There are a wide range of cooking salts available on the market. We get a lot of questions about the salts and when you should use them, so I’ve decided to put together a little piece to help. If you need more information, one of us would love to help you further!
Salt isn’t just salt. There are a wide range of colours, flavours and uses, much like wine! Fleur de sel comes from the coasts of France. Considered to be the caviar of salts. The conditions must be perfect for this delicate salt to “bloom” so it can be hand harvested. This is a special occasion salt, with a delicate flavour that melts slowly on the tongue. Use this as a finishing salt. I find it perfect on a freshly sliced tomato and on a salad when I want to impress. Murray River Salt is a light peach in colour and delicate tasting. The crystals melt quickly and evenly making Murray River flake salt ideal for finishing, roasting, and baking. This salt is produced naturally from the underground brines in the Murray Darling Basin. A red pigment, carotene, is secreted from the salt tolerant algae. Grey Salt is a “moist” unrefined sea salt usually found on the coastal areas of France. Its light grey, almost light purple color comes from the clay found in the salt flats.Clean, fresh, with less bitter aftertaste than other salts,a great finishing salt to use for complimenting a dish.Excellent on salads, roasted meat & veggies, & on top of fine chocolates and caramels. Himalayan Pink Salt comes from the foothills of the Himalayas. It was originally a marine fossil that was formed during the Mesozoic era. This is considered to be the healthiest salt choice. It is fully unrefined.
Smoked Sea Salts are a relatively new and exciting gourmet salt! They are naturally smoked over real wood fires to infuse the salt crystals with 100% natural smoke flavor. Smoked Sea Salts add a unique flavor to a wide range of dishes including roasts, chicken, salads and sandwiches. Uses: Great when grilling or oven roasting. This is a must when cooking Salmon. Also adds an authentic smoke house flavor to soups, salads, pasta and sandwiches.
Black Salt is an unrefined mineral salt. It is actually a pearly pinkish gray rather than black, and has a strong, sulfuric flavor. Uses: Use in authentic Indian cooking. Available in very fine or coarse grain.
Christie Gray is the assistant manager at Thyme to Cook, http://www.thymetocook.ca. She is an amateur chef who loves researching food trends.
