Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Puree

Here is a little guiltless indulgence, sweet potato pureed with peanut butter!

This was inspired by my children who are rapidly growing and often hungry.  I don't want to feed them every 30 minutes so I try to find foods that will satisfy and hold them for a while.

My 6 year old came up to me 2 hours before dinner asking for a snack (UGH).  I looked at the stove and my sweet potatoes were ready to puree and I had an idea!  

I added a scoop of healthy, organic, natural peanut butter to the sweet potatoes.   A little bit of coconut oil to keep it smooth.  Whola...I now had a quick and easy snack that is loaded with healthy oils, vegetable and protein that should hold them for a while!

I then used these lovely peanut butter potato puree at dinner, however I drizzled it with extra virgin olive oil and added a pinch or two of Smoked Serrano sea salt! 

It was amazing!!!!  The finish was just the right simple elevation I was craving.

If you have a real food kitchen remember to use all ingredients at your disposal to be creative with combining whole, fresh ingredients that are satisfying, healthy and delicious!

Keep it Real!  Keep it Simple!

Ingredients:

1)  3 large sweet potatoes
2)  3 tablespoons of coconut oil
3)  2 tablespoons of organic natural peanut butter
4)  Extra virgin olive oil
5)  Smoked Serrano sea salt (to taste)

Directions:

Peel, cut and cube sweet potatoes.  Bring to boil in a large pot until fork tender.  Drain, reserve 1/4 cup liquid and mash or use a puree stick.  Add the peanut butter and coconut oil, mix well.  Plate and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and finish with a pinch or two of Smoked Serrano sea salt!

Roasted Balsamic Beets

Beets, Beets, Beets....yes sound the drums I definitely move to the beat of a beet!  

When I have a chance to pick up some fresh organic beets I stock up on them because they are so versatile!  I love them raw, in juices, as a natural food dye, pickled and roasted!

Last night I only had a few minutes to get a side on the table with my chicken so I made this quick and easy side.

Ingredients:

1)  4 large organic beets
2)  2 tablespoons of coconut oil
3)  Aged Balsamic glaze (to taste)
4)  Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
5)  Aged Balsamic sea salt (2-3 pinches)

Directions:

Wash and quarter your organic beets into similar sizes and shapes.  Arrange on a baking tray, drizzle with coconut oil, roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze and finish with aged balsamic sea salt! 

It is almost like eating candy, only better!  The roasting brings out the sweetness of the beet, the aged balsamic glaze lends a sweet and sour component and the aged balsamic sea salt wraps it all up in a mineral balsamic-y goodness!

It took minutes to prepare, it's healthy, it's colorful, it's full of flavor!  Perfect for a family dinner or an elegant dinner party!  My two girls devoured them.

Keep it Real!  Keep it Simple!

Tomato Herb Spaghetti Squash and Savory Sausage

I cannot get enough of spaghetti squash!  It is so versatile and takes on whatever flavor you want to throw on it.  I prefer mine al dente aka slightly firm and not mushy.

I was pondering what to do with it this evening when my husband came home with a bag of fresh out of the garden cherry tomatoes!  What better than to saute these beautiful red balls with fresh rosemary, some sea salt and mix it into the tasty golden squash strands!

Ingredients:

1)  1 whole spaghetti squash
2)  15-20 cherry tomatoes
3)  Fresh rosemary sprigs (2-3)
4)  2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil 
5)  2 tablespoons of organic grass fed butter
6)  Spanish Rosemary or Smoked Serrano sea salt
7)  4-6 sausage (your choice)

Directions:

Wash and split your spaghetti squash in half.  You can dig the seeds out prior or after cooking.  I prefer to pull them out after.  Place the cut sides down in a large pan with about 1/2 cups of water.  

Cover and bake in an 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and scrape out center with seeds.  Once cooled a bit so you can handle them, take a fork and gently scrape out the strands.  Arrange them on a large platter or bowl.

