On Sunday’s episode of Mad Men, Grandpa Gene — spoiler alert! — poured salt on his chocolate ice cream prior to eating it. Why would any person do such a thing? Please allow food scientist Harold McGee to explain: “I’m not sure that salt makes sugar taste sweeter, but it fills out the flavor of foods, sweets included … Salt also increase the volatility of some aromatic substances in food, and it enhances our perception of some aromas, so it can make the overall flavor of a food seem more intense.” Careful, though — as we learned on Sunday, salting one’s ice cream will literally kill you. [Kottke via Fimoculous]
