SALT 101

And you thought salt was just....... salt!

TABLE SALT 

This is the granddaddy of salt.  Table salt, also known as common salt, consists of tiny, uniformly shaped crystals created during rapid vacuum evaporation. It usually includes anti-caking agents that help it pour smoothly. (When it rains, it POURS!)

How We Use It: Fine-grain table salt dissolves easily, making it our go-to for most applications, both sweet and savory.

To optimize flavor, avoid iodized salt, which can impart a subtle chemical taste that is detectable by some consumers.

KOSHER SALT

Coarse-grain kosher salt is typically flaky crystals, originally used for koshering meat. Not all kosher salts are created equal.  Diamond Crystal kosher salt is one that features multi-faceted crystals that cling well to food, the only one of its kind in the United States.   Also, unlike most other kosher salts, this one has no additives. The most common Kosher salts are made by Diamond and Morton - and the 'saltiness' of these two varies.

How We Use It: Kosher salt is a top choice for seasoning meat. The large grains distribute easily and cling well to the meat's surfaces.

The crystal sizes of kosher salt differ considerably, and this makes a difference when measuring by volume. If you use kosher salt in recipes calling for a measured amount, remember you will need more Kosher salt than regular, old table salt -  and this amount varies by brand!

SEA SALT/FLAKY SEA SALT

Sea salt is the product of seawater evaporation--a time-consuming, expensive process that yields irregularly shaped, mineral-rich flakes that vary widely in color but only slightly in flavor.

How We Use It: Don't bother cooking with pricey sea salt; we've found that when mixed into food, it doesn't taste any different from table salt. Instead, we use it as a "finishing salt," where its delicate crunch stands out.

Sold as fine, coarse, and flaky.   I use coarse sea salt for boiling shrimp.

FLEUR DE SEL

Fleur de sel literally means "Flower of Salt" in French, and many classic fleur de sels are produced in regions of France - Guérande, Camargue, Noirmoutier, and I'ile de Ré. But the label 'fleur de sel' describes the way the salt is made and the qualtiies it possesses. Fleur de sel is a solar evaporated sea, lake, or spring salt with fine, irregular, moist, mineral-rich crystals made by raking the crystals that blossom on the surface of a crystallizing pan. Today, fine fleur de sel is made in countries around the world.

How we use it: SPARINGLY!  A special-occasion table salt. Spoon it into a salt cellar to be pinched, then sprinkled over food just before eating. Delicately flavored, it adds a perfect hint of saltiness to freshly sliced tomato or melon.

Comes from the coastal salt ponds in France. The caviar of sea salt, fleur de sel is hand harvested. Conditions have to be just right (lots of sun and wind) for it to "bloom" like a flower on the surface of the water.  The texture is crystalline, which means that fleur de sel melts slowly in the mouth. Its earthy, pleasing flavor lingers on the tongue.  Prepare to pay dearly for this salt!

HIMALAYAN SALT

Himalayan salt is pure, hand-mined salt found naturally, deep within the pristine Himalayan Mountains. Crystallized over 250 million years ago, ancient sea beds were covered by lava, protecting the salt from modern-day pollution, and lending to the belief that Himalayan Pink salt is the purest salt to be found on earth.  Use it liberally in pickling brines, or try your hand at salt-roasting fish or chicken for a moist and flavorful result.

Himalayan pink salt tends to have an ever-so-slightly floral (similar to lavender) taste if you stick a small piece in your mouth.  They don’t give THIS one away, either.

From a culinary perspective "Himalayan Pink Salt" and Coarse Sea Salt are about the same. Himalayan salt is mined from the Himalayan mountains;  coarse salt is typically derived from evaporation. Coarser grains are better from marinating while the finer grains typically found in Himalayan salt make it better for finishing. There are some small trace mineral differences, but they are not very distinct taste wise.

Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include:

Regulating the water content throughout your body

Promoting healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells

Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging

Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body

Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract

Supporting respiratory health

Promoting sinus health

Prevention of muscle cramps

Promoting bone strength

Regulating your sleep -- it naturally promotes sleep

Supporting your libido

Promoting vascular health

In conjunction with water, it is actually essential for the regulation of your blood pressure

PICKLING SALT

How we use it: Brining pickles and sauerkraut. It will also brine a turkey, but beware: Pickling salt is far more concentrated than the more commonly used kosher salt, so you'll need to use less.

Like table salt, pickling salt may come from the earth or the sea. But unlike table salt, it isn't fortified with iodine (a nutritional need for humans) and doesn't contain anticaking chemicals, both of which would turn pickles an unappetizing color. Virtually 100 percent sodium chloride, it's the purest of salts.  This variety is fine grained, like table salt.

ROCK SALT

How we use it: Making ice cream and de-icing (tho the granules are quite large, hence the name ‘rock’). Rock salt is paired with ice in old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream makers to regulate the temperature. You can also use it to de-ice your sidewalks and driveway in the winter months. (yes – there were once ice cream makers you had to crank by hand!)

Mined from deposits in the earth, rock salt is not sold for use directly on food. It's usually packaged in an organic, unprocessed form.  Rock salt is composed of large, chunky, non-uniform crystals. Minerals and other harmless impurities can give it a grayish color.