I have been using French Grey Sea Salt (McCormick) and Smoked Sea Salt Flakes (Bellamessa) for a while now. I like the French Grey and find it versatile. The Bellamessa, a product of Cyprus I find disappointing as it does not deliver much smoke flavor.

I have decided my next salt experiment will be Isle of Anglesey sea salt. I have heard good things about it and as my family roots are from Anglesey, I have to try it. I guess it is a "food of my people" thing more than anything else that motivates this desire.

Celtic Sea Salt� Brand is a registered trademark since 1976 by Dr. Jacques De Langre (friend of M. Kushi, macrobiotic pioneer).
Celtic Salt is becoming a generic term. (Like kleenex)thanks to "those who remain unnamed" (lawsuit pends).
If you all have questions, go to the source of Celtic Sea Salt� Brand, The Grain & Salt Society� 1-800-TOP-SALT.
Celtic Sea Salt� Brand is sold through authorized distributors worldwide. If it just says "Celtic" it’s not the same.
Celtic Sea Salt� is from the Brittany region of France, but is known as Sal de Guerrende in France. It is well-known over there, but not as Celtic Sea Salt� Brand. (That’s the name brand registered in US, and other countries around the world.)
It’s always best to go to the source when you have questions, so again, check out The Grain & Salt Society through their website, celticseasalt.com to get in the know.
Celtic Sea Salt� Brand is certified Kosher as well.
It is true that many folks will give it "special powers" and remember that Dr. De Langre wrote his book in the 70’s, when things were a bit different as far as what you could say to sell a product. It’s still going strong over 30 years later, so, I think there’s something to be said about that.

I found some salt at World Market labeled Esprit Du Sel selling for 10 bucks for 14 .3 oz. Also found some salt labeled course sea salt, product of France at Trader Joe,s. Personally I like to use the Esprit stuff for flavorings and some meat dishes. Bottom line, I won’t use table salt any longer.

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

Source of above info on <b style="color:black;background-color:#ffff66">Celtic</b> <b style="color:black;background-color:#99ff99">Salt</b> ishere.

I buy my "special" <b style="color:black;background-color:#99ff99">salt</b> here. In fact, it’s where I buy all my herbs and spices. pb

quote:

Originally posted by Mark in VT

I have been enjoying Applewood Smoked Salt for ther past few months.
It is great on roasted veggies, and I sprinkle on pan fried foods to give it an extra smokey flavor.

I can buy it locally, but you find it here:
http://www.maineseasalt.com/smoked-sea-salt.html

Mark

Not bashfull about their prices are they.
At $44 a pound I’ll stick to my regular Silcian Sea Salt that I pick up for about $3 and change 2lb box. Chow Jim

I have been enjoying Applewood Smoked Salt for ther past few months.
It is great on roasted veggies, and I sprinkle on pan fried foods to give it an extra smokey flavor.

I can buy it locally, but you find it here:
http://www.maineseasalt.com/smoked-sea-salt.html

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

Source of above info on Celtic Salt ishere.

I buy my "special" salt here. In fact, it’s where I buy all my herbs and spices. pb

Ditto on Penzey’s; I have been a customer for years. The only bad experience I’ve had with them is their magazine, "One". I found it to be awful.

I mostly use Kosher salt. I don’t know if it tastes better but I do like to be able to grab a pinch of it out of the bowl and throw it in. Can’t do that as easily with table salt. The exception is when baking. It seems that most recipes are written for table salt so in that case I only use Kosher if it is specifically called for.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

I’ve always thought salt was salt. It all tastes the same to me. You know, salty. [;)] The only difference seems to be in size and texture and that all dissolves away once in a mix. We have regular salt and sea salt right now. I have no idea why the difference other than maybe it makes recipes sound more exotic. Is there a trained chef in the house with knowledge?

Don’t know how trained I could be considered but I am a chef by trade. At work we use kosher salt almost exclusively. We get a softer, less mineral, flavor.

At home, I use Celtic sea salt for almost all our food that is mediterranean and Indian. Which is about half of what we eat. I use Diamond Kosher salt for Asian food and American food. I haven’t bought idodized salt in decades. No goiters yet!

Years ago when I was a line cook at a very innovative (at the time) restaurant here, we did a salt tasting. We tasted Diamond Kosher salt, drank water, then tasted regular idodized table salt. Then we did the test backwards. I’ve never used table salt again.

I’ve used gray sea salt, black salt, pink salt and fleur de sel as finishing salts, only fleur de sel grabbed me as worth using on a regular basis.

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

I got thishere.

Table salt: This is the common salt normally found on every table. It is a fine-ground, refined rock salt with some additives to keep it free-flowing. Smaller particles mean more particles per measure and more surface area than coarser grinds; thus, use about half the amount if you’re substituting for coarse salt.

