold play button!
This.
This matters in sandwiches too; the order of fillings in a sandwich matters. The texture of those fillings matters nearly as much as the flavour, because those textures and the order in which the flavour arrives *determines* the taste. In other words, the physical layering and arrangement of foods is not unimportant!
I agree, and would add that the thickness of the layers is a part of this too: I discovered that if I have a sandwich with slices of cheese, I prefer the taste of the sandwich more when the cheese is very thinly sliced. Same amount of cheese ... so for example, 2 thin slices instead of 1 thicker slice. The 2 slices can even be one on top of the other. So somehow, it is still better. Not sure I know why there is a difference.
I love my turkey sandwiches. Any tips on say, a turkey provolone with Mayo?
@@aprilm9551 and I like the slices thin and separated by other ingredients. I know. That's strange too!
Rich, I suck at making sandwiches and I always get this feeling like I'm not stacking in the right order. Can you please help me and tell me some tips that you use for sandwich stacking order? Thanks.
@@mynamewhatis7254 Using general categories and obviously accepting that you may or may not use all of them:
Bread, then lubricant (butter, mayo, other sauces/dressings), salad, cheese, main filling, then repeat backwards to the other side.
What happens is that you taste the bread first, then the fillings roughly in order. The main filling is the last to be tasted, but since it's usually the strongest taste, it doesn't dominate over the others this way because you've already tasted them; the flavour is then additive.
Helen is playing fire with a Dangerous Ragusea Meme. Some say Adam has never recovered, even after his move to Tennessee via the Meme Protection Scheme.
Long live the Empire.
@@playgroundchooser "you do you"
The concept that Adam moved to Tennessee sOLELY to escape his memes make me choke laughing
@@christianhowell3140 Its fucking hilarious. The fact that he's a very educative cooking channel yet he gets memed into oblivion makes it even funnier
I have the impression he embraces the memes and the white wine guy jokes
I love your videos. You are doing a great service to all of us “home cooks” who can not afford classes. Thank you.
I am an occasional viewer. But every time I watch, I learn something. And... I like you more and more every time also. Thanks!
Honestly this video was a game changer- I made my own dressing with a pinch of salt as the recipe didn't include it, and followed the steps, heavy veg then gently fold into greens until coated. My partner who is a junk food lover tasted it, and said he could eat as a main meal for dinner, literally polished the bowl off. One of the best food experiences I've ever had 😭
Will be making way more salad and actually really enjoying it not just 'eating it because its okay and healthy'
I think this works for adding sugar to things, too. Growing up, my mom would make iced tea and add the sugar, lemon juice and a few drops of mint extract while it was still warm. Tasted great. But when we'd go to restaurants and (back in the day of dinosaurs, I guess) ordered iced tea, sweetened was throwing in a packet of sugar instead of them doing it. I hated it because I could taste each component part instead of that nice blending. I just got used to having unsweetened iced tea (maybe with a squeeze of lemon) and forewent the sugar. Which I am glad of now as I've been cutting way back on sugar these days.
I’m gonna take a wild guess that your mom is either from the South or someone from the South taught her how to make sweet tea correctly (I know you’re not in the South cause sweet tea Seoul’s already be available, the only people who drink unsweetened tea are those who like it, like me, and we are few and far between, and diabetics who add sweet n low). 🤷🏻♀️
@@TheBLGL It would have to be someone had taught her because she was definitely not from the South and her parents were immigrants from eastern Europe many a decades ago. (And I'd tried artificial sweeteners in cold iced tea and it was never any different than sugar in cold iced tea. Isolated tastes mixed together.) Not sure who it was, as I'd never known her to make it any differently my whole life.
You can always make a simple syrup to sweeten tea when cold. Using a simple syrup to sweeten will give the same results as sweetening when the tea is warm.
The main difference is that when adding sugar to hot tea, the sugar dissolves and incorporates evenly. If you use a liquid sweetener, like simple syrup, as David Lee mentioned, you can get that well-incorporated sweetness in cold tea. Also, I find Splenda incorporates way more easily into liquids, but the flavor is not the same. To my palate, it's brighter and less cloying, but I know it's not to all tastes.
