Celery Salt is typically overlooked as an outdated retro ingredient. Its uses confined to old Betty Crocker cookbooks and the occasional Bloody Mary. But we’re here to change all that. Our mission: make Celery Salt cool again! It helps that Lafayette Spices carries perhaps one of the most gourmet celery salts on the market. Our salt comes in a beautiful glass jar with an included grinder top. The product itself is a luxurious blend of whole celery seeds and fine sea salt. It’s a far cry from the dusty plastic shaker your mom used back in the 70’s!

Let’s dive a little deeper into what makes this seasoning so special. Firstly, all the ingredients come from France – so you know it has to be good! The French don’t mess around with their food! Celery Seed is the spice made of the seeds of wild celery. The wild celery is more intensely flavored than conventional supermarket celery varieties. The seeds are very tiny, but they are in fact the whole dried fruits of the wild celery plant. Cool right?!

The celery salt blend that we carry at Lafayette Spices is two parts fine sea salt to one part celery seed. While the mixture is classically used for bloody marys and Chicago style hot dogs – the uses for our gourmet celery salt are numerous! It would be delicious cracked over a whole chicken or pork roast before popping it into the oven. That comforting celery flavor would come through in the final dish and really make it sing! Alternatively if you wanted to do a cold preparation – the Celery Salt would be a perfect way to season a chicken salad or cold roast beef sandwich, YUM!

Don’t forget the veggies and seafood though! Our Celery Salt make the perfect finisher for crispy skin salmon and shrimp salad. Imagine an intense pop of celery on your piping hot fish and chips – what a way to spruce things up! On the veggie side, our Celery Salt would make a memorable addition to a fresh summer caprese salad, or in the colder months, a crack over a hot bowl of parsnip or butternut squash soup would be delightful!

What we’re trying to say is… don’t count Celery Salt  out. This isn’t the same ingredient you may be used to! Lafayette Spice’s Celery Salt is intense, bold, and packed with gourmet potential. Try a little bit in your next dish – we think you’ll find yourself reaching for it again and again. Bon appetite!

Every now and then, we (at Lafayette Spices) run across a seasoning that really blows us away. It doesn’t happen often. As you can imagine, we’ve seen and tasted a lot of amazing spices. But the Sweet Pepper Pyramid Salt has to be one of our absolute favorites. It’s a smoky sweet pepper flavor bomb with a tantalizing crunch that will keep you coming back for more.

The base of this beautiful salt is of course our famed pyramid salt. It’s truly a work of art in and of itself. A true Mediterranean delight, it hails from Cyprus Greece. Officially called the Republic of Cyprus, it is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean. The third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus is a beautiful place, and the art of making salt there dates back centuries. Early Cypriots would use the newly formed sea salt to preserve various meats, fish, and even vegetables. One popular dish from the area involves cooking a whole fish – packed entirely in the famous local salt.

The unique pyramid shape of the Pyramid Salt is created through the process of solar evaporation of sea water where the water is channeled into a chain of shallow ponds or lagoons and then into large pans where the water is gradually heated, forming the pyramid shapes of the salt. The process continues until the salt reaches 3% humidity, and can take up to two years to complete.

After harvesting these stunning crystals, the salt is coated in a powerful seasoning of smoked sweet peppers. The coating fuses to the crystals and is absorbed into their crunchy flakes. The flavor is reminiscent of freshly grilled sweet peppers – juicy and warm, with smoky undertones and notes of fruity pepper and summer ripeness. This may just be one of our most versatile salts we offer. It can be used for anything from rich dark game meats to light seafood dishes and salads.

Starting with the more rich options – this Smoked Sweet Pepper Salt would go perfectly with roasted lamb, beef, or venison. A little lighter option (but just as delicious) would be roasted chicken or grilled pork chops. Moving towards the seafood category, these flavorful flakes would be incredible on a piece of roasted salmon or cod – or even sprinkled over freshly steamed mussels. This smoky salt is also perfect for fresh veggies! It would be remarkable on freshly sliced summer tomatoes with creamy burrata cheese. Or even sprinkled on salad of fresh butter lettuce with radishes and herbs.

