not so long ago i found myself at a small epicurean store on granville island, standing in front of this whole collection of salts. i am a huge fan of salts. it’s something i recently discovered, and i am wild about the difference a salt can make to even the simplest of dishes. i will share more on that subject in another blog post.
as i was examining this package of black salt, a type i had never seen before, a conversation struck up between the woman standing next to me and the store manager. the woman was sharing that this was apparently the best salt for us health-wise, and that following a heart surgery her father had been instructed to use only this type of salt, and nothing else. that caught my attention. i bought a couple of packs, one for me and one as a gift.
so what exactly is black organic sea salt?
first of all, it is black because it is covered with activated charcoal powder. now at first hand that didn’t sound too healthy to me, so i then did some research to find out what exactly is activated charcoal. here’s the best description i found, and i quote: “simply burnt wood that has had all its oxygen removed. it is a non-toxic universal antidote that can be taken internally or applied topically. in powdered form, activated charcoal is one of nature’s most efficient adsorbents, a powerful aid in eliminating toxins, gas and many poisons from the human system. and it also provides relief for gas, diarrhea, swollen skin and more.”-- so now we know!
what does it taste like?
its taste is not much different than a regular sea salt. at least, not the one i have. there is no fragrance added to it either, such as a smoked or truffled salt for example. it is simply rich in minerals and good for you; that’s about it. and that’s plenty for me!
because of its colour, it can be used as a decorative salt to rim margarita glasses for example, or to rim the edge of scallops, halibut or chicken breast. anything the creative mind can think of.
where can you find black sea salt?
i did a quick search on the web and it seems many epicurean online stores offer some. there might be variations to what is available out there, such as different types or different forms (still being green on the subject). here in vancouver, you can find it on granville island in a little store called edible british columbia (who also sells online), or directly from the maison côté website.
8 comments:
I'll have to get some for my honey!
Also wonderful: plain fleur de sel. The color of this one is sure to add some edge to the presentation of a dish, though!
yes! fleur de sel is great!
i will probably write another blog on the variety of beautiful salts out there! not a lot of people are aware of them.
my favourites are fleur de sel with 'herbes de provence" and also with "truffles"... oh my! such wonderful flavours!
A blog about salts would be cool to read! My faves: fleur de sel de Camargue and fleur de sel from the spanish atlantic coast. Great even if just sprinkled over raw vegetables...
When grilling or pan frying steaks, use Hawaiian Alaea salt. It is Hawaiian sea salt that is coated with red clay. It is excellent for grilled items. Also, it is great to dip sweet yellow onions like Maui, Walla Walla, or Mayan onions in the salt and eat it along with some rich porky stuff liked pulled pork sandwich. White Hawaiian sea salt is great for every day use. It is very mellow in flavor and it does not have a sharp edge to it like other salts. Other good salts are Himalayan red salt, Mongolian desert salt, and Okinawan sea salt. I use the Okinawan sea salt for every day use and the white Hawaiian sea salt for marinades, brines, and soups. Hope this helps!
thanks for sharing your salt experience!
very informative..thanks
Interesting - very interesting - I will most certainly try the black sea salt.
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