I've noticed that too
As always, basically a perfect breakdown. This woman is really a marvel, with what is by a very long way the best cooking channel on TH-cam, and I regret not having discovered her sooner than I did. I've been cooking at home (and occasionally professionally) for a couple of decades now, and what's amazing is that even when I'm fully confident that I know a subject inside and out, I'll watch a video of hers anyway, because she brings such a delightful freshness to everything. I'm also a teacher, and I can say that a lot of the magic in what she does really comes down to her manner. She's extremely pleasant and enjoyable to spend time "with," as well as being extremely efficient and self-assured with her lessons. This is a rare and precious combination of traits among teachers, as anybody will remember from their time as a student.
Thanks, Hellen, for all the time well spent! I sincerely hope you go viral :)
I very much prefer her teaching style over the rapid fire delivery, assault on the senses style that's so popular these days.
I could just listen for hours to her calm, concise, to the point explanations.
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏: Master Chef 👩🍳/ Master Baker 👩🍳 Helen Rennie, thank you: again, Master Chef 👩🍳/ Master Baker 👩🍳 Helen Rennie, thank you
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏: ( btw) the presentation is outstanding, again, the presentation is outstanding
Greetings:,alleluia amen 🙏: Love ❤️, Enormous Hug 🤗: Be very, very, very safe, wishing you a pleasant afternoon, a fabulous evening ahead , a great 👍 night’s sleep 😴 and a wonderful day to follow tomorrow!
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏 ( fwiw) I purchased some low sodium salt 🧂 and , after a few weeks I noticed the I had lost weight as ( most likely) I was retaining less water 💦. Is low sodium 🧂 salt useful ?
It makes sense. Salt makes everything taste like more of itself. So adding it after the lemon, for example, would give us a more lemony flavor while also helping us detect some of the lemon sweetness and cutting the sourness. I like to add a small pinch of salt and every step instead of adding it all in one part or all at the end as most recipes direct.
always thought recipes where the result of years of testing, improving, changing etc. never thought about the order of for instance seasoning. Thank you for opening this window and allowing me to widen my view.
You are always so pleasant; even your response to Adam's video is very informative and respectful! I love learning from this channel.
Thank you for this, it proves something that I’ve been experimenting with because I have to be on a low, low salt diet. I have category two diastolic heart failure, and I must keep my salt intake from every source down to about 25% of a normal daily dose. Can’t say that I always make it but I do try. Sometimes there are foods that you have to salt or you’re just not going to eat them, but if I do salt them I will end up gaining several pounds in 24 hours if I do. Water that is. And most of it will go into my lungs. So I have to be very very careful. Believe me, bland diet‘s make it very difficult to eat anything at all. So I’ve started taking a pinch of sea salt and dropping a few grains on top of my serving. When I take a spoonful of rice and sauce or something with noodles and sauce, or on ite of a steak, or a chop, the first thing to hit my tongue is salt. It is a microscopic amount of salt compared to what would be in the dish if I salted the dish beforehand or put a salted sauce on top of the meat. But because I’ve put just a few grains of sea salt on top, just like a pretzel, my entire mouth now feels very salty. And since I’ve been on a low salt diet for a couple of years now, believe me it’s easy for me to taste salt and so I do not need much. Thanks for validating what I’m doing. I love your videos.
Cut back on the sugar
that sounds like it would be so hard to maintain. but you're doing such a good job, figuring out this way to have that little bit of salt to make it bearable! we still have to find a way to live, after all! all the best to you
@@dukington101 Excuse me? Why are you mentioning sugar, this is all about salt. This is not about sugar in anyway. Sugar has nothing to do with this. It has nothing to do with my heart condition at all. It’s about my kidneys and the process of the kidneys measuring how much blood volume you have and deciding whether or not to retain water and salt depending on your blood volume. When you have autonomic nervous system disorders that mess with your blood pressure, an enlarged heart with a thick wall, and it doesn’t know how to relax, so you end up with a really strong heart that pumps really hard but doesn’t know how to relax so it doesn’t fill up completely with blood, so your blood volume will drop and your kidneys begin to retain both salt and water. It stashes it in your lungs, in your feet, ankles, legs, arms, belly, face, neck, and even your back.. This has nothing to do with sugar in any shape or form. If I eat a ton of sugar or no sugar at all it would not change a single thing about my heart condition Or my water retention.. So why are you bringing up sugar?
