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Salt has more power to affect flavor than anything else we put in or on our food, so learn to salt — and taste — your food early and often.

But your grandmother’s iodized salt is too, well, salty. We recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, in big boxes so you won’t skimp, but the point is to always use the same kind. Put it in a bowl so you can grab pinches. Only in this way can you acquire an intuitive understanding of exactly how much you’re grabbing and how it can influence taste.