dicksond wrote:That I can answer. He tried the same batch of dough prepared two ways, one boiled in Chicago water and one boiled in NYC water, but otherwise prepared identically. He preferred the taste of the bagels boiled in NYC water (and could tell the difference, he says). It was a disciplined taste test, as he told it to me.

Interesting. Yet, I remain skeptical.

eatchicago wrote:
Interesting. Yet, I remain skeptical.

Well knock me over with a feather

I actually don't believe that salts have noticably different flavors (in most cases). I certainly accept different flavors from smoked, seasoned, and otherwise contaminated salts (like the hawaiian black/red salts), but I don't honestly believe fleur de sel has a noticably different flavor from maldon, or from diamond crystal kosher.

I think the difference is entirely textural. I think the reason these trace minerals don't impact the taste in salt (but do to some extent in water) is because water is neutral, but salt barrages your tastebuds, overwhelming them with sodium and chloride, at the expense of the other elements.

dicksond wrote:That I can answer. He tried the same batch of dough prepared two ways, one boiled in Chicago water and one boiled in NYC water, but otherwise prepared identically. He preferred the taste of the bagels boiled in NYC water (and could tell the difference, he says). It was a disciplined taste test, as he told it to me.

You'll excuse me, but I'd have to do that taste test myself to be convinced that the water could make enough of a difference to actually taste. It's especially unconvincing if he did not only the tasting but the baking as well.

That I can answer. He tried the same batch of dough prepared two ways, one boiled in Chicago water and one boiled in NYC water, but otherwise prepared identically. He preferred the taste of the bagels boiled in NYC water (and could tell the difference, he says). It was a disciplined taste test, as he told it to me.

I'd like to see the test repeated with doughs made identically, one with chicago water and one with ny water, then boil each in chicago water, then boil each in ny water.

And I'd like to see a variety of tasters as well. Maybe my taste buds are dead, but I really don't think I can pick up on some of the subtle differences others can. Though if the bacterial contaminants in water play a bigger factor than I think they do, maybe it does make a marked difference...

Taft