@@jennifermorrison4363 thank you, and yes it is extraordinarily difficult, and depressing. But it’s more depressing to gain anywhere from half a pound to two or 3 pounds overnight because you had salt, or you drink too much fluid. That’s another part of the struggle, it’s not just cutting back the salt you also have to drink less than 2 L of water a day. That part is maddening. I’m going to Stanford University cardiology department because I have been doing a great deal of studying about my condition and I am not being treated properly from what I can see. Basically if I do not get the rest of this water off it will kill me within the next year or two. So with that hanging over your neck at all times cutting back the salt isn’t as hard as you think. But yeah like you said you have to live, because unrelenting drudgery is not a life.
@@LiluBob wow, that's awful. I hope you get answers soon, and the treatment you deserve. It must be so hard trying to live like that. I feel for you hunny, my heart goes out to you. Stanford sounds like the best place to go, such a high standard and good reputation. Goodness....hang in there love. Keep fighting, keep asking questions until you get real answers. I have a complex medical issue of my own and I know how frustrating and infuriating it can be dealing with healcare systems. Never give up, the right doctor is around the corner.
You should go on the Chef John Podcast as a guest, I bet you could tell funny teaching stories for hours.
Chef John has a podcast? Oh my gosh -- I've been living under a rock. Googling right now.
@@helenrennie It's everywhere, spotify, apple podcasts. They have a website. You can even call in on a phone number and leave a message.
I had no idea about this either. I have to listen.
I was completely unaware of this 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
I vote yes! Didn’t know he had a podcast!
I remember seeing in Nik Sharma's "The Flavour Equation" that adding acidity before salt enhances our perception of the latter when we are doing final seasoning, leading us to use less of it.
I think salt dissolves and disperses better when added to acid.
Forget liking and subscribing! When it comes to the bottom-line on TH-cam, ridicule is much more effective than praise. Wow Helen, this has to be an all time classic. Greetings to you from India. For a regular baker and an irregular chef like me, folks like you are my Michelin star teachers. Thanks for all that you do.
I hardly 'like' any comments. However, this one deserves all the praises! I totally agree!
This comment is idiotic because it makes no sense what so ever! 👎👎👎👎👎👎
@@gummymansg Ridiculous!
@@catlady8324 it's just praise? what part of the comment doesn't make "sense" to you?
@@rini9325 The OP (original Post) said “Forget liking and subscribing. Riducule is much (Bottom-line) much more effective than praise”, so I was just trying to help! 👍. I fully agree that Chef Hellen is an excellent teacher as well as a very lovely and charming young lady! A+++++
I can't ridicule such an amazing chef!! Thank you for your personable teaching. I'm a very experienced cook, and yet I always learn something new from you!! Keep it up, and you'll soon be viral! 🙂
Your voice is absolutely mind-blowingly incredible. It is almost impossible to communicate the extent to which it is pleasing to my ear.
Fascinating. I always have to add more salt to my already salted guacamole after splash of lime juice. Will try juice then salt next time!
Helen you are absolutely a delight and I am grateful I found your channel today. I take this concept a step further- I like to consider which side of the food will end up facing my tongue vs the roof of my mouth .
For example, I arrange my next spoonful before putting it in my mouth such that sauces go on the spoon first and then pile the food on top. This guarantees that the maximum amount of sauce is tasted before getting swallowed.
In the same vein: we don't appreciate how much flavor you miss out on if you just swallow food quickly without letting it touch the tastebuds. It *really* makes a difference.
Anyway, I LOVE to find someone who thinks so deeply about food. I feel less weird!
Omg this makes so much sense! I think this is exactly why when I eat street tacos in Mexico and add some spicy sauce and lime, they always need a little bit of salt at the top (even though the meat in the tacos is already salted and seasoned).
I've been doing that since I was a kid and many people here do it as well. It always puzzled me.
Great explanation!
