Finishing Salts

Over the years I have hunted in every nook and cranny, in nice shops and little dives, for a new salt adventure. When Halen Mon, the first flake salt I ever had, passed my lips, it was love at first bite.

People are always asking me for reliable brands of salts to purchase. I have had many, many “special” or “boutique” salts as I call them, over the years, most of them excellent. But when talking about widely available, reliable and consistent products, I have a short list. I hope that you find it of some use.

Celtic Sea Salt: Sea Salt. Superfine grain, very moist in texture, amazing with steamed broccoli and sweet butter, on popcorn, cooked with grains. High mineral content.

Diamond Kosher Salt: Not technically a finishing salt, but a good substitution for table salt, even at the table!

Fleur de Sel de Guerande: "Flower of the Sea" Sea salt. Delicate, small crystals, exquisite with fish, steamed vegetables, cream sauces and as an ingredient in pastries. The "de Guerande" portion on the label is very important - it is the only one hand harvested; other companies that claim the Fleur de Sel name mechanically harvest by scraping the tops of sea salt beds, a very different process. "de Guerande" is hand harvested with wooden paddles, and only the free floating flakes of salt in the sea are used.

Halen Mon (Pure, Celery, Vanilla): Flake sea salt. Halen Mon is in my opinion the crème de la crème, the ONLY gourmet finishing salt you must have, and you must have it. MUST. I have a little bowl on the dinner table, at all times. Hand harvested in the Atlantic waters that surround the Welsh Isle of Anglesey, Halen Mon has a distinct flavor that is truly a pleasure. The Pure is fantastic on steaks, salads, cheeses, fish, poultry, melon and even the occasional desert! Vanilla pairs amazingly with strawberries (of course!), maple breakfast sausage links (I swear!) and crushed, even makes a nice rim garnish for a cocktail. The Celery salt is unique, and livens up every single veggie and chicken plate I’ve tried it on, and is the star of my next truffle experiment. It should be noted that there also exists smoked flake salt, a blend with organic spices, and a lighter flaked pure version; I have not tried them yet, but I'm sure they are amazing.

Himilania Pink Salt: Imported mineral salt. Available in the form of a whole rock, and in a variety of granulations. I recommend the rock for shaving tableside, fine for cooking and baking. The trademark pink coloring is derived from the high mineral concentration. I use it for all baking recipes, and sparingly in place of table or kosher. Pretty, nutritious and delicious!

Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt: Proprietary salt and seasoning blend, low in sodium, a delicious everyday-at-the-table option.

Maldon: Flake sea salt. Delicate, melts nicely on meats, excellent sprinkled on caprese salads and roasted vegetables, a more widely available all-purpose flake salt. Buy this is you can't find Halen Mon, you won’t be disappointed!

Real Salt: Domestic mineral salt. Granulated texture, white with specks of color derived from the high concentration of minerals that are present. Similar to the pink salt in flavor/mineral makeup (more earthy than a sea salt). Fantastic on root vegetables.

It goes without saying that too much of anything is a bad thing, and this holds true particularly with salts! Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take it away.

Copied from text originally published October 22, 2009