"Lilacula from atlantis" piped up: "I used iodized sea salt and added an extra 1/8 tsp. Definitely upped the ante. My guests were begging me for the recipe."
Or how about "A Cook From Woods Hole, MA": "This heavenly recipe, ambrosia from above, rejuvenates the senses, especially in one who ails from an apoplexy of the spirit.… add a dash of oyster sauce, and you'll feel like you're in the briny blue sea.…"
"Mcnutt from Scottish Moors" must have imbibed too much of the saline solution when he wrote, "I love that recipe, hiccup, and I definitely will be using it (hiccup) over and over again hiccup. Cheers, and may the Good Lord love ye. Hiccup. Happy fourth of July."
Along the same lines, "A Cook From Seattle" said, "Loved it! I was, however, out of water so I used gin. Couldn't find the salt (I know it was here yesterday) so I used a couple olives. I made it for lunch but for dinner I would double the recipe."
A wiseacre named "A Cook From Danbury Correctional" got into the holiday spirit. "I like to make jars and jars of this and give them away as Christmas gifts. I use lovely different colored ribbons to adorn them. It is a great thing."
Do-It-Yourselfers went to town. "I am a purist (who really can tell if you've added that single thyme leaf to your stew like the recipe says to!), and insist on making my own ingredients, "wrote "A Cook From His-Own-Mind, UK. "At first I had doubts about my ability to mine my own salt and bond the hydrogen and oxygen molecules necessary for the water, but the results were beyond belief: I produced enough sweat and tears to boil all the vegatables and pasta in the world!"
And "A Cook from The hole in the groun where my kitchen used to be" wrote, "I should know to not fool with a classic, but I thought to make the water from scratch for that homemade taste…well it seems that the H and the O give off a bit of bang when first combined. It was time to re-do the old kitchen anyway."
Some readers seemed honestly flummoxed by unwritten details. "A Cook From Destin, Florida" wrote, "When do I add the salt? Or do I start with the salt and then add the water? Or visa versa? And whichever way, do I boil the water first? Help."
Others berated us for not spelling things out more. "If you are going to give a recipe for boiling salted water, it appears you should be a bit more specific (ie add the salt AFTER the water is boiling). Also, cover the pan until the water boils—saves time & $$$," said "A Cook From Ocean Beach, California."
One of the funniest endorsements came from "Gypsylthr from Baltimore, Maryland": "This was fantastic. I served it at a wedding—my first big catering job! Everyone raved about it. I know it will become a permanent part of my repertoire."
Alas, not everyone appreciated the humor. "Pleeeease stop the witty (and not so) remarks about this recipe. This site loses it integrity with all the irrelevant reviews. Find some chat room for salted boiled water lovers with time on their hands!" wrote "A Cook from Searsmont, Maine."
But come on, who can resist the charm of "A Cook From MA" who wrote, "In the lexicon of culinary classics, superlative! Now, with respect to adaptability of this recipe: add some black tea leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and sugar and when consumed with cream, you have a refreshing beverage called "Chai Saltee." Delish with Indian flatbreads and chicken tikka masala. Must listen to ancient Indian ragas whilst engaged in the consumption of this meal. Yah baby, yah."
And you've got to love "A Cook from Spongiform, MA" who wrote, "I use demineralized water (demineralized by reverse osmosis), some ozone, and some bubbles to tickle my nose. I call it "ozo-ade." All those fitness places are just gobbling it up. The bottle comes with feng-shui and pilates instructions as well. Hey, it's a lifestyle, man."
But the blue ribbon for the comment that best sums up the marvels of the Epicurious community goes to "A Cook From Sunny South Florida," who wrote: The four forks are for all of your comments—thanks for making us laugh till we cried (and that's MY recipe for salted water)."
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