This is exactly a level of conversation that I need when it comes to cooking videos! And what a pleasent lady! Subscribed instantly!
Hi Helen!
I noticed unintentional pun in the beginning of your video ☺️
Adam: “Why I season my board and not my steak”
Helen: “Well I’m not on board with that”
There was an unintentional pun in the middle of the video- the pinch of salt added at the end being an as-salt on the senses
Helen, I’m on the west coast, wishing I could take one of your classes, in person. I love your videos. Every time I watch them I learn something new. Seasoning, properly, is something I love learning about. It’s the difference between being a passable cook and an excellent one. It takes any dish up a notch. Thank you for persevering!
@Ruth McCulloch Jet Blue. Frequent discount fares to Boston. Just saying.
She is a great and fun teacher. I was so excited when I realized how close she lived to me.
@Helen Rennie I made your small container liver pate last weekend. It was the best liver pate I have ever made. The recipe is a keeper for me now. Thanks for making the video’s you make. I wish I could make it to Boston to take a class in person.
Glad it turned out well :)
@@helenrennie to prove your point, the order in drinking tequila the ritual way is licking the pinch of salt, shooting the tequila and only then closing with the lemon.
Ethan Chelbowski and Pro Home Cooks did a recent video on spices and herbs. For the serious home cook I think it is a fantastic intro into the idea of flavor profiles evolving with heat. I feel like this video is in the same vein. Adding acid at the beginning of the cooking process cuts almost all of the brightness, adding it at the end keeps most of it, adding it on the plate doesn’t keeps all of it. Same with salt. The process steps, order of operations, and timing are what I find take my cooking from good to great using the exact same recipe and ingredients.
It makes me smile a lot to hear someone drawing parallels between mathematics and cooking! 😊
I like what Adam has to say in general about broad topics, but I appreciate the detail work that you have about fine tuning. I remember specifically running into that warping baking sheet phenomenon and being so confused by it until I watched your video on it!
Thank you for the clarity here! I'm really having a "makes sense and is logical", but coming up with it is not that easy. It's also a good explanation on why Salt and Pepper added on the table is much more "potent", it kind of "coats" the outer layer of the food, making contact with your tastebuds, instead of being mixed up in the food.
Yup, try it with half fry egg. Salt the runny egg yolk in pan and off pan. The former taste like saltiness with/inside yolk while the latter like literally yolk and granule of salt (and a bit of yolk smell).
Adam introduced me to this site. Great introduction! I'm glad I listened!
Been cooking since I was a young child, and have even done so in a restaurant setting. There is some very obvious but clearly overlooked insight in this video, thank you for the wisdom, I subbed and look forward to watching more of your videos!
Don’t know why this lady popped up on my feed, but I’m not mad. You’re truly a gift
Helen, sooner or later your channel is going to go viral, the content is just too good! Most people are looking for soundbytes, but there is a contingent that is looking for real information, well presented. I predict 6 months. Just keep doing what you're doing. And thank you.
Just stumbled on you now, I love how you understand the algorithm and dont take yourself too seriously. BUT, more than that I think you really go into the subject in a very thoughtful way. You're clearly speaking from experience, but I love that you seem willing to question your preconceptions.
All of it together makes your video very enjoyable and incredibly informative. Huge fan of what I just saw.
What an amazing video! In Australia I am often served a 'naked' salad, one without dressing. The dressing is put on the side, and it never does seasons well. I also have found that I seem to add salt, acid and the salt again. I will continue to do that, but now I know why. A million thank yous for all I've learned from you over the years.
This is my first time seeing your videos and I think you have such a lovely style and personality. Thanks, and I look forward to more!
I never thought about this but it makes total sense -- thank you for the video!!
Thank you for captioning your content so well! It makes such a huge difference for accessibility.
I learned from my glancing contact with recipes for Indian cooking that the order in which seasonings are applied has a big influence on the final enjoyment of a dish.