The options are endless, and delicious! Grab some of our favorite salt in the Lafayette Spices shop and get seasoning!

Lafayette Spices has a new offering for you, and it’s one that’s really going to get you excited! A spectacular new salt with brilliant color, exceptional texture, and spectacular flavor. We’re talking about none other than our brand new Pink Himalayan Salt with Roses! Yes, it’s just as exotic as it sounds.

This is one of those seasonings that immediately elicits a wow from your guests. They’ll certainly ask what you added, and when you show them your jar of beautiful pink gems, they’ll be thoroughly impressed! Let’s dive into what make the Pink Himalayan Salt with Roses so incredible.

Pink Himalayan Salt originates from the Kashmir region of India and the Punjab region of Pakistan. Its iron rich content lends this salt its pink color by means of oxidation. This high mineral content of this salt has made it a go-to for the healthy conscious. Local legend traces the discovery of the salt deposits to the army of Alexander the Great (around 300 BC) but the first records of mining are from the Janjua people in the 1200’s.

Chemically, Pink Himalayan Salt is similar to table salt and has been shown to contain between 96% and 99% sodium chloride. It’s the mineral impurities, more specifically magnesium, calcium, and potassium content that makes the salt its stunning pink color.

But that’s only half the combination – we can’t forget about the roses! Fragrant dried roses. The flowers hail from Pakistan and are intensely aromatic. Here in the states we don’t usually think of using flowers in our cooking, but in other parts of the world many different flowers are regularly used to flavor dishes. The flavor of rose is very much like its scent and although sweet, they are used as a flavoring to both sweet and savory dishes. As a treatment for lead poisoning from bullet wounds, Napoleon’s army would use rose petals boiled in white wine. Throughout the Arab world rose petals are in savory meals including stews, rice, roasts, couscous and fish. In India they are used in marinades, kormas and in Kheer (rice pudding). Rose petals can also be used to infuse syrups and sugars for making desserts and drinks.

So the question is… what does one do with a jar of Pink Himalayan Salt with Roses?! It’s a great question. We’re going to give you a couple of suggestions here, but we’re guessing that you’ll discover more yourself as you continue to use it! The aromatic rose petals make a tantalizing addition to game meats like duck, venison, and squab. Grate the salt over the roasted meats, or stir it into a sauce to accompany the final preparation. Another surprising but excellent combination comes in the form of seafood! Believe it or not, roses and seafood are a wonderful and memorable combo! Crush a tiny bit of this floral salt over oysters, scallop crudo, and slices of raw striped bass. Your taste buds will thank you!

Pink Himalayan Salt with Roses – a new and exciting ingredient! Grab some today and discover a whole new world of possibilities!

Have you ever wanted to add a punch of lemony flavor to a dish, but don’t have any fresh lemons on hand? Fret not! Lafayette Spices has the solution! Lemon Pyramid Salt is a delicious, crunchy, gourmet salt that’s going to add a tantalizing citrusy burst to your next creation.

Great flavored salt can’t be made without a great base flake salt. That’s certainly the case for our Lemon Pyramid Salt - The flaky texture and excellent crunch make the Pyramid Salt us ideal for finishing any meal. In addition, by using sea salt flakes you encourage the reduction of salt in the cooking process, thereby decreasing overall salt intake, thus benefiting your health. All the sea salt flakes are produced in the old fashioned traditional way from Mediterranean sea water. In a dust-free environment, experienced salt makers heat up the sea water and let it evaporate until the delicate pyramid shaped crystal flakes appear. The salt is then harvested, dried, sieved and finally packed, all by hand.

Our brilliant Pyramid Salt is truly a work of art in and of itself. A true Mediterranean delight, it hails from Cyprus Greece. Officially called the Republic of Cyprus, it is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean. The third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus is a beautiful place, and the art of making salt there dates back centuries. Early Cypriots would use the newly formed sea salt to preserve various meats, fish, and even vegetables. One popular dish from the area involves cooking a whole fish – packed entirely in the famous local salt.

