Spice Category: Salt

Salt is useful as a flavor enhancer. It is actually a mineral--not a spice. Therefore, it does not lose its flavor over time like spices and herbs do. Salt has been an important player in world commerce since ancient times, and "salts" our language and literature as well. No kitchen is complete without salt.

Culinary salts come in two basic categories - sea salt and mined salt. Originally all salt came from the sea, but sea salt is evaporated from liquid ocean water, while mined salt is taken from ancient deposits left by long-dry seas. In recent years gourmet salts have grown immensly in popularity, leading to a confusion about the different types. Although some palates can detect a flavor difference between types of pure salt, for most people, choosing a salt should be based on texture. If you have a grinder, a large grain dry salt like La Baleine is a good choice. If you are a hands-on cook, a flake salt like Kosher or Maldon may suit you better. If you use salt at the beginning of cooking, French Grey is good; at the end, Portugese Salt Cream is a great finishing salt.

Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.

Georges Blanc, Ma Cuisine des Saisons