QUEEN HELEN!! this is such an illuminating moment for me... wow. thank you so much
This was actually quite interesting! I eat a salad for dinner 3 or 4 times a week (these are actually a whole meal with protein and everything, mostly tuna fish). I have noticed that saltiness and acidity vary greatly from one salad to the next, and I have wondered more than once if the order of the ingredients (I season with olive oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar and salt) was actually important. I alway ended up thinking that those variations in taste were mostly due to "eyeballing" the seasoning. I will make sure I add the salt as the last ingredient because sometimes it surprises me that I seem to need to add much more salt than others in order to hit the desired level of saltiness.
This is probably the most educational and truely brilliant video for cooking is have seen in the longest time. Wow!! My mind is blown
Yes. My dad loved salt, which my mom wanted him to eat less of. To him, salting at the table was always necessary. She would salt while cooking and get angry that he salted at the table. She said it wasn't needed because she'd salted it while cooking. Honestly, I constantly suggested she just stop salting his food when she cooked it and let him do his thing at the table.
I am in a college dorm with no means of cooking at all and I still watched this video. I sent it to my parents. Hopefully it’ll circulate through those cooking circles!!
I remember accidentally discovering my personal favorite salad dressing - freshly squeezed lemon juice with salt. At some point, I realized that for me, lemon juice and salt need to be mixed beforehand and then mixed into the salad together - any other use of those two ingredients just didn't work as well for me.
Preserved lemons (lemons + salt + time) are easy to make and might bring your dressing game up to the next level
@@vysharra based
@@1insane614 no, acided.
Mine is freshly squeeze lemon+salt+diced red onions. Letting the flavors integrate makes for a great flavor... and I don't even like onions!
I like to replace a spoonful of the vinegar for soy sauce in my vinaigrettes for a similar effect. Preferably tamari, the full-soy stuff so it's still acidic/harsh. Shoyu, the soy sauce most Americans are used to, is actually more wheat than soy because it makes for a much less harsh final product. I love shoyu but when I want that vinegar bite tamari works better.
I don’t think ridicule is a good thing. What is great is the ridiculous amount of knowledge and competence you manage to pack into your lessons. It’s very much appreciated! 🥰🥰🥰
Helen, your videos are full of info, very detailed, and very trustworthy. Your explanations are priceless and your voice is very soothing. You have a wonderful channel and a captivating style of teaching and showing us recipes. I hope you get the recognition you deserve.
Any chance you'll have more online classes anytime soon?
Helen asking for ridicule over subscribers is EXACTLY what convinced me to subscribe! Love the fact that I've found a new channel to devour all the foodie facts ❤️❤️
Hey, thanks!
Great concepts that helped me understand why a piece of lamb I cooked recently marinated and afterwards basted in hand-chopped salsa Verde needed that much extra salt when it hit the table. Cottage cooking is always a challenge when you don't have the tools you're used to. Still fun of course!
Getting into learning to cook on my own as I was always the sous chef to my parents and just happened to stumble upon your channel! Definitely going to go watch your other videos :) you give such a calm energy that is especially preferred to the showy, all in your face chefs that I frequently see
I don't learn recipes, I learn techniques and concepts. I like videos like these where I don't learn so much how to cook such and such, but concepts I can translate to everything I cook
This is how I cook too. I learn flavor combinations and techniques. Then, when I cook, I pull things that I currently have in my cupboard to try to make an interesting dish. I cannot memorize recipes but I can remember approximations of proportions, what foods and spices go together, and go from there.
Wow love seeing such an intelligent chef break this down without all the fanfair and dramatics. Truly a great break down!
Thank you for a really good discussion of seasoning food. I learned to season early, like at the beginning of a cook so salt blends well. These cooking show on tv always bother me when they insist something isn’t seasoned because they can’t taste the salt. I agree with you, salting properly done enhances flavors but doesn’t stand out on its own.
The science of seasoning is intriguing thank you for shedding more light on the subject.
Oh man! I haven’t even watched it yet, but just by the title I imagine this topic is about a lesson I also just recently learned! Is it about how you should wait to season until after you’ve added your acids? Because that definitely is a lesson I learned recently in my salsa verde. Let’s find out!
