Salt snob.

Fleur de sel just makes life better.

I am a salt snob. I admit it. I have actually not picked up a shaker of table salt in years. I don’t even have it in my house. Of course I used to believe that salt is salt…and the “fancy” ones were simply a gimmick. But oh how wrong I was. My first switch was from table salt to plain old “sea salt”. I felt better about using it, but honestly, I couldn’t taste much difference when it came down to it. Then, a friend of mine forced me to try fleur de sel, the “flower of salt”. I probably rolled my eyes, but what I really remember was the incredible taste…the slight crunch…the revelation. Had I been a fool all those years? Yes, I had…and there was no looking back.
Fleur de sel is only one of many different salts that I have sampled and enjoyed, but it is my favorite. Salt is kind of like Tequila to me. One isn’t necessarily better than the rest; it’s simply a matter of taste. They are different, and they each have notable characteristics. I won’t bore you with too much salt talk, but I will break it down for you based on what I have learned…

Kosher Salt is a necessary kitchen staple. Buy it. That’s the one in the box that people usually use to rim margarita glasses. This is the one you should use when cooking. If a recipe calls for salt, use kosher salt. However, my advice is to reduce the amount called for and finish the dish later with a nice finishing salt.

Sea Salt varies from source to source. It is also acceptable for cooking, but reduce the amount because I find that it tends to impart a very salty flavor. It works as a finishing salt, and is quite inexpensive, but treat yourself and go for the good stuff!

Fleur de Sel, and other fancy salts out there have one purpose for me (though I have rimmed my margarita glass with it…and it was amazing)…and that is for finishing a great meal. You will be amazed at how much flavor a small pinch of it can coax out of your meal. Sometimes, it miraculously pulls all of the flavors together. It is quite pricey, but do your research. You can sometimes find a pound or so for around $12 bucks online. That’s a bargain! And remember...a little goes a long way.

There are many others out there to try including Grey Sea Salt, Real Salt, Hawaiian Sea Salt, etc...even Smoked Salt! Again, it's not about better or worse, it's about taste and variety. While I certainly love them all, my advice is to choose one or two of your favorites at first and don't get overwhelmed by the selection.

Oh, and throw away the table salt. Now. It is bitter, offensive, and useless. Or better yet, run a nice hot bath, add a few drops of lavender oil, and dump a few tablespoons of it in the water for a nice relaxing spa day.