[JoeAltmaier]

They are very different - table salt conforms to a quality standard while the others have varying trace contaminants. They may add to flavor, but not in any reliable predictable way. And the major active ingredient of both is sodium.

Its fun to play with cool, colorful salts. By the time the cooking is done, I'd bet cash money no one can tell the difference.

[ska]

   By the time the cooking is done, I'd bet cash money no one can tell the difference.

I suspect you'd lose that bet - informally I've tried many experiments with iodized and non-iodized salts, and the iodine can change flavor.

Besides that, one of the main reasons to use different salts is crystal size which can have significant effect (depends on what you are doing, obviously). For example, koshering salt is called that because of its use in koshering meats, where the large crystal structure helps control absorption. Likewise in "finishing" applications.

[wil421]

If you follow many recipes are use table salt instead of kosher salt I guarantee it will come out salty.

Serious Eats has an article and it really validates a part of both of our points[1]:

>"So long as your salt is going to be dissolved and distributed evenly into the final dish...there's no reason to use kosher salt...Just remember, check your recipes and make sure to compensate for table salt's density when adding it."

If you have access to Good Eats, Alton Brown explains it pretty well.[2]

[1]http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/ask-the-food-lab-do-i-nee...

[2]http://www.thekitchn.com/salt-101-alton-brown-and-the-p-1042...