The World of Salts

Growing up I remember the shaker of Morton's salt that always sat on our kitchen counter.  And that was the only type of salt that my mother used.  Go to the grocery store today and you are most likely to find a whole section dedicated to different varieties of salt.  From fleur de sel to sea salt to table salt, selecting salt can be a daunting challenge.  So, the question becomes, what salt to use when?

1. Fleur de Sels - Fleur de sel, or flower of the salt refers to fine artisan sea salts from France.  These single origin salts are hand harvested by Paludiers with rakes and allowed to dry under the sun.  These fine salts have a flavor profile that show the terroir of the salt marshes from where they are harvested.  These salts tend to be very expensive and are best used as a finishing touch to a dish where their texture and distinct flavor can stand out, adding another layer of complexity to your cooking.  These days you can find hand harvested sea salts from around the world, all with unique flavors and characteristics.  My favorite 2 artisan sea salts are Maldon from the UK and Sel de Guerande, which only comes from the Brittany region of France.  Both are amazing salts with completely different flavor profiles.
2. Kosher Salt - Kosher salt is the workhorse salt of most professional kitchens.  Kosher salt always comes from the sea and never mined from land.  The flavor of kosher salt is very neutral and clean.  Kosher salt grains are very large allowing them to adhere to food, which makes seasoning easier because you can see the amount of salt that has been sprinkled on food.  Many chefs say that kosher salt is less salty, which isn't really true.  But, because the grains of salt are larger than iodized table salt, you actually use less salt by volume.  1 tablespoon of Red Diamond kosher salt weighs 10 grams.  1 tablespoon of Morton's iodized table salt weighs 20 grams.  This means that when you use 1 tablespoon of iodized table salt you are using twice the amount of salt as 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.  I prefer Red Diamond Kosher salt over other brands because it does not contain anti caking agents, which are chemical additives that keep the salt from clumping.  One caveat about kosher salt is that it does not contain iodine, an essential mineral for the human body.  But, as long as you include seafood in your diet, you will get the necessary amount of iodine.
3. Flavored Salts - All throughout time, salt has simply been salt.  But, over the last couple of decades flavored salts have started to come into the culinary scene.  There are now so many different types of flavored salt that you could try a new one every day of the year.  Personally I feel most flavored salts are gimmicky, but I do have 2 favorites that I always keep in the pantry.  First is Artisan Salt Company's White Truffle Salt.  Intensely flavored with white truffles, this salt is great on French Fries, gnocchi, potatoes, eggs and popcorn.  The other salt is Saltworks Bonfire smoked salt.  Smoked with 7 different woods this salt has a unique rich flavor with a smokiness that is not overwhelming.  Great on grilled meats, mashed potatoes, vegetables, or a steak, this salt adds flavor and complexity to your favorite dishes. 

Now that we have covered the world of salts, next week I will share the tricks and secrets to seasoning food and proper seasoning techniques.