Wash and cut cherry tomatoes in half.  Saute tomatoes in oil with the fresh sprigs of rosemary.  Don't overcook, just get the juices flowing in the tomatoes.  Approximately 4-5 minutes.  At this stage, I add two tablespoons of organic grass fed butter to the pan to melt and add extra richness and flavor.

Combine the herby tomatoes into your gorgeous spaghetti strands and you have an amazing side dish or main meal.  

I take it to another level of flavor and elevation by adding a pinch or two of Old City Salts sea salt blends.  Many would work well here, but I choose Smoked Serrano for tonight.  If you prefer adding some more heat, I would suggest the Ghost Pepper.  The Spanish Rosemary or Sun Ripened Tomato will add another punch of garden flavor to this dish and is exceptional choice as well.  

Best part is you can make a standard dish like spaghetti squash take on any flavor profile you like with a dash of seasoning salt.  

This was a side dish of mine tonight because I came across some freshly made chicken sausage from the local Fresh Market and had to give them a try.  On the plate this evening and paired with my squash was a white wine and herb sausage along with a portabella and cheese chicken sausage!  Both were exceptional!

Enjoy!  Experiment with Salt! Keep it Real and Simple!

Canteloupe and Blueberries with a Touch of Molasses and Coffee

Simple is always refreshing!  Especially when simple tastes so good!  

We had received a couple of ripe cantaloupe and some cartons of blueberries right off the farm.  Cantaloupe always signals breakfast in my mind and what goes well at breakfast ---- coffee!  

The fresh fruit and the sweet hint from the molasses is an amazing combination!  Now, take that over the edge by adding a couple of pinches of Espresso Brava sea salt and you have now created an amazing flavor profile that truly marries each ingredient for life.  

Ingredients:

1)  1 cantaloupe diced into cubes
2)  1 cup of fresh blueberries
3)  1/2 teaspoon of molasses
4)  A pinch or two of Espresso Brava sea salt
5)  Garnish with some fresh mint

Directions:

Arrange your cantaloupe and blueberries on a plate. Drizzle the molasses over your fruit with a spoon. Add a pinch or two over your fruit and enjoy!

Now this was definitely Keeping it Real and Keeping it Simple!

Herb Infused Burger Atop Blueberry Tamarind Sauce With Slaw

The creativity was flowing on this day and I had a bunch of fresh local blueberries and a block of tamarind paste in the refrigerator.  

It all started with a sauce and then the burger and slaw came into being.  If using tamarind, you will need to pair it with sweetness since it is a bit sour (similar to lemon).  

The meat, slaw and sauce pair perfectly on a warm summer night.  The piece that takes this dish over the edge is the finishing salts because they give that added element that brings all the ingredients together on the plate.

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs of ground beef of your choice
2)  1/2 head of organic green or purple cabbage
3)  1 cup of organic blueberries
4)  1 tablespoon of tamarind paste (or to taste)
5)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey
6)  1 large onion grated
7)  1 bunch of cilantro chopped
8)  1/2 cup olive oil
9)  3-4 cloves of garlic minced
10) plain sea salt, Thai Ginger sea salt, Ghost Pepper sea salt

Directions:

Prepare your ground beef by adding the beef, grated onions, chopped cilantro, olive oil, minced garlic and about a teaspoon of plain sea salt into a large mixing bowl.  

Incorporate all the ingredients well and let rest anywhere between 2-24 hours.  The longer the beef rest in a covered bowl in the refrigerator the more flavorful your burgers will be.

Prepare the sauce by adding the tamarind and blueberries to a small saute pan.  Gently heat the mixture and add the honey and two pinches of Thai Ginger sea salt.  If you have an immersion blender use this in a deep bowl to blend all ingredients smoothly.  Add a bit of water to get your desired thickness.  I used a Nutribullet and it worked perfectly.

Next, make a simple slaw and by simple I mean just shred your cabbage and dress it lightly with olive oil, a little mayonnaise and a touch of vinegar.  