::Edit::
Oh wow. A lot more content than I had imagined. Well, towards the beginning of your video you did allude to my thoughts : I have recently learned that you can’t try to nail down the salt seasoning without also adding the acid. The acid acts like such a flavor-enhancer that its little buddy salt can’t shine without it. I was making salsa verde and I kept adding more and more salt and it just wasn’t popping. And once I added some acid, BOOM! The salt was more pronounced than I had intended, and I realized my error. I have also made the same mistake with other sauces, even hollandaise. I would adjust the salt until it was just right, and then once I added the acid, all of a sudden the salt was overpowering because the acid kind of amplified it. So now my own rule is that if a liquid component of a dish is going to be driven both by acid and salt, I like to adjust the acid first and then dial in the salt, in that order.
This is the first video of yours that I've watched and I learned so much!!! Thank you, I can't wait to watch more!
I am sorry Helen. I could never ridicule someone who has taught me so much, inspired and amused me so effectively and generously. A truly gifted teacher, who makes the world a better place for those lucky enough to witness.
Please don't ever stop talking about the real art of cooking and seasoning. You have genuine good knowledge about cooking culinary skills that should be acknowledged and not just degraded to memes. I wish you the absolute best in your life and journey.❤️
What I like to do is, if I'm making an ensemble of veggies like corn + peas or potatoes + beans, I will cook the salt/acid into one of them more than the other. I like to have my flavors not all integrated with each other, so that lets me cook the seasoning properly into the food, without making a uniformly-seasoned result. So I can have some bites that pop more with one seasoning than another, and then take another bite that shines on a different dimension of the seasoning than the first. It might be a little evil, because it plays with addiction and reward-seeking trying to find that perfect bite again, but I like it.
But, I also like to add a splash of vinegar right before I eat (especially on top of a bowl of soup) -- which you specifically discourage in this video, so I'm not sure how much others like that kind of effect!
I love adding vinegar or lemon juice to things before eating, so it's the first, strongest flavor I notice! But I think I tend to prefer strong flavors in general and most people don't seem to enjoy the same amount of acidity I do.
in the last few minutes of this video this lady just took TH-cam to a whole new level. she said forget about liking and subscribing the bottom line is ridicule. how incredibly succinct and aware haha wow
I hope you don't go chasing the numbers like some of the other TH-cam cooks out there (skater dude, puppy eye dude, guy with his shirt off, rich and almost bored lady) as well as some of the established chefs (with too many minute changes to the same 6 dishes). Your credibility is impeccable. Your direct style, with some pretty funny asides, is very engaging to me.
Great vid! I always appreciate your vids because you explain your thought process. That is more important than ratios, measurements, or recipes. It helps develop an idea of how ingredients work together.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, and I'm hooked. Your demeanor, your depth-of-knowledge, your communication style are all wonderfully honed. (As a bonus, I got some incedental ASMR from this!)
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, and yes, people do care about what you say.
Same!
Your video has many interesting thoughts. It made me think about the old tableside prep of Caesar salad where the dressing went into the bowl first.
I love the intersection of mathematics and food. Very interesting concept! I think this explains why I dislike some vinaigrettes. Might need to rethink my dressing application. Thank you Helen!
TH-cam algorithm wants entertainment, not useful information. Don't bother yourself. Praise us with the good content that is what matters. I love cooking and that was truly a new concept for me. I usually mix all the ingredients in the meat and let it rest for one hour or less and then cook/fry it. I'll try different seasonings. Thank you.
I could never make fun of you your videos have been so helpful. Thank you for being you.
Adam mentioning you is how I found your channel. You are the master of browning. I perfected my caramelized onions (and cabbage!!!) with your help.
