RE: Hawaiian Black Salt. Bought some this past weekend at TJs...

B

barbara-in-va

Well-known member
for $3.99. I could not find a weight indicated on the package but it was a good size for the price compared to what I see in Whole Foods.

I have not tried many different salts because they are so expensive. So the price of this one lured me. It is WONDERFUL! I love the crunchy little explosions of salt when you bite into a granual. I don't know how it compares to any other salts but DH and I are realy enjoying it. And it looked great on our Coho salmon the other night.

 
I was just going to warn Barbara about Penzeys french gray sea salt.....

That's what started me down this road--have never been much of a salt lover, not much to love about it till I tried this? Really nice.

Just spent a bit too much on a sampler from Williams Sonoma. Has 2 oz each of: Australian Pink, Hawaiian Black, Hawaiian Red (pretty), an Oak Smoked Chardonnay and a white flake sea salt.

Haven't tried them yet, been really getting busy to get back to sea and wanted to wait till I am back home and do something special!!

 
I got hooked just the way Nan did. I don't use anything else now. And now I find I'm using salt to

finish my cooking...I stopped adding salt for years. I have black that I use in Indian cooking but haven't tried it otherwise.

I bring loads of the Sel de Gueurande gray sea salt back from every trip to France but now can buy it here at only $6 for 2 pounds. Looks like even cheaper than Penzey's. I just love this stuff.

Then there's the 49 cent box that I pour around the flagstone in the backyard, to kill the weeds between them. I love that too, but for a different reason.

 
I have seen a salt sampler at Costco that had 5 or 6 different salts. I have always regretted...

not getting it, and we only visit Costco a couple times a year (the nearest Costco is 6 hours' drive).

 
Sounds like Costco (below) would be the way to go, we don't have one, but WS was spendy-was internet

 
Want to know why Hawaiian salt is "black" and "red"?

I haven't researched much but I think the black comes from minerals in the lava that makes up these islands and I know the red comes from our famous (and incredibly hard to get out of clothing) red dirt. If you come to the islands you can watch the salt being made- it is an interesting and ancient process. Hawaiians have been using these salts for many lifetimes and those that I asked are amused that they have been discovered and are considered "gourmet".

 
I'd love to know the results of your sampling when you do try. BTW, Wlm Son was the only place I

could find a sea salt grinder.

You can buy sea salt in the mill jars but they have plastic grinders. In France, you can get the good gray salt in the grinder jars. But try to find a grinder, to save money, to buy the good gray salt in bulk! Yikes. And as is everything else at WS, it weren't cheap.

 
Thanks Kathy, very interesting and isn't that funny how that happens with local foods?

 
My french gray sea salt is slightly moist , Does this one work for that?

I just keep some in a morter and pestle. My regular salt mill which is pretty good quality clogs with it??

 
Yes, it has to have plastic grinders or better still....wooden grinders, because sea salt is always

moist. There aren't many grinders to choose from. And some are too flimsy to work anyway. The one I bought at WS was over $60 (ridiculous price like everything else there) but it works just fine. It's wooden with clear plastic barrel and wooden grinders.

 
The worst offense is with chicken wings. I remember, when I was a kid...

...chicken wings were .10 to .15 cents per pound. Mostly used for cooks making 'soul food' and for stock.

Not now!

Michael

 
Thanks, will check it out--anyone have WS stock?? I should, and Chef's Catalog, and Penzeys and???

 
Flank Steak, have always loved it, 25 years ago when I first served it to a

crew, they said "back on the farm we threw this to the dogs".
The chicken wing thing--I had a gentleman from some Caribbean island I had never heard of told be to make sure and get plenty of wings. I would add a dozen or so to whatever chicken dish I had, he would pick them all out and come back and fish for more--that's with all the other pieces still there.

 
Lol Nan, when I read Michael's comment, I immediately thought of

flank steak. Btw, I'm quite fascinated with your job. You cook on a ship of some kind? Would love to hear more about it if you ever feel like sharing. Forgive me if you've posted this and I missed it, just point me towards it.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top