The Best kosher Salt Uses Natural Ingredients
Kosher sea salt brings life to the table. It’s what brings the flavorsome ocean floor alive. And because kosher sea salt was created to specifically perform three special functions, it has been used for centuries to enhance the food we eat. Think of it this way: If sea salt were totally eliminated from the planet, life as we know it would ultimately perish.
Sea salt comes in many different colors. Most are grey, with dark crystals that are almost black. Pink salt tends to be a bit lighter, but can also be found in green, lavender, and even white. The minerals found in sea salt give each type a distinct flavor, but each mineral is important for maintaining proper table salt levels. For example, calcium and magnesium are found in sea salt and should be taken into consideration when choosing table salt.
Salt crystals tend to have a very coarse texture, and are often seen in sea foods. This coarse texture imparts a distinctive flavor, but only when the salt is exposed to air. When the salt gets close to air, the crystals begin to crumble, releasing the mineral flavor and scent that we all know. The crystals will continue to collapse until they totally evaporate from the salt solution. This process is similar to how evaporated seawater changes its color.
The fine crystals are sometimes blended with table salt to make it even less coarse, which gives it a slightly sweet taste. It has been shown to improve the taste of sea salts. kosher sea salts that have evaporated naturally have a smooth, coarse texture that lacks any minerals. The process of removing minerals from sea salts is called deionization. Deionization reduces the amount of trace minerals that remain after the salt has been purified.
Deionization is not the only way to lessen the amount of trace minerals in kosher sea salt. In order to release the flavor, it is often blended with certain other ingredients such as sea salt, baking soda, or potassium sorbate. These products neutralize the minerals before the salt itself can absorb flavor. When the kosher salt contains more potassium sorbate than kosher sea salt, it can help to counteract the salty taste. By combining kosher sea salt with potassium sorbate, the two ingredients can work together to enhance the flavor and moisture of a dish, which can also make it healthier for cooking.
Fleur de sel is harvested by trawling through the ocean weeds. Tali is harvested by lifting the netting off of the fish. Both of these methods are used to gather as much of the fleur de sel as possible, allowing for the best kosher salt to be harvested and shipped to market. Many kosher restaurants will have their own fleur de sel harvesting operations.