The unique pyramid shape of the Pyramid Salt is created through the process of solar evaporation of sea water where the water is channeled into a chain of shallow ponds or lagoons and then into large pans where the water is gradually heated, forming the pyramid shapes of the salt. The process continues until the salt reaches 3% humidity, and can take up to two years to complete.

This fantastic pyramid salt is covered in an intense lemony coating – and it’s strong! A little goes a long way. It’s particularly wonderful on seafood applications. Try it sprinkled over a piece of pan roasted salmon, halibut, or cod. It would make an incredible finishing salt for mussels or scallops. We think one of the best applications is raw seafood preparation. The intense lemony pop would be remarkable on a shrimp or scallop ceviche. Or perhaps a sprinkling over a slice of rare seared tuna. Divine!

Alternatively, if seafood isn’t your thing – the Lemon Pyramid Salt makes an excellent accompaniment to poultry dishes. Roasted chicken and duck, grilled squab or quail, or what about… fried chicken! Our mouths are watering right now just thinking about the crispy crunchy crystals on a couple pieces of hot fried chicken. What a combo!

One thing is undeniable. That our Lemon Pyramid Salt packs the punch of a handful of lemons – in just a few flakes. It’s going to add bright bold citrusy flavor wherever you use it, and it’s very very likely that your guests will want the recipe. You might not ever need a fresh lemon again! 

We’re about to take a trip to the past… waaayyy back. To the time of the Vikings! Lafayette Spices is so proud to present to you the only spice blend on the market, with ties to that fascinating time period – Scandinavian Salt! This ancient salt is an infusion of intense spices into authentic smoked Cyprus sea salt. The infusion contains spices like cumin, coriander, pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and onion. To say this salt is a flavor bomb is a complete understatement!

The salt itself has origins in Cyprus – before being sent to France for infusion. There, the salt is smoked, before being infused with a myriad of intense spices.  You may not know this, but the Vikings were total food snobs – they ate a varied diet of ingredients available to them in the Northern climates. They grew barley, oats, and rye – which helped to sustain them. But also many vegetables that grew well in their native soils.

In addition to the plant based diet, meat harvested from the livestock they raised played a major role in their diet. This included cows, horses, oxen, goats, pigs, sheep, chicken, and ducks. Not to mention a large array of fish and seafood. The Vikings were skilled and agile fishermen. Oftentimes, they would smoke and salt the fish with the addition of spices for preservation purposes. This process is the inspiration behind the Scandinavian Salt!

But how does one go about using this beautiful ingredient? The smoke and spices pair so well with many ingredients. We would recommend doing as the Vikings did, and using the salt on rich roasted meats and grilled or smoked fish. The Viking Salt is just aching to be used in the winter time! Try crushing some on a leg of lamb or large beef roast just before cooking. The salt would make an incredible finishing touch to a whole roasted or grilled fish. Imagine the smoky seafood aromas mingling with the rich exotic spices of the salt. What a combination!

We know you’re going to absolutely love the Scandinavian Salt – with a rich history and even richer flavor, it’s going to make your food sing every time you use it. The salt harkens back to a simpler time, when food was wild and flavors were strong!

When it comes to peppers, there are few to none out there that have the kind of hallowed recognition that the Piment d E’spelette (or Espelette Pepper) carries. This piquant little pepper is the star of our Espelette Salt a new offering from the flavor experts at Lafayette Spices! It’s bright, bold and beautiful and will quickly become your new go-to for seasoning your favorite dishes.

The Espelette Pepper has a storied past. It’s cultivated in the French commune of Espelette - in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a department in the southwest corner of France. It takes its name from the Pyrenees Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It covers the French Basque country and the Béarn. In 2000 the pepper was classified as an AOC product – which is a special French certification typically reserved for very important wines, cheeses, and butters. It is based on the concept of terroir and a form of geographic protectionism. 

The chili pepper itself originated in Central and South America and was later introduced to France in the 16^th century. First used medicinally, it eventually became popular as a condiment and for the conservation of meats. Today, it has become a staple of Basque cuisine – so much so that it has replaced black pepper in typical cooking. It’s a key ingredient in Piperade, a typical Basque dish of stewed onion, green pepper, and tomatoes – flavored with red Espelette Pepper. 