Helen, this is really profound. I've watched some of your videos before but this came up completely randomly as a youtube suggestion. Some thoughts on this: chemists know that reactions happen faster when reacting surface is increased (reactions only occur when reagents are in contact, so only on the surface, unless it's liquids or gases). A few flakes of salt on the tongue give a far greater concentration vs. salt dissolved in lemon juice or vinegar and spread out. I think this is well illustrated with large salt crystals on top of pretzels (I can only imagine how nasty it would be to just add the same amount into the dough). It's better to get a few intensely flavored morsels on the palate, rather than a whole bunch of intensely salty everything. I think that's why large shavings of parmiggiano in a salad work better than grated powder of parmesan. And really, it's why kosher (flaky) salt is better than "table salt" (tiny crystals) for finishing (in soup or sauce it makes no difference). Using coarser salt is a way to consume less salt while not getting less salty taste. Back when sugar was in short supply, in Russia there was a concept of "чай с сахаром вприкуску" - instead of dissolving a spoon or three of sugar in one's tea, one would gnaw on a little cube of sugar along with their tea, enjoying a similar sweetness, while using less of the precious sugar (I've only read about this in books). I would also guess that squeezing a lemon over salted food washes away some of the salt. Which is why when I'm using a bit of oil, vinegar, Worcestershire or citrus on a roast or steaks, I apply all the liquid, then the salt and dry rub, so it sticks to the liquid. But then, if it's a full submersion, like brining a turkey, then it doesn't matter. I like salting (kosher or coarse salt) a cut of meat before cooking. Salt draws to the surface water-soluble proteins, which help with the crust. I've heard plenty of matter-of-fact assertions, like "salt dries out meat" and that it should only be salted after cooking. Obviously that's not true, I rarely ever end up with dry meat, usually if I wasn't attentive to timing. Not sure how anyone can "hate salt" - it's an essential nutrient and a taste we naturally crave. There's nothing else in nature that replaces it. But yes, too much salt would be repulsive. Loved the video. Sorry, I don't do ridicule, so I write lengthy comments instead ;)
excellent notion summed up perfectly "last in first out" you've done it again.
Helen, have you considered that you're too effective of a teacher for the algorithm? You're videos and clean, clear, and so well scaffolded. Right now, you are probably hitting close to 100% on-topic, the whole video. Maybe it's time to consider an 80/20 off-topic/on-topic or even a 50/50 and pepper the videos with 2-3 sponsored ads and only release as youtube shorts... I'm kidding, I hope the algorithm blesses you without having to change. I know I have appreciated your lessons and presence over the course of the pandemic, so thank you.
I agree, but it seems that her followers are loyal and true
@@bluejar5614 weirdo comment and just extremely wrong her not being your cup of tea doesn't mean its an universal truth of the universe i find her to be lovely
It is worth considering that the youtube algo can and will change in future. Quality content will not. probably small consolation for your bottom line right now, but i would not be surprised if you tube started to prioritize 'throwback' videos in its algorithm. especially for content that is timeless (like cooking). keep up the good work!
@@taxicabbuffet Adam Ragusea has a certain style which probably appeals very much to Americans (citizens of the USA), which is convenient, because Americans are the prime demographic of TH-cam last time I checked. Not to disparage his work ethic and talent/s, just saying. When I show him to friends they say "this guy is really American"; again, that's not a bad thing, but just an observation.
@@mrbouncelol I love ragusea to death but yea 100% if I had to guess why he's much bigger than Helen despite both producing consistent quality content I'd say it's Adam's ocasional gold mine recipe ie brownies pizza etc there's a bigger base line in cooking knowledge or interest required for Helen imo
💯 points Helen! I discovered it and never researched for the grounds of how the ingredients add when cooking. Coincidentally last weekend I was trying to expain this to someone, I will share your video with them.
Adam Ragusea's takes will cover the planet
Can't express how much autenticity I felt in this video! This is not somenthing I have been getting from youtube recently and I would love to tell you I appreciatted a lot! :)
This is so interesting! It also reminds me a lot of drinking culture, like where you lick salt and citrus before a shot of tequila, or use a salt/zest/sugar rim on a cocktail or highball glass. First impressions matter
I don't care about cooking but I love the way you speak eloquently and calmly and explain things 😁
I am very glad the Algorithm recommended one of Helen’s videos to me a few months ago. The quality of the editing, the recipes and techniques, the dry humor… She should really have more views and subs!!
Now she’ll have to get the other 2 Adam memes under her belt (white wine and chicken vinegar on the right)!
Greetings: alleluia amen 🙏: special intention: GOD BLess
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen so far in 2022! Thank you.