I cooked the burgers on an outdoor grill and plated it on top of about two tablespoons of the blueberry tamarind sauce.  

Then I topped the burger with a simple slaw and added a pinch of Ghost Pepper to add a bit of heat to this layered stack of goodness! 


Keeping it Real, Keeping it Simple!

Smoked Serrano Orange Broiled Fresh Fish

There is nothing better then catching a fish and having it for dinner that evening...if you can't do that go to your local fish market and get the freshest catch of the day!

We found two really nice size tilipia and I picked up a couple of naval oranges at the market...so an idea was formed.

Fresh orange mixed with Smoked Serrano sea salt on a delicately broiled fresh fish sounded like a nice and easy meal for the family.  This dish is simple, yet elevated!  It took minutes to prepare and cook, 25 in total.

Ingredients:

1)  2 large tilipia fillets

2)  1 naval orange

3)  4 tablespoons of grass fed butter

4)  1/2 teaspoon of Smoked Serrano sea salt (or to taste)

5)  1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

6)  Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Arrange tilipia fillets in a baking dish and squeeze the juice of one naval orange over fish.  After squeezing remove pulp and add to the baking dish over fish.  Season the fish with Smoked Serrano sea salt.  Place the pats of butter on the fish.  Bake covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, if your fish is thin check for doneness around 15 minutes.

Remove the cover during the last 5 minutes of cooking and ladle the sauce in the dish over the fish.  While finishing off the fish, finely dice your red bell pepper for garnish.

Plate fish over your favorite rice or serve with a side of vegetables.  You can sprinkle a little more Smoked Serrano sea salt to finish the dish!  The Smoked Serrano goes so well with citrus and brings a well balanced flavor profile to the entire dish!

Cucumber Tea Infused Ribbons with Vanilla Bean Sea Salt

Whenever I get a new ingredient I'm always looking for different ways to use it.  This new cucumber salad was inspired by a new loose tea I purchased to make my husband a healthy iced tea.

It is a loose organic tea, called Yerba Mate and it is a holly tree native to the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.  It's antioxidant properties are higher than green tea, so I was sold on it.

I brewed a big batch for my husband's ice tea and as it sat steeping and developing color and aroma my mind was racing on ways to use this with food.

I had just received a big bag of cucumbers from a friends garden and I had my Vanilla Bean sea salt on the counter - Shazam...an idea was born!

I decided to make a unique and delicate dressing with the Yerba Mate tea, extra virgin olive oil, a splash of vinegar and Vanilla Bean sea salt!  

Ingredients:

1) 2-3 cucumbers
2) 1/2 orange
3) 1/4 cup of brewed and steeped tea (your choice)
4) 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
5) 1/4 teaspoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar (or your choice)
6) 2-3 pinches of Vanilla Bean sea salt (or to taste)

Directions:

I decided to make cucumber ribbons to match the delicate nature of the dressing.  With a vegetable peeler remove the dark green skin on the cucumbers. Then slowly peel your cucumber with a bit of pressure to obtain ribbons the length of your cucumber.  Rotate  and continue peeling off ribbons until you get to the seeds, then stop.  You will have enough for an elegant side dish.  You can use the remaining cucumbers cut up in disks or use in your juicer.

Cut your navel orange in half, peel and dice into small chunks. Mix into your cucumber ribbons.  

Dressing:  Whisk your olive oil, tea, vinegar and sea salt together to get all ingredients blended together.

Pour your dressing over the cucumber ribbons and oranges and sprinkle lightly with Vanilla Bean sea salt!

This dish is simple, healthy, quick and elevated!  All of the delicate exotic flavors mingle together and bathe the ribbons.  The Vanilla Bean sea salt makes a huge impact on pulling all of the ingredients together with the delightful vanilla flavor and sea salt punch, it would not be the same without it.