The peppers are harvested in late summer. By September, strings of the peppers are hung on balconies and house walls throughout the villages to dry out. An annual pepper festival is held every year on the last weekend of October and attracts over 20,000 tourists!

The peppers themselves are sweet, slightly smoky, and only obtain a maximum of about 4,000 on the Scoville scale – considering them to be pretty mild. The most impressive part of these tasty little peppers is perhaps their extreme versatility. When blended with coarse Spanish salt – it becomes a recipe for greatness! The Espelette Pepper Salt is perfection on both meat and seafood – and totally steps up the game for any veggies it touches. A sprinkle over the top of sliced pork loin would be unforgettable. Or perhaps generous pinch over a whole grilled sea bass – divine! It would also make the perfect piquant topper to roasted butternut squash. The possibilities are truly endless. It’s certain that the new Espelette Salt is going to get loads of use in your winter cooking. Enjoy!

And now for something completely different. An ancient salt with roots that date back millennia. Stunning hues of blue and aquamarine with a flavor profile that is clean, focused, and mineral. We’re talking about Blue Persian Salt – and it’s going to quickly become your new go to salt fascination! This outstanding exotic salt is sold solo, with a grinder and also part of our World Traveler Gift Box set.

Blue Persian Salt is one of the rarest and oldest salts on the planet – extracted from ancient salt ponds in the Semnan province. Specifically, the salt is found in the Ergourz mountain range – in Northern Iran. These salt ponds formed over 100 million years ago – and aren’t actually ponds anymore at all, but rather fossilized crystals, or gem. The ponds have all evaporated! It’s truly incredible to ponder the age of this salt – it was around with the dinosaurs!

The shocking blue color comes from a mineral called Sylvinite – a potassium mineral that is only present in halite salts. The color occurs during the forming of the salt’s crystalline structure, as intense pressure is exerted on the salt deposits. The individual crystals fracture the light in an unusual way creating an optical illusion that makes the salt appear more or less shimmering blue. The finished salt is full of nutrients, like calcium, magnesium, and iron. Amazingly, only a few tons of this precious salt are extracted each year – making it an incredibly rare luxury!

So now that you know all about the history of this incredible mineral, let’s talk about how you eat it! Our Blue Persian Salt would be best used for finishing purposes. It’s subtle flavor nuances and blue color would be quickly devoured if it were used to cook with. We would recommend grinding it over freshly sliced raw fish like fluke, tuna, or striped bass. It would make an incredible finish on seared foie gras, or even a slice of cold foie gras torchon. On the sweet side, the Persian Blue Salt would make a luxurious topper for a square of soft caramel, or a slice of juicy summer watermelon.

Regardless of how you choose to use the Persian Blue Salt, you can be sure that it’ll make any dish a flavorful masterpiece. The rich history and exquisite flavor will wow your guests and continue to be a go-to ingredient for years to come.

We’ve expanded our already impressive portfolio of exotic salts to include eight new offerings. These are Lafayette Spices exclusives and the first time they’ve been made available to a US audience – see, told you it was exciting!

The new line of salts has been painstakingly collected from all corners of the globe, and made available to the discerning home cook (and professional chef) through an easy to navigate online shop. The new offerings include a Smoked Sweet Pepper Pyramid Salt, Scandinavian Salt, Pink Himalayan Salt with Roses, Herbes de Provence Salt, Lemon Pyramid Salt, Blue Persian Salt, Celery Salt, and Espelette Pepper Salt. Each of these flavorful treats is perfectly suited for seasoning your holiday culinary masterpieces.

Not only are all these salts newly available, but they’re now being packed in convenient smaller packaging making it easier for home cooks to take advantage of them. Our entire line of salts is now being packed in 100ml jars, at ridiculously competitive pricing. Home cooks don’t need giant jugs of spices – they don’t have the room in their cabinet anyway. These smaller formats allows the creative home cook to grab a couple different products, at a great price, and have fun mixing and matching them with their dishes.

