When NYC Mayor Bloomberg’s voluntary sodium reduction initiatives were introduced in 2008, no one had reason to panic. Now, though, city dwellers may have to worry. New York Magazine’s food blog “Grub Street” reports:
New York State Assemblyman Felix Ortiz has introduced a bill that would outright ban the use of any salt in the preparation of restaurant food. “In this way,” Ortiz babbles maniacally to Nation’s Restaurant News, “consumers have more control over the amount of sodium they intake, and are given the option to exercise healthier diets and healthier lifestyles.”
Mr. Ortiz (whose last name already puts him at a disadvantage in NYC) is trying to sap the joy out of cooking and dining in a city that is known for its incredible cuisine. Can you imagine cooking food without salt? Stop, don’t. You shouldn’t have to – it’s just too horrible to imagine.
Salt was mentioned on the Food Network, cable’s mecca for cooking shows, over 900 times last month. That should give you some idea of just how crucial the ingredient is to nearly every dish. Without it, food would be exponentially less flavorful.
So shame on you, Mr. Ortiz. Get that silly idea out of your head and go get a margarita, you obviously could use one.
Read the text of the salt ban here: Insane Bill Would Ban Salt in Restaurants, Impose $1,000 Fines — Grub Street New York