Salts…………………….

Salt is available in a variety of types, such as table salt, citric salt, fleur de sel and sel gris, kosher salt, iodized salt, pickling salt, sea salt, seasoned salt, and rock salt.

The different types vary in composition, texture or grain (granular, coarse, fine grain, crystalline, flaked), and use. When considering the use of salts, several points to consider may include the texture to add crispy or crunchy consistencies to foods, the aroma, the color for presentation purposes, and definitely the flavor which adds to the overall enjoyment of the food taste. It is a common practice to have Kosher salts for use in soups, sauces, stocks, and a variety of liquid based foods. Sea salts are typically used as roasting salts for cooking or finishing salts applied as a topping to foods.

Sel Gris—A natural French sea slat, translated to mean “gray salt”, that comes from the Atlantic waters off the coast of France. Colored gray by the chemical deposits of the minerals in the salt beds, this salt is harvested primarily in the Brittany region of France as the water evaporates from moist basins leaving the crusty saline as residue. Harvested from waters below the surface that have passed through multiple clay basins, Sel Gris contains a higher concentration of minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, as well as the light grey mineral coloring. Sel Gris is an unrefined form of salt sought for its purity and rich natural sea flavor. It is often used to season cooked vegetables, leafy greens, pasta, and a variety of other foods.

Black Sea Salt or Black Lava sea salt is colored by the lava deposits the area, making it black and somewhat glossy in appearance. With the addition of purified black lava for minerals and activated charcoal for color resulting in a slight sulfuric aroma, Lava sea salts provide an earthy flavor when used as a finishing salt. Since sea salts considered best as roasting salts will dissolve readily and typically loose their flavor after lengthy cooking, many are often used as finishing salts. However, Hawaiian sea salts are often used as both roasting and finishing salts for fish as well as poultry. It is common to apply a coating of salt on fish being steamed, preserving the flavor and moisture as it bakes. Black Lava sea salt adds a finishing touch to season and enhance the appearance of the presentation.

Italian Sea Salt. A type of sea salt harvested along the coast of Sicily from the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The water from the sea is brought into the ponds and evaporated by the heat of the sun. Once dried, the salt is removed, crushed and processed into packaged sea salts. Lower in sodium content than traditional table salts, the Italian sea salts contain minerals which include: iodine, fluorine, magnesium, and potassium. Italian sea salts are milled into fine or coarse grained salts with a cubed crystal shape. This variety of sea salt can be used as an ingredient in sauces and condiments or served as a finishing salt for salad greens, meats, poultry, pasta, and fish.