When assessing different salts, we consider the four following elements: S Taste, crunch and melt-in-your- A mouth qualities Size, shape, colour, moisture content and density of the crystals Properties in the salt from the L landscape it was taken from (ash, clay etc.), andProperties added to T the salt after harvesting (smoke, wine, flowers etc.). While the base ingredient in most salts is indeed sodium chloride, the location and method of production impact the final makeup of salt, much like wine, where the intrinsic properties of the grapes are characterized by the soil or 'terroir', the geological makeup of the regions in which salts are harvested have a significant bearing on their flavours. Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved What are the different types? Table Salt Considered the perfect all-purpose salt, table salt is used as an ingredient or seasoning in most cooking and baking recipes. Table salt will usually contain added iodine as iodine deficiency has become common in many parts. Anti- caking agents are typically added to table salt to prevent clumping and keep the salt flowing freely. Table salt has a uniform crystal size, which is excellent for concise and consistent cooking when measuring volume. Rock Salt Rock salt is salt that has been extracted from underground salt mines through the process of mining with dynamite and then crushed further for food use. It can be found under the rugged layers of the Earth's surface and is scientifically known as halite. Rock salt is a popular salt type for specialty applications. Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved Iodized salt During the Great Depression in the 1920s, and iodine deficiency was spreading in parts of the country and causing goitre, enlarging the thyroid gland. Iodine was added to salt to help easily prevent goitre and other health and hormonal issues. Iodized salt is artificially coated with potassium iodate, additives, and anti-caking agents to prevent clumping. The average adult only requires less than 225 micrograms of iodine daily, which can be found in seafood, eggs, and many dark leafy greens. Sea salt also contains natural traces of iodine. Flake Salt Typically taken and crafted from the coastal regions of England, flake salt has most of its water content evaporated, producing a dryer and more pyramid-like crystal. It dissolves more quickly than some other sea salts, adding vibrant pops of flavour to your dish. It's perfect as a finishing salt on meats, blending with herbs and spices to create a unique spice blend, or adding onto baked goods for a bold flavour contrast. Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved Fleur de Sel Labelled as the "Caviar of salts" due to its high price, this salt is only produced off the coast of Brittany, France, from May to September. Because of its paper-thin delicate crystals, fleur de sel can only be extracted on sunny, dry, and slightly breezy days with a traditional wooden rake. This salt is perfect as a finishing salt for savoury meals and even sweets like chocolate and caramel. It features a light salty flavour and a highly desirable blue-grey tint. Kosher Salt Initially used in Jewish cooking to follow the food guidelines in the Torah, kosher salt is used for extracting blood from meat, thus, koshering the food. It is now used more and more in all different cuisines due to its versatility. Chefs particularly love the salt since it's easier to pick up and evenly distribute. Large, coarse, and uneven white grains give this salt its favourable texture, while the briny, crunchy, and slow melting characteristics make this flavour profile so desired Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved Himalayan Salt Being the purest salt in the world and containing 84 minerals found in the human body, it is no wonder that Himalayan salt is the go-to flavour booster for health-conscious people all over the globe. This vibrantly pink salt is mined from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, with iron ore and ivory traced throughout. It has a bolder flavour from the highly complex mineral content and is excellent for cooking and baking of all kinds. Himalayan salt also has a high heat tolerance and is often used for spa treatments to release ions into the air. Persian Blue The salt is hand-harvested in the ancient salt mines or Iran. The salt was formed 100 million years ago. It is a rich blue colour and is the rarest salt in the world. The intriguing blue colour occurs during forming the salt's crystalline structure, as intense pressure is exerted on the salt deposits. The individual crystals unusually fracture the light creating an optical illusion that makes the salt appear more or less shimmering blue. Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved Grey salt or Sel Gris Grey salt is a "moist," unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France's Atlantic coast. Its natural, light-grey colour comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay lining the salt ponds. The salt is collected by hand using wooden tools and methods dating back to the Iron Age. Grey salt has gained great fame in the mainstream culinary world in the last few years. It is available in coarse grain Black Salt A transparent flake sea salt is first collected by hand from the pristine waters of the Isle of Cyprus. The salt is then permeated with carbon that has been activated with oxygen, creating highly porous charcoal, which binds to the flake salt. Copyright © FoodLogic 2021 - All Rights Reserved.