The entire line of exotic salts is available at www.lafayettespices.com Orders are shipped direct to consumer the next day. Lafayette Spices offers free shipping on orders over $100. The website has a plethora of additional information for each salt including origin, flavor profile, and pairing suggestions. Browsing through the shop feels like a trip around the world! Be sure to stop by and grab a few new salts for your holiday cooking adventures – your friends will be jealous (and impressed) that you were the first to get your hands on a brand new seasoning! Bon appetite!

As we begin to close in on winter and the temperatures grow colder and more hostile, home cooks (and professional chefs too) increasingly turn to cold weather dishes to keep things warm and cozy in the kitchen. One way they do this is by roasting more meat! The elongated oven time makes the process a little restrictive in the hot summer months, but perfect for the long cold winter nights. While our spices go with just about everything, there are a few select options that we believe go particularly well with roasted meat spices: Herbes de Provence, Kampot Long Red Peppercorns, Smoked Long Peppercorns, Assam Peppercorns, Wild Tailed Peppercorns, Sarawak Black Peppercorns, and Kampot Red Peppercorns. We’re going to take some time to dive into each – their origin, flavor characteristics, and how they pair well with roasted meat.

Let’s start with Herbes de Provence! This dried herbal mix hails from the Provence region of southeast France. The Flavour Fields mix includes five herbs that are essential to cooking in winter – Savory, Marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme, and Oregano. Each is picked at its peak of flavor and slowly air dried – this process achieves a flavor and color that is second to none. The beauty of Herbes de Provence lies in its versatility. The mix works beautifully on duck, turkey, and other poultry, but can be just as impressive when crusted on root vegetables or even a meaty piece of monkfish. This Thanksgiving season, try branching out with your uses for this incredible seasoning – you’ll be so happy you did!

Moving on to Kampot Long Red Peppercorns! This unusual pepper comes from Cambodia - the first reference to which comes from ancient Indian textbooks of Ayurveda, where its medicinal and dietary uses are described in detail. The fruit of the pepper consists of many minuscule fruits — each about the size of a poppy seed — embedded in the surface of a flower spike that closely resembles a hazel tree catkin. The flavor is spicy and warming with hints of fall spices like clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The pepper finishes with notes of dried fruit. This pepper is large enough to be grated by hand on a microplane, which really makes it an ideal finishing pepper. Grate it over freshly sliced venison, duck liver pate, or even slices of seared rare tuna. Fall and Kampot Long Red Peppercorns go hand in hand!

Another option in the long peppercorn category, are our Smoked Long Peppercorns. Hailing from Guinea Ethiopa, The long pepper has been used for centuries in Mediterranean, African, Indian, and Indonesian cooking, although it has almost fallen into obscurity in the past few hundred years. The long pepper comes from a flowering vine with large catkin flowers. Within each flower are small black spikes that are the actual pepper. The taste is very similar to regular black pepper, and it is a relative of the species piper nigrum, but with a much hotter taste and an almost earthy, sweet overtone. Just like it’s red cousin Kampot, it’s best grated by hand and the end of the cooking process. Try scratching some over a French onion soup, or wood roasted mushrooms, or perhaps a slab of seared foie gras with blackberry preserves.

Similar to the long red, but slightly fruitier, is that Kampot Red Peppercorn. What you may not know, is that peppercorns can completely change flavors depending on how long you let them grow for. Our Kampot Red Peppercorn is the perfect example. At its first stage of growth, it will be fruity, floral and moderately spicy. At full growth, the peppercorn looks and tastes completely different then its earlier stage. The Kampot Long Red Peppercorn has hints of cinnamon, clove, and is pretty spicy. It pairs best with roasted meats like venison, lamb, and tender beef like filet and ribeye.

Wild Tailed Peppercorns are your go-to spice for the discerning chefs fall menu. It’s earthy vegetal flavors pair perfectly with fall game like duck, venison, and squab. The berries ripen on the vine longer than usual which preserves the peppercorn’s light red color. It’s a great choice for wild game meats like venison and squab. Similarly it goes very well with roasted meats like brisket, pork shoulder, and braised chicken thighs.

Assam Peppercorn may be one of our most unusual offerings. The blackberry shaped grains can be broken up into individual pepper granules. Each bursting with an earthy, woodsy, musty flavor. It is a subspecies of long pepper and has a unique shape reminiscent of blackberries. The spiciness of this wild pepper is subtle and needs some time to develop. It would benefit from steeping for some time in a sauce, or crushed over a slice of seared foie gras with warm blackberry compote.

