Fleu de sel ¦ farewell to your salt shaker.

Fleur de sel is known to experts as the cream of the crop regarding salts. It is carefully retrieved form salty lagoons that given their natural conditions are able to produce unique qualities that are beneficial for our health. This valuable seasoning can be produced in France, Spain, Portugal and the Laguna de Cuyutlán in Colima, México.

Its production and collection are one of a kind. The fleur de sel can only be harvested during the hottest months of the year, this period is known as “zafra” and its most productive month tends to be May. During this time, the water reaches the perfect level of salinity which is between the 68° and 75° Fahrenheit, allowing evaporation on the first sun. The result is a very fine layer of salt in the surface of about 1 mm. This layer is picked up manually before it sinks. After being packed, the salt sits in for one year so that the sun and the wind dries them naturally. Due to the characteristics under which the fleur de sel is produced, it is considered by chefs all around the world to be a “gourmet jewel.”

Characteristics of Fleur de sel:        

• Low in sodium chlorine, it makes up only 30% versus common salts which percentage can be up to 99%. Due to this, people who suffer high pressure kidney related problems are advised to salt their food with Fleur de sel.
• It contains magnesium, a mineral that promotes the settling of calcium and phosphorus in our bones, as well as helping our nervous system and aids in stabilizing our hormonal levels.
• In Fleur de sel, there are over 80 essential minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc (these trace elements are crucial for our wellbeing even if the needed dosage is minimum).
• Originally, the salt has a light pink color due to an algae, dunaliella salina, that grows in the lagoon. After it dries it acquired its usual transparent-white color.

When using fleur de sel remember the following recommendations:

• Add once the dish has been served.
• Due to its pureness, use less salt than the one you normally add.
• It is quickly absorbed by hot foods which reflects its flavor right away.