Sea salt is a salty mineral liquid obtained by evaporation from seawater. It’s used both for cooking and as a seasoning in baking, cosmetics, confectionery, and for preserving edible food. It’s also known as black salt, hematite salt or pink salt.
Sea salt was discovered by accident by the ancients, who were trying to create leaching baths. Evaporated water is naturally dark and odourless. It was mixed with a meal of raw fish or meat and vinegar and left to dry. It was experimented with by ancient civilizations, who found it had many health benefits.
Although the method has long been lost, the earliest use of sea salt was in ancient Egypt. The Black Sea was a major trade route between Egypt and Greece and there were naturally many black truffle salt mines in the area. In Roman times, the salt was used as a flavouring in dishes and also for drying, especially of meat. Its popularity increased when it became a salt for making cloves. In addition, it became popular as a flavouring for wines.
In modern times, sea salt is still used for curing, preserving and seasoning fish and meats. It can be added to a variety of soups, stews, casseroles, sauces, salad dressings and various desserts including ice cream toppings. The most commonly used variety is the kosher salt or black sea salt. It’s often combined with other ingredients to produce new flavour combinations. Kosher salt contains no additives or preservatives and is therefore a healthier alternative than other salts.
Some varieties of sea salt contain tiny fossilised shells from ancient oysters, which are actually an important source of marine nutrition as well as being of archaeological interest. Some black varieties are also known as Dead Sea salts and have a considerably higher concentration of minerals and trace elements. With a background so rich in these earthy minerals, it is little wonder that the Dead Sea is named after such a large deposit of sea sand.
There are different types of sea salt available on the market. Most of them can be purchased at department stores or even health food stores in powder form. However, sea salt must be kept in the refrigerator to retain its freshness. Also, it should be stored in an air-tight container to prevent contamination and leaching. When it comes to flavorings, the most popular is the Dead Sea salt. It is widely known for its numerous health benefits including treating everything from allergies, asthma and arthritis to depression, constipation and gastric problems.
The sea has a lot of history to speak about. For thousands of years, the area was populated by nomadic Jewish tribes who were known for their expertise in agriculture and herding. It was during this period that they also learned about salt production. Over time, they managed to tame the animals that inhabit the area including sheep, cattle, donkeys and ostriches and used them as water sources. The sea provided an endless supply of water and they eventually mastered the art of making salt from the water.
The salt industry has developed so much since those days. Today, sea salt is no longer used solely for table salt but is now used in many types of food and dishes. Truffles are just one example of how food experts have worked with the salt to create delectable truffles. Moreover, sea salt itself has found a niche in the culinary world. Although this may seem like the end of an age, the sea salt industry is far from over.
Truffles are made with truffle gourmet. You can either make it at home or buy it from the local truffle dealer. Most truffle dealers also make it on their own, although you can find ready-made truffles available in specialty food stores and gift shops. This type of truffle is different from its land-based cousins because it is not usually seasoned with salt, as is the case with truffle bouillon and truffle Dijon mustard which are often served on their own.
Another type of truffle is made with a smoked turkey bristle brush. These brushettos are best eaten after a few hours of being cooked. When buying brushettos, make sure that you buy ones that are made from 100% turkey bristle. Although it looks like it would be very difficult to produce a good truffle, a technique called flash cooking makes it easier. Flash cooking involves coating the turkey bristle with olive oil, kosher salt and then cooking it in a hot skillet for about two minutes. The end result is a truffle coated with all of the tasty goodness from the turkey bristle.
The sea has been a source of truffles throughout history. While most truffles are made with truffle gourmet, there are still some sea salt truffles that come from France. Although most sea salt is mined in other countries, France is well known for its rich deposits. As such, if you are not from France, the chances are pretty slim that you will be able to find sea salt on your local grocery store shelves.