Moving on to the Black Sarawak Peppercorn. Sarawak is a state in Malaysia, the largest in fact. The peppercorns are grown and processed on the island of Borneo. Black Pepper is produced from the green unripe fruit of the plant. The fruits are cooked quickly in hot water before being fried for several days during which the outer skins shrink and darken into a thin, wrinkled layer. The Sarawak variety is amongst the best in the world – with a bold flavor and hints of fruit, cocoa, and woodsy spices. We sprinkled it on a beautiful whole baby eggplant – fire roasted it – and served it with Basil Quinoa, Tzatziki and Pistachio. It would be just as at home on a lamb chop or roasted leg of lamb. This is not your everyday black peppercorn. But it IS a kitchen essential.

Lafayette Spices is proud to introduce you to our wonderful exclusive Salts Kit! This incredible blend contains four of the most delicious finishing salts available on the market! A foodie’s dream gift! The salt kit comes packed with 330 ml jars of Pink Himalayan Salt, Fleur de Sel, Cabernet Salt, and Beechwood Smoked Salt.

Imagine a salt that tastes as good as Fleur de Sel, with even more nutritional power, and a stunning color! You’d say that’s a perfect salt huh? You’d think a salt that wonderful couldn’t possibly exist huh!? Well guess what… it does! And its name is Pink Himalayan Salt! That’s right, this trendy topper is one of our most exciting offerings – here’s why… Pink Himalayan Salt originates from the Kashmir region of India and the Punjab region of Pakistan. Its iron rich content lends this salt its pink color by means of oxidation. This high mineral content of this salt has made it a go-to for the healthy conscious. Local legend traces the discovery of the salt deposits to the army of Alexander the Great (around 300 BC) but the first records of mining are from the Janjua people in the 1200’s.

Chemically, Pink Himalayan Salt is similar to table salt and has been shown to contain between 96% and 99% sodium chloride. It’s the mineral impurities, more specifically magnesium, calcium, and potassium content that makes the salt its stunning pink color. You can grind this beautiful stuff onto nearly everything, but we recommend grating it over some freshly sliced summer tomatoes, or hot buttered sweet corn. Because the crystals are too large to use as a finishing salt, they must be ground into a finer powder. This naturally lends itself well mixing into sauces and soups for that extra boost of flavor and minerality.

Think you know all there is to know about salt? Think again! Fleur de Sel is here to blow it all out of the water- quite literally. First of all, what is Fleur de Sel?? This salt is a rare sea salt – that can only be harvested from the coasts of France. Like certain cheeses and wines, it must be from a precise location and meet an exacting set of requirements to be considered Fleur de Sel. There are two methods typically used to harvest salt for human consumption: mining and sea water evaporation. Mining involves digging deep into underground salt deposits that have been left by ancient salt water lakes, rivers, and oceans. The salt can be dug out of the ground – much like coal or other minerals. It can also be removed through a fracking process, similar to oil, where water is pumped into the ground above a salt deposit, then the salt infused water is pumped back out. Alternatively, salt can be harvested from ocean water, through a collection and evaporation process. Fleur de sel production utilizes this procedure, but the process is much more time consuming. It involves scooping thin sheets of salt that rise to the surface of shallow pools along the coast of France.

Because of the labor intense processes involved with harvesting Fleur de Sel, it is considerably more rare and therefore more expensive than average table and sea salts. It forms naturally only under certain weather conditions, and it must be skimmed off the surface by hand – using special sieves. Ordinary sea salt is made by evaporating sea water and then collecting the remaining salt. Fleur de Sel is first and foremost, salty – but it also contains a host of other nuances that make it so special. It has a fairly high moisture content (not totally dry) and retains some of those mineral sea brine flavors. Because the cost of Fleur de Sel is fairly high, it’s best used as a garnish, rather than something you’d mix into a recipe. Plus, you don’t want to lose those beautiful crunchy crystals! Use it to top some gooey brownies or rich creamy caramels – or even a freshly torched crème brulee. Makes a perfect gourmet garnish when added to sliced beef or lamb. Sprinkle it over a fresh summer salad, juicy ripe tomatoes, or a piece of crispy skinned fish. Any way you use Fleur de Sel is guaranteed to make your food shine. Its iconic appearance, crunch, and flavor gives a chef automatic credit – that they choose the best ingredients the world has to offer.

