Fleur de Sel
Also known as: Flower of Salt, Flor de Sal (Portuguese)
While finishing salts are the premier salt varieties, Fleur de Sel is the crème de la crème of finishing salts. Fleur de Sel literally translates to “Flower of Salt” and is often called the “caviar of salts” by chefs worldwide
Grey Salt
Also known as: Sel Gris
Grey salt is a “moist,” unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France’s Atlantic coast. Its natural, light-grey color comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay lining the salt ponds. The salt is collected by hand using wooden tools and methods dating back to the Iron Age.
Finishing Salt
Finishing salts are the premier varieties of specialty salts. Harvested generally by hand in specific regions of the world, finishing salts are most admired for their unique textures—either moist crystals or delicate flakes. Both varieties provide a strong crunch and dissolve quickly, resulting in a burst of clean, mild flavor with each bite. These salts enhance the depth of natural flavors in any dish, and enrich a table setting with beautiful, shimmering presentation. The various colors and flakes of finishing salts make gorgeous garnishes for every meal.
Kosher Salt
Kosher salt can refer to two types of salt—one is a specific shaped flake salt that is so named for its use in the preparation of meat according to the requirements of Jewish dietary guidelines. It contains fewer additives, and has a cleaner and more even taste than ordinary table salt. The flakes dissolve easily, and have a less pungent flavor than processed table salt. Due to the shape of the granules, there is simply less salt in a pinch of kosher salt than in a pinch of table salt. This is the kind of salt most often used on top of pretzels and on the rims of margarita glasses. It is important to note that all kosher salt is not necessarily sea salt.
The second type of kosher salt is a salt that has been certified as kosher by a prestigious organization or certifying body such as the Orthodox Union, or OU. This means that the salt has met the guidelines of kosher outlined by Jewish law and upheld by kosher certification agencies and members of the Jewish faith. The certification ensures that the product is produced and handled in accordance to these high standards, and is suitable for consumption for those following a kosher diet.
Sea Salt
Also known as: Sal del Mar, Sel de Mer, Sale Marino
Sea salt is a broad term that generally refers to unrefined salt derived directly from a living ocean or sea. It is harvested through channeling ocean water into large clay trays and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate it naturally. Manufacturers of sea salt typically do not refine sea salt as much as other kinds of processed salt, so it still contains natural traces of other minerals, including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc, and iodine.
Proponents of sea salt rave about its bright, pure, clean flavor, and about the subtleties left by trace minerals. Some of the most common sources for sea salt include the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean (particularly in France, on the coast of Brittany). Sea salt is thought to be healthier and more flavorful than traditional table salt
Smoked Sea Salt
Smoked sea salts are a relatively new and exciting gourmet salt in the U.S.! They add a unique flavor to a wide range of dishes and are delicious for grilling or oven roasting—and an absolute must when cooking salmon! When you’re considering a smoked sea salt, make sure that it is a naturally smoked salt and doesn't have liquid smoke flavoring added; this can create a bitter taste. Unlike artificially infused smoke-flavored salts, all Oleaceae SMOKED SALTS are created using natural smoking methods. They are slow-smoked in cold smokers over real wood fires to infuse the salt crystals with 100% natural smoke.
Table Salt
Table salt is the most common kind of salt found in the average kitchen. It usually comes from salt mines. Once mined, it is refined and most minerals are removed until it is pure sodium chloride. A common sentiment is that this process creates a more bland and bitter salt than unprocessed varieties, not to mention the removal of the potential benefits of its trace minerals.
Most table salt is also available in either plain or iodized forms, where the salt is artificially spray coated with iodine. American salt manufacturers began iodizing salt in the 1920s during The Great Depression, in cooperation with the government, after people in some parts of the country were found to be suffering from goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by an easily-preventable iodine deficiency. Today we know that most people require less than 225 micrograms of iodine daily. Seafood and many dark greens, as well as sea salt, contain iodine naturally, and the supplement is unnecessary if there are sufficient quantities of either in one’s diet. Natural sea salt is a healthy replacement for ordinary table salt.
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