Coarse salt: Coarse refers to the grind. The jagged edges and large crystals make this a good choice for sprinkling on pretzels or corn on the cob because the edges tend to cling and the salt does not readily melt.

Iodized salt: Salt which has iodine (sodium iodide) added. Iodine is a mineral necessary to the body to prevent hypothyroidism and some countries actually require iodine added by law. For those who live in areas away from oceans, iodized salt is an easy way to get this necessary nutrient into the diet. Surprisingly, iodized salt contains a small amount of sugar (usually indicated as dextrose in the ingredients listing), without which the salt would turn yellow due to oxidation of the iodine.

Kosher salt: This is a coarser grind of salt with large, irregular crystals. It contains no additives. Kosher dietary laws strictly require as much blood as possible be removed from meat before cooking. This coarse grind performs the job admirably. It is a favorite with not only Jewish cooks, but also professional and gourmet cooks who prefer its brighter flavor and texture. When substituting for table salt, you may need more to taste since it seems less salty. The size and shape of the crystals cannot permeate the food as easily as fine grades. Coarse pickling salt can be substituted.

Celtic salt: This is the expensive type. It is harvested via a 2,000 year-old method of solar evaporation from the waters of the Celtic Sea marshes in Brittany, France. Its flavor is described as mellow with a salty, yet slightly sweet taste. Even more expensive and rare is fleur de sel, from the salt marshes in Gu�rande, which is said to form only when the wind blows from the east.

Dairy salt: See pickling salt. It’s used to pull moisture from cheeses to cure them.

Rock salt: Less refined and grayish in color, this is the chunky crystal salt used in ice cream machines. This type is generally not used as an edible flavoring mixed into foods, but in cooking methods such as to bake potatoes or to encrust or embed meat, seafood or poultry for baking. Rock salt makes an impressive bed for oysters on the half shell. When using rock salt for cooking, be sure it is food-grade. Some rock salt sold for ice cream machines is not suitable for cooking.

Pickling salt: This fine-grained salt has no additives and is generally used in brines to pickle foods. Unlike table salt, the lack of additives will help keep the pickling liquid from clouding.

Sea salt: Distilled from sea waters, this form can be fine or coarsely ground. This is a less expensive version of Celtic salt. Some consider sea salt nutrionally better than rock salt because it naturally contains trace minerals, but the difference is too minute to note. It does, however, have a stronger and more interesting flavor.

Sour salt: Although it is not a salt, I include it here for clarity’s sake. Sour salt is actually citric acid, extracted from citrus and other acidic fruits such as lemons, oranges, and pineapple. Also known as citric salt, it is used in some classic recipes such as borscht and also by some as a pseudo-salt substitute. It adds a zesty, tart flavor that can sometimes mask as a salty flavor in some dishes and gives a helpful psychological satisfaction of shaking on "salt." If it’s not in the spice section of your market, check the kosher section. ,21,361690.016,1,18977,209.240.206.196
361705,361690,361690,2008-01-21 16:04:47,RE: What kind of salt is best???”

Don, thanks! Even though this is an ad, I think most of what it says is true.

Now, I am sold on sea salt. Its gotta be healthier I think. What is the best kind, grey or white, and where all can you buy it? And, must it be Celtic?
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaks

I found this:
"Celtic Sea Salt is treasured as the finest of all condiments in France and many other countries outside the United States.

Celtic Sea Salt’s characteristic gray color can be attributed to the pure clay soil of the manicured basins. The clay ionizes the many minerals in the salt, making it richer in electrolytes. Because Light Gray Celtic Sea Salt is sun dried, it retains the ocean’s moisture, which helps lock in many vital trace elements.
"

Source? I’ll bet it is from the marketer. I Googled around, and every source seemed to come back to the company. Sel de Gris de Bretagne is not known in France as Celtic Salt.

Check out this site

http://www.healthfree.com/celtic_sea_salt.html

They make a bunch of unsupported health claims for the stuff, and then if you follow the links, you end up with… Celtic Sea Salt�

Guerande does not even border on the so-called Celtic sea. It is on the bay of Biscay.

Thanks Twin! That sea salt might be more healthy sounds reasonable to me. And, the flaky, and damp grey, sea salts sound interisting. I will try them both.

And, who starved those animals, mentioned in that article? I would like to know.
Joe

I found this:
"Celtic Sea Salt is treasured as the finest of all condiments in France and many other countries outside the United States.

Celtic Sea Salt’s characteristic gray color can be attributed to the pure clay soil of the manicured basins. The clay ionizes the many minerals in the salt, making it richer in electrolytes. Because Light Gray Celtic Sea Salt is sun dried, it retains the ocean’s moisture, which helps lock in many vital trace elements.
"

have a look at this very interesting article about "Celtic" salt.
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/salt.htm