Have you been looking for a finishing salt that screams with intense flavor, has a stunning color, and an excellent texture to boot?! Look no further, than our very own Cabernet Salt! This bright purple stunner is an incredibly classy and delicious finishing salt. True French Guerande sea salt is soaked in rich cabernet wine, then dried – it’s an infusion that will really knock your socks off. Loads of intense wine flavor in every crystal - little flavor bombs! The bright purple tones of this exquisite salt pair beautifully with sliced red meats, roasted vegetables, and sweet ripe summer tomatoes. The salt used to create is harvested in the Guerande region of France, a city on the western coast of the country – known for its salt marches. In these marches, salterns have been built, where workers collect up to 15,000 tons of cooking salt each year and approx. 300 tons of fleur de sel or “flower of salt” per year. The process is quite simple, tides feed the water reservoirs with sea water, where it gets trapped and begins to evaporate. That process of evaporation continues until there are only a few centimeters of sea water left. Ultimately, the salt crystalizes and produces fleur de sel and coarse salt.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing region. Surprisingly, the origin of this delicious grape variety was an accident! In the 17^th century in southwestern France, an accidental breeding occurred between a red Cabernet Franc plant and a white Sauvignon Blanc plant – Cabernet Sauvignon was born. The plant is known for its thick durable skin and it’s resistance to the elements. This luscious grape is loved worldwide for its elevated tannins (making it a good candidate for aging), full body, and medium level of acidity. Generally speaking, this incredible finishing salt is going to pair well with foods that already pair well with Cabernet Wine. Flavors of this salt range from green pepper and tobacco to hints of cassis, dark fruit, and cherries. Pair it with red meat like steaks, burgers, beef short ribs, and grilled or roasted lamb. It also makes a fantastic pairing with umami rich foods like mushrooms (especially Portobello) and cheeses like gorgonzola, aged cheddar, and gouda. On the other end of the spectrum, this salt would pair beautifully with a rich chocolate pot de crème or even a sprinkle on a dark fruit pie.

Have you found yourself searching for that last bit of something special to complete a dish, not sure what it is, but know in your heart that it just needs an extra pop of flavor? We’ve got your solution right here! It’s Beechwood Smoked Salt! It’s got an intense smoky flavor that’s going to kick your dishes up a few notches, guaranteed! You’ll be amazed at how it transforms an average dish into something really extraordinary. Beechwood Smoked Salt is harvested in the Guerande region of France, a city on the western coast of the country – known for its salt marches. This coarse Guerande salt is finished with a 10 day beechwood smoking process. Beechwood makes an excellent smoking wood, though it’s more typically known as a firewood than a food smoke wood. Beech is a hardwood, which means that it doesn’t produce large levels of thick smoke that come from softer woods like pine or fir. Those soft woods can also produce the potential for acrid tasting buildup on foods, and potentially harmful compounds. Beech wood provides a light smoke that is mild, sweet, and nutty. The elongated smoking process ensures that the flavor not only adheres to the outside of each salt crystal, but also penetrates deep inside for an intense, smoky finish. The true beauty of this salt is in its versatility.  You may immediately think of putting it on smoked or grilled foods – which is a great place for it! But where this salt really shines is on foods that don’t already have those smoky/grilled characteristics. Think for instance about oven roasted vegetables – a little sprinkle of Beechwood Smoked Salt, and suddenly it’s like they were roasted over an open fire! Or perhaps a few crystals on a rich chocolate pudding. The smoky salt would play beautifully with the sweet cocoa notes of the pudding. Finally, consider a little bit of the Smoked Beechwood Salt on crudo or raw fish preparations. The two make an incredible combination - delicate flavors of raw fish and intense smoky salt crystals are a match made in heaven!