Ways to use salt

CONWAY, Ark. -- Patty Erd of The Spice House in Chicago and other cities emphasizes that most high-end salts are used for garnishing, after cooking.

"You would not take any salt that costs $16 a pound and toss it in with water while you boil pasta," Erd said. Some fast-cooking foods are exceptions.

Rob Seideman of the Colorado-based Salt Traders says he follows these guidelines:

* Bake with table salt because baking is exact and recipes assume fine salt is used.

* Use kosher salt to season foods such as a steak before you grill it, or in water for cooking pasta. "It's got a nice grain and helps you see how much you're seasoning with," he said.

* Finish a dish just before serving it with a hand-harvested salt such as sea salt. You also can leave this type of salt on the table for people to add to their food as they desire.