To My Fellow Cooks,
Note: the following is an email I sent to my friends and fellow cooks:
Although this video contains some complex explanations, I have to send it to you because I am in it. When she talks about a student she had last year that she will refer to as Harold, that Harold is actually me. The photo she shows is the photo of my salad that I made while attending her class, and sent the photo to her. Ha! (And Helen, I’m totally cool with you sharing this.)
It truly was a good wake up call for me although you guys may have known this from the get-go. The resolution in my case was never to drizzle dressing on top of a salad. Rather, I was to dress it. That is, to mix the dressing in a bowl, add the salad, and lift it with my fingers so that it would be evenly distributed among the ingredients. Makes a big difference!
“Confessing your sins one to another” has some advantages. For one, it makes me a bit more humble, and secondly may be of benefit to those who learn from my mistakes. So have a laugh on me.
And, thank you Helen. I always learn from you.
Hi Harold! So cool of you to comment. Mistakes are nothing to laugh at. That's how we learn. And if it helps someone else learn, that's even more cool. It was an absolute pleasure to have you in my class and I hope our paths cross again :)
What if you want to be able to save salad leftover for the day after? It gets really soggy if it's dressed.
@@Flippokid just save some of the dressing and leaves separately. Tossing a salad is hardly time consuming.
@@JuniperBoy True, but I usually make salad for 3 days. And some people like more dressing than others. If the initial taste of the dressing is not enjoyable, maybe the dressing could be improved?
@@JuniperBoy - I understand and agree with what both you and N7Mith are saying. My workaround, which is basically just a coincidence, is that my 'go to' lettuce is Romain, which not only lasts longer than most in the fridge, but even dressed, lasts pretty well to the next day.
Noticing that, I now add additions to a salad, after the lettuce is dressed, usually. Seems to work best for me, regarding leftover salad, which sometimes happens.
Very insightful, Helen. Your finer points shine light on the equation in ways that open the eyes to understanding
Man! You’re a true professional
This is an awesome video!!!! Normally people do a lot of pointless babbling about nothing related to the topic of the video, but this whole video is just straight, useful facts!
Waiting for Adam Raguseas "Why I season my Acid, not my salt"
Why I season my pan and not my food
@@bigbrain296 seasoning the pan is basic though. You need to bloom most spices before adding anything else in.
I cannot make myself ridicule you! I have learned so many great things from you and I am grateful for your efforts. Danke vielmals!
Got Covid last month and my taste buds are still way wacked. Food now tastes horrible to the point that I have to force myself to eat in order to get nutrition.
My salad is now run through a blender so I can just drink it down instead of having to tolerating the awful flavors I taste.
I ate some chicken liver the other day and did sense a liver taste. Hopefully my taste bud sensations are coming back.
Luv your videos!
Helen please never stop making videos I love every single one of them
I love how you noticed that the order affects taste! I have always found that to be true. I am very particular about it. Even which side of a cracker faces upward in an appetizer can greatly affect the outcome. Thank you!
As a sidenote-- Covid-19 has recently amplified salt and sugar for my daughter. So I wonder if that affected your students as well?
This is the video that first introduced me to your channe a few weeks agol. Since then I've been binging your videos every day! I'm not even much of a cook but I find your content so engaging and relaxing to watch, and I've learned so much about cooking. Keep making great videos!
I found this fascinating! The seasoning contemplation is great, more stuff like that! Screw TH-cam!
Speaking of such things, I find nothing more upsetting in restaurants than undersalted french fries. Appealing to the lowest common denominator or maybe just being afraid of complaints (or just lack of skill), results in my having to compensate by salting the cooled fries myself, which doesn't adhere to them, but rather mostly spills down to the bottom of my plate, so that the bottom layer of my fries are invariably inedibly salty. A pet peeve for sure.
Me too!! I carry salt in the car just for French fries!! Just in case I forget to say… extra salt. :).
Smart. I like the patience and attention she put into this....
Another great video. Thank you. Could you talk about woks? What you think of them and their different types, do you ever use them?
sorry -- I don't have a wok. Nothing against them, I just don't know much about Asian cooking. Kenji is the king of woks. He has a new book out about wok cooking.
Excellent, thank you. When I was a young bride instructions were to add oil and toss / mix, then add vinegar and toss / mix, can’t remember when to add seasonings.