FIOR DI SALE or FIOR DI SALE DI SICILIA

Like fleur de sel, this “flower of salt” is so-named because the delicate salt “flowers,” or crystals, comprise the top layer of the salt pans that rest on the surface of the sea. Fior di sale comes from the Trapani area of Sicily, and is harvested by master salt makers. Fior di Sale can only be harvested on windless mornings, when the surface waters of the Mediterranean are unruffled. Fior di sale is a very white crystal with a much lower percentage of sodium chloride than regular table salt and rich in fluorine, magnesium, potassium and all the trace elements contained in sea water.

FLAKE SALT

A light crystal salt reminiscent of snowflakes. Seawaters are evaporated by the sun and wind producing salt brine that is slowly heated to the point where delicate pyramids shaped crystals of salt appear. The finished product is light, flaky sea salt. Flake salts are harvested all over the world: the Maldon River in England, Anglesey off the island of Wales, New Zealand, and Australia. The pink flake salt shown here comes from Australia’s Murray-Darling River Basin, where a red pigment, carotene, is secreted by algae.   

Flake salt. Photo courtesy SaltWorks.us.

FLAVORED SEA SALT or SEASONED SALT or ARTISAN SAL

Salts can be smoked or otherwise flavored by mixing them with spices (saffron), herbs (bay leaf, fennel, thyme), berries or other seasonings like truffles. Complex blends can be found, including those that mix sea salts with regionally-themed spices and herbs to create “Mediterranean” or “Southwestern” blends. The salts usually have a lot of visual appeal on top of foods and as plate garnishes, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts—i.e., because they are crafted for beauty, they make a better presentation than a home cook would achieve by combining sea salt with the same ingredients from the spice cabinet. Read our review of  Ritrovo flavored artisan salts and Fusion seasoned salts and what you can do with them.

Fusion seasoned salts come in more than a dozen flavors, from black truffle to merlot. Shown above, matcha (green tea) flavored sea salt. Photo courtesy SaltWorks.us.

FLEUR DE SEL

French for “flower of salt.” Like sel gris, it is also raked by hand from the salt ponds (“fields”) of the village of Guèrande, Brittany, on the coast of France. It is harvested from May to September; artisan paludiers patiently wait as the shallow pools of water evaporate, creating the precious salt crystals. The salt rises to the top of the water, forming delicate flakes that, upon drying, are off-white and can acquire a pinkish hue. The slightest movement will cause the “flower” to sink to the bottom, so salt can only be collected when the weather is warm and the sea is calm. For every 80 pounds of sel gris produced, only three pounds of fleur de sel is harvested.

FRENCH SEA SALT

Sea salt harvested from pristine Atlantic seawater. Unlike most American sea salts, they are usually unrefined, so they retain more of the trace minerals that naturally occur in seawater, including natural iodine. They are ideal for salads, cooked fresh vegetables and grilled meat. Fleur del sel and sel gris are just two examples of French sea salts.

FUMÉE DE SEL

Smoked sea salt. Different producers make smoked sea salt. The smoky flavor will pick up hints of the wood or other material over which the salt was smoked. The salt below is Fleur de Sel smoked over Chardonnay oak wine barrels, achieving a gentle smoke flavor with a savory hint of wine. See also smoked salt.
 

GARLIC SALT

GREY SALT

Also called sel gris and Celtic salt, a “moist” unrefined sea salt found along the coastal areas of France. Its light grey color with purple tinge comes from the clay found in the salt flats. The salt is collected by hand using traditional Celtic methods. Grey salt is considered by many to be the best quality salt available.