Salt of the Sea

People who are passionate about what they're eating also tend to get passionate about what they're sprinkling on their food. Sea salt is a big trend among foodies, and the food blogs have plenty to say on the subject.

First, an intriguing idea from Helen of Beyond Salmon who proposes an exercise to help you learn how much salt to use. Helen is not sold on sea salt, although she mentions that many cooks prefer it.

Meg of Megnut wrote recently about sea salt, confessing to being a salt addict and raving about fleur de sel, a type of sea salt which comes from Brittany. How to tell which type of salt tastes best? Meg refers us to an article on Slate which taste tests a number of types of salt.

At a blog I recently discovered which is becoming a favorite, food writer Lydia from The Perfect Pantry does her own taste test, comparing various types of sea salt and revealing her preference.

Now, two examples of fabulous sounding dishes from food blogs where the blogger uses sea salt:

On a blog I recently found called Malabar Spices, Shaheen recommends sea salt in a dish that intrigues me, Spicy Cucumber Curry. Shaheen created this dish for the Green Blog Project, which I wrote about here earlier this summer.

Another blog that's relatively new to me, Xochitl Cooks, uses sea salt for Spice Rub Chicken.

Contributing editor Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, where lately she has been using sea salt mostly on Bacon and Tomato Sandwiches.

Submitted by Kalyn Denny (view blog

) on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 07:05

Posted In

Food & Drink

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Hi, Kalyn. I am headed to

Hi, Kalyn.

I am headed to the beach pretty soon. Has anyone tried to MAKE sea salt? Or is that an insane vacation project...

Elizabeth

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drawing daily at woolgathering...
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Submitted by Elizabeth Perry on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 04:38

You can make your own sea salt

Check out Sam's first comment below. She has links to a California blogger (Cookiecrumb) who made her own sea salt. (Read both links to get the full story.) It sounds like it was fun and pretty successful. Have fun at the beach!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 04:02

That's a post worth it's salt!

Make your own Salt: Did you ever read this last year? It's my favourite salty post of all time! It even has a happy ending.

I love the quote:

"Salt is what makes things taste bad when it isn't in them".

Sam

Submitted by sam breach on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 07:16

I'm a Salt Freak!

Yes, I remember that now!! I have to confess Sam, I'm quite a salt freak. I bought the rosemary salt and lavender salt from Eatwell Farms when I was in SF and I'm loving the rosemary salt on everything (especially tomatoes and cucumbers.) The lavender salt smells a bit, uh, perfumey, but I'm looking around for something to try it on. The woman at the Farmer's market said it's good on tomatoes, so I need to try it.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 08:47

Hmm - interesting - I havent

Hmm - interesting - I havent tried those salts from Eatwell, but I am heading to the market shortly so perhaps I will check out the rosemary. I like the Eatwell farmer - he is english!

Not too keen on lavender in food, especially since it is our perfume of choice in the bathroom. There is a place in SF that does juicy lambshops with lavender salt - so there is another classic combination for you to try. I confess I prefer the lambshops to the lavender part though.

sam

Submitted by sam breach on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 08:54

I bet you are right about the lavender.

Yes Sam, I have a feeling I am going to be with you on the lavender, but for some reason I couldn't resist buying it!!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 09:43

i've been intrigued by lavender in food since
...

... I saw this recipe for wee lavender cheesecakelets.

- Julie
No Fancy Name
Blogger in a Snap

Submitted by jcmeloni on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 11:53

How About Vanilla Salt?

I got the idea for it from those loveable mad scientists, Aki and H. Alexander. I currently have a snipped-up vanilla bean steeping in a small jar of plain salt (no, not my precious home-harvested Sel de Marin -- thanks for the wink-wink, nudge-nudge, Sam!).
I have a love-hate thing with lavender. I think it's soapy, but I keep buying it (or "foraging" it).

Submitted by Cookiecrumb on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 12:05

Lavender cheesecakelets?

Lavender cheesecakelets? Hmm, I will have to think about that Julie.

CC, soapy is a good word for what pops into my head when I smellthe lavender salt. (I am going to push through this feeling and actually try it on something, I promise!!) I think vanilla salt sounds great. Let us know how you use it.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 12:13