Savory Short Ribs Smothered and Covered

On my real food journey, my eyes have been opened to the individual ingredient and everything it has to offer.  You have to because it does not come in a box with instructions...so it forces you to get to know it!

Take short ribs for example.  I have never really thought about what could come of these little guys until recently.  I found out that you can't just grill them and that you really need to cook them slowly and purposefully.  Once cooked it's a virtual canvas as to what you smother and cover them in.

I had some French Dijon mustard in the refrigerator and some fresh fennel so I decided to make a quick honey Dijon sauce and crispy fennel to finish these off.  The sea salt that completes the dish is my go to favorite with honey and mustard - Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs of short ribs
2)  4 tablespoons of French Dijon mustard
3)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey (or to taste)
4)  1 tablespoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar
5)  1 large fennel bulb
6)  1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil

Directions:

First broil your short ribs in a hot oven (425 degrees) for about 15 minutes to brown and sear the ribs.  Transfer the ribs to a stock pot and fill with filtered water to cover the ribs about 2 inches above the meat. Cook in a low oven (270 degrees) for 3 hours to slowly cook the meat.  At this point the ribs are fully cooked and very tender.  Now it's time to add your sauce and broil one more time to sear in the sauce.  Arrange your short ribs on a pan and add the sauce.

Sauce:  Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar and olive oil and spread on top of the short ribs, reserve some for plating.  Place under the broil until the sauce begins to bubble, but does not burn.

While your preparing your short ribs slice a fennel bulb into thin strips and cook on top of the stove until browned and a bit crispy.  Top your short ribs with the cooked fennel, a bit of the reserved Dijon sauce and finish the entire dish with a sprinkle of Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Espresso Brava Steak Rub

Who doesn't like a perfectly seasoned and grilled steak? The way I achieve it is to start with a really good piece of meat.  I tend to like bone in rib eyes because they are so flavorful!

I usually cook them on the grill after resting to room temperature from the refrigerator.  I salt them about 10 minutes prior, this will help develop the crust on the steak.  Then I sear and cook until medium rare.  I then apply some finishing sea salt and devour it!

There are times when I want a more exotic tasting meat and this is when I turn to making home made rubs!  Here is one we use with our Espresso Brava sea salt blend!

Ingredients:
1)  1/2 cup chile powder
2)  2 Tablespoons of Espresso Brava sea salt
3)  4 Tablespoons Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika
4)  3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
5)  1 Tablespoon Dry Yellow Mustard Powder
6)  2 Tablespoons freshly ground Black Pepper
7)  1 Tablespoon Powdered Ginger

Directions:  Mix all ingredients together and store in a jar.

Note: You may want to adjust the above ingredients to your taste.

Helpful Hints:
Keep for use on grilling steaks and other meats.  Apply liberally to one side only, put this side down first.  You can grill on an open fire or grill indoors.  If using 1" steaks, about 4-5 minutes on each side will give you a medium rare steak.

Note:  You may want to put a dollop of a good herb butter on top of the steak when serving, and a good suggestion is to mix a few tablespoons of this rub into about a 1/2 stick of butter.

Grilled Orange and Radicchio Salad

I love to try new things and radiccio was on the list!  I had seen a plate one time with grilled radiccio and orange wedges and it looked and sounded fantastic.

I am the kind of cook that sees something and goes with the idea and not necessarily the recipe or same list of ingredients.  I had a couple of ingredients in the pantry that I thought would work well with this grilled leaf vegetable and orange.

Here we go!

Ingredients:

1)  1 whole radiccio
2)  1 large navel orange
3)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey
4)  2 tablespoons of blood orange olive oil (or plain)
5)  1 tablespoon of braggs raw apple cider vinegar
6)  Vanilla Bean sea salt

Directions:

Wash and section your whole radicchio into wedges.  Try to keep them intact with the base of the stem. Lightly coat your sectioned radicchio with olive oil and a small dusting of salt.  Peel your navel orange and divide into two sections for easy grilling.  

