Contribution to early discussions: I’ve used salt on watermelon, cantaloup, and grapefruit all my life. As well as Ketchup, mustard, and pickles on bacon cheese burgers (preferably Whataburger). A football favorite: Fritos pie: Fritos topped w/chili (no beans of course). Just turn the single serving bag sideways, open it along the seam, pour the chili on, add a spoon, and head back to the bleachers. I like ketchup on eggs but prefer Texas Pete, Frank’s, or Louisiana Hot Sauce on them as well as hash browns (w/ diced ham).
My additions: A-1 steak sauce on a baked potato w/salt, pepper, butter, cheese, and bacon bits. Also, Texas Pete, Frank’s, or Louisiana Hot Sauce on fried chicken, ketchup along w/ one of those hot sauces on fried okra, Tobasco pepper vinegar on turnip or mustard greens, and sliced pickle jalapeños in black eye peas.
Salt in beer: As a homebrewer I know table salt (NaCl) increases the chloride:sulfate ratio and therefore increases perception of a fuller mouthfeel (maltiness). The sodium released the CO2 further reducing sharpness to compliment the malty perception. Likewise, CaCl can be added. Conversely, gypsum can be added to tilt the ratio towards sharpness (bitterness). The ratio is used in water chemistry when we build our water (brewhaus liquor) for the beer. Entire books have been written on the subject and the obligatory arguments ensue.
