There are four common varieties available to us: iodized table salt, kosher salt, sea salt, and fleur de sel. Whoever said that all salts are pretty much the same, couldn't have been more wrong.

 

Table salt is sodium chloride combined with iodine sources (for nutrition), it is more heavily processed to eliminate trace minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that appears naturally in minute amounts of sea salt. Table salt is made by sending water into salt deposits and then evaporating the mixture until only salt crystals remain. Its uses are multiple from cooking, to preserving food (to prevent cheese from molding, simply wrap it in a cheesecloth dampened with salt water, to shelling nuts (soaking them in salt water makes their shelling easier) and even to keep away garden pests and ants.

 

On the other hand, sea salt is produced through the evaporation of seawater, usually with little processing, which leaves behind some trace minerals and elements depending on its water source. These insignificant amounts of minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels. Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value — both mostly consist of two minerals — sodium and chloride. However, sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. The real differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing, not their chemical makeup.

Most of the world’s sea salt is created in Italy, France, Ireland, the Cayman Islands, New England and Columbia. Most connoisseurs prefer sea salt to table salt due to its taste and texture, though it lacks iodine. Sea salt can be used with seafood dishes, cocktails, oysters, eggs, sweets. Natural unrefined sea salts vary in taste, texture and color, limited only by the vast number of different oceans and seas the planet has to offer. Italy’s most famous sea salt is Sale di Cervia (Cervia is a town by Venice), also known as “white gold”. This sea salt is known for the absence of bitter minerals so it’s naturally sweeter than other sea salts. It is the first choice of many Emilia Romagna specialty producers for salting their parmigiano reggiano and prosciutto di parma. It has also traditionally been known as the "Popes Salt" and is used in the Vatican. Pair Cervia sea salt with cheese and prepared meats. Add it to your marinades and use it for cooking.

 

Italy’s other big salt producer is Sicily which produces a delicious sea salt that is harvested from salt pans along the famous "salt road" between Trapani and Marsala, on the west coast of the region. The salt beds are managed completely by hand in a saline reserve protected from industrial pollution. Relying on sun, wind, and the clean waters of the sea, the salt is unrefined, unwashed, and unaltered in any way and contains more magnesium, potassium and less sodium chloride than regular salt. It is delicate, with a complex balance of sea, brine, and minerals. Its ideal use is as a condiment to highlight salads, to finish roasts and sauces, or to garnish bruschetta.

 

Fleur de sel is one of the world's rarest and most expensive kinds of salt, it comes from the sea, but has a very special method of harvesting. It is hand-harvested as it is collected by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans. It is often slightly grey due to the sandy minerals collected in the process of harvesting the salt from the pans. The harvesting of fleur de sel always takes place in the summer months when the sun is strongest. France is the biggest producer leaving Italy simply as a big fan of its culinary qualities.

 

Kosher salt usually has no additives, and it has big crystals with large surface areas. This size and shape allows it to absorb more moisture than other forms of salt, and this makes kosher salt excellent for curing meats. The flavor is distinct from ordinary table salt, and some cooks prefer to use it in all their cooking. Like other coarse salts, kosher salt can be used in recipes that call for a salt crust Nutritionally speaking, kosher salt is no different than table salt, although it does not provide iodine.

 

One of the newest and most beloved salts is the Himalayan Pink Salt, a pure, hand-mined salt found naturally deep inside the pristine Himalayan Mountains. The high mineral crystals range in color from sheer white to varying shades of pink to deep reds that indicate a beneficial amount of 84 trace elements & iron. Because it is 100% natural, unrefined, and unpolluted, and because nothing is added, this salt has conserved its precious purity. Whether it is consumed raw or cooked, its subtle crunch and incomparable taste will delight your senses. Another popular salt is Black Lava salt, either from Hawaii or the island of Cyprus, it combines a hearty crunch with high-quality, activated charcoal (a natural anti-toxin and digestive aid). It is perfect on vegetables, roasts, potato dishes and for the barbeque.

 

Gourmet and gourmands are now experimenting with salt thus infusing it with herbs and spices to create interesting combinations that harmonize with any dish. To give salt a truthful Italian flavor simply crush, in a food processor, coarse salt with aromas such as – rosemary, sage, marjoram – for about a minute. Place the container in the freezer for about 5 minutes to let the oils that are extracted by the herbs infuse the salt. Remove and finish its crushing process. Place in a jar and use to season meats, grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes. To season fish, instead of infusing the salt with herbs use lemon and orange peel.