Get your grill up to high temp and place your radicchio and blood orange down on the hot grill.  Close the lid for about 4-5 to get the slight char on the ingredients and to heat them through.  Turn and repeat until the radicchio is soft and slightly charred.  The orange will char slightly and the juices will begin to flow.

Pull off all ingredients and plate the radicchio in sections and cover with the grilled orange sections.  

I make a quick dressing:  Whisk 1 tablespoon of raw organic honey, 2 tablespoons of blood orange olive oil and 1 tablespoon of braggs apple cider vinegar.  

Pour this dressing over the plated salad, garnish with flat Italian parsley and sprinkle the entire dish with Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Radicchio has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted.  It amazingly transforms when grilled and combined with the sweetness of the grilled orange and dressing. The salad is completely taken over the edge when you add the Vanilla Bean sea salt to finish the dish off!  The Vanilla in the salt combines so well with all the ingredients and adds another dimension to an already fabulous concoction.

Broiled Artichokes

There is something so satisfying about taking a spiny, hard artichoke and breaking it down to it's finer parts!

It can be a challenging ingredient and most people might walk away or opt for the jarred or canned artichokes.  

Well if you take the leap and purchase yourself you will not be disappointed!  You can assure the best freshness and cook and flavor it to your liking!  

Ingredients:

1)  2 large whole artichokes
2)  Extra virgin olive oil
3)  Grass fed butter
4)  Lemon
5)  Spanish Rosemary sea salt
6)  Olives (optional)

Directions:

Wash each artichoke and cut off the stem close to the bulb and cut about 1/2 inch off the tip of the globe.  In a pressure cooker add your artichoke and 1 cup of water.  Follow cooking directions on your machine.  I heat to boil and allow to cook on high for 5 minutes and then turn to low for another 10 minutes.  You can choose to steam to soften.

Once cooked, peel off and discard tougher outer leaves.  Take tender and inner leaves and arrange on a baking tray.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, grass fed butter, a squeeze of lemon and broil to blend and heat all ingredients.

Plate and finish with Spanish Rosemary sea salt!

Roasted Smokey Shepard's Pie

Shepard's pie is an amazingly rich and hearty meat pie with cooked carrots, peas, onions and smothered in mashed potatoes.

I made a slight variation and used roasted yellow and red bell peppers, roasted poblano peppers and substituted the mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower.

It was the same satisfaction of a rich Shepard's pie, but gluten free.

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs ground beef
2)  4-5 cloves of garlic
3)  2 tablespoons of olive oil
4)  Salt and pepper to taste
5)  1 medium onion
6)  2 roasted poblano peppers
7)  2-3 roasted bell peppers
8)  1 large head of cauliflower
9)  1 stick of grass fed butter
10)1/2 cup of cream
11)Smoked Serrano Finishing sea salt

Directions:

Season ground beef with minced garlic and medium onion.  Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the meat mixture along with salt and pepper to taste.  

Roast your peppers on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil at 425 degrees until soft and slightly charred.  Remove peppers, dice and set aside.  Bake the meat pie in the oven at 425 degrees uncovered until cooked through.

The cauliflower will be chopped into florets and boil on top of the stove until fork tender.  Drain and blend in 1 stick of grass fed butter and 1/2 cup of cream.

Add mashed cauliflower to meat pie and top with peppers.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes to heat all ingredients.

Remove, serve and sprinkle with Smoked Serrano sea salt.

Fresh Baked Fish With Mango and Roasted Poblano Puree

I do love roasting tray fulls of poblano peppers to have on hand throughout the week.  So I had these in the fridge and I had a frozen puree of fresh mango in the freezer.  

Well...I thought what a perfect combination with a little smokey heat sea salt to tie them all together!

Now the protein....I had just recently purchased 4 gorgeous fresh fillets of tilapia from The Fresh Market so I was going with a fish dinner tonight.

Here it goes...

Ingredients:

1)  4 large fillets of tilipia or your fish of choice.
2)  Blood orange olive oil or your favorite olive oil and a squeeze of one whole blood orange.
3)  1 teaspoon of smoked serrano sea salt. 
4)  3 tablespoons of grass fed butter.
5)  One whole lemon sliced.
6)  2 whole mango's pureed.
7)  2 roasted poblano peppers.

Directions:

Arrange your fish fillets in a large baking tray and drizzle all the pieces with your blood orange olive oil or your own mixture.  Sprinkle all fillets with the Smoked Serrano sea salt and arrange the lemon slices over the fish.  Cover and bake in an oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.  Uncover and add the butter to the top of fillets and cook for an additional 5 minutes to melt butter.

The puree is made from scooping two whole ripe mangos into a blender along with two roasted poblano peppers seasoned with smoked serrano sea salt and two tablespoons of blood orange olive oil.

The puree is added to the fish when plated along with a sprinkling of Ghost Pepper sea salt for an additional heat factor!

This is fabulous served on top of basmati rice!

Enjoy!

Chicken and Roasted Poblano Peppers and Onions

I love roasting tray fulls of Poblano Peppers and using them throughout the week in various dishes.  I love the heat and smokey flavor they add to dishes.

I also cook a whole chicken each week to eat and more importantly to make several quarts of homemade chicken stock.  Chicken stock is full of healthy minerals and does wonders for the digestive tract.  There is a lot of truth to the old wives tale of chicken soup to get you through a cold.  

So what I did this week was to combine my two favorite items - chicken and poblano!

First thing I did was to roast the poblano peppers.

Ingredients:

1)  5-6 Poblano Peppers
2)  Olive Oil
3)  Smoked Serrano sea salt

Directions:

Wash and place whole Poblano Peppers on a baking tray.  Drizzle with olive oil and heat in 425 degree oven until tender and slightly charred.  Turn midway and finish with Smoked Serrano sea salt.  Once finished, chop in pieces and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for several days (if they last that long).

The chicken I cook each week is a whole organic roaster chicken.  Take this lovely bird and place into a large stock pot and cover with fresh filtered water.  I usually add about 6 inches over the whole chicken.  

Bring to a boil and remove any foam that arises.  Once boiling reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours. Pull out the chicken and debone.  Reserve all chicken meat and add bones back to the stock pot, minus the skin.  

Simmer the bones in this stock for about 24 hours on low.  Once simmered, use a strainer to obtain the chicken stock from the bones.  I use a large metal mesh strainer over a two quart pouring vessel and then add this to quart jars.  

These keep about a week in the refrigerator and can be frozen for longer periods.  I use them in soups, rice, vegetables and drink a cup of hot broth each day.  

Ok, back to my chicken and poblano dish!

The chicken cooked this way is extremely tender and juicy.  I use this reserved chicken and add sauteed onions and roasted poblano peppers with a quick stir fry on the stove top for a fantastic combination!

Add your favorite Old City Salt to elevate this dish.  We used Ghost Pepper sea salt in this dish.  Also to make a complete meal add rice, pasta or toasted bruschetta!

Steak and Cauliflower two ways!

Here at Old City Salts we get a lot of local farm fresh ingredients to cook with...and we are always looking for a great protein to add to these wonderful whole fresh vegetables.

The other day we received several large heads of cauliflower, both dark yellow and the white variety.  Decided to cook them two ways and add a nicely iron pan seared flank steak.

Ingredients:
1)  2 large heads of cauliflower (any variety)
2)  1 bulb of garlic
3)  Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
4)  1 stick of grass fed butter
5)  1 cup of cream cheese
6)  1 large flank steak
7)  Smoked Serrano sea salt

Directions:

Roasted cauliflower - wash and break into florets of cauliflower.  Arrange on a baking tray and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.  Chop garlic cloves in half and add to the mix.  Season with Smoked Serrano sea salt and broil in the oven at 425 degrees until softened and lightly browned.

Creamy mashed cauliflower - This is a lovely version of a creamy mashed potato.  Wash and break into florets and add to a large pot of boiling water.  Cook until tender with a fork.  Drain all water and add in the cream cheese and butter.  Mix well with a blender and serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top and season with one of Old City Salts gourmet blended sea salts.  We used Smoked Serrano on these as well!

We paired these lovely cauliflower dishes with a well marinated and seasoned flank steak that we seared on top of the stove in a cast iron skillet!  These dishes pair well with just about any protein.

Enjoy creating fantastic simple dishes with cauliflower and Old City Salts!

Bon Appetit!

Salt...not all are created equal!

I am ecstatic about the amount of social media outlets that allow us to educate and help people find more natural ways to feed, cleanse and beautify our bodies.  

It is a powerful source and I am so thankful it is there!  We have entered this arena to support the whole food movement and to season responsibly.  More on our health challenges and background that led us to become a gourmet sea salt company can be found here.

Now…our passion and quest to ‘Simply Elevate’ fresh whole ingredients with Salt!

Salt has been a vital part of existence for thousands of years.  In the early years it was mainly used for curing and preserving, feeding ourselves and livestock.  It also took on other useful purposes such as tanning hides, producing dyes and other chemicals and medicines.  Access to salt became essential to survival and salt began to localize groups of people.  Salt varied from region to region and it quickly became a source of trade.

Jump to the industrial age and salt became a significant chemical needed in many modern processes.  In these processes salt was needed in its purest form.  Highly processed salts have undergone an extreme temperature (above 1200 degrees Fahrenheit) which removes the minerals and retains nearly pure sodium chloride - an unnatural chemical form of salt that your body recognizes as something completely foreign.   

This form of salt is in nearly every form of preserved processed product that you eat.  If you are eating mainly processed foods your body is receiving more salt than it can dispose of.  

Salt is essential to life and can be very beneficial in its natural state and can be very detrimental in its "chemically cleaned" state.  Avoiding table salt is beneficial especially if you have a high processed food diet.  

When you choose to eat whole fresh foods flavored and seasoned with natural sea salt you are adding ingredients your body recognizes and utilizes for proper bodily functions. Natural sea salt contains 70 or more trace minerals necessary for life, these minerals are retained in natural sea salt and available to our bodies.

At Old City Salts, we believe in the benefits of consuming and creating great meals with natural sea salts versus refined table salt.  Our gourmet sea salt blends are two ingredients: natural sea salt and one other ingredient.  Using these all natural blended sea salts is fun, easy and satisfying on many levels.  Once you start using these sea salt blends you will never go back to refined table salt.

These sea salt blends are the perfect complement to simple, whole, fresh ingredients.  They provide a unique mineral flavor, texture and crunch that can be paired with many simple ingredients to 'Simply Elevate' them!  

Experiment with all 8 of our gourmet sea salt blends!  We have a 1 oz. and 4 oz. package available on all of our blends.  The 1 oz. size is perfect for sampling and finding your favorite blend.  A 1 oz. bag will generally last between 16-20 plates of food.  

We have enjoyed sharing these gourmet blends and have over a 100 recipes on our blog, ‘Simply Elevate’…A Culinary Journey, that show how to use these finishing salts on simple, whole fresh foods. 

A little introduction of each blend: 

Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt:

The rich tomato flavor in this salt is created by a special process that actually incorporates the whole tomato. This salt literally is a mix of whole tomatoes with our unrefined sea salt.   It contains natural traces of other minerals, including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine. Proponents of sea salt rave about its bright, pure, clean flavor, and about the subtleties lent to it by these other trace minerals.

Our Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt will brighten any dish. Get creative and spice up your next whole, fresh ingredient with the tang of tomato and zip of sea salt!

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/tomato-bisque-and-sun-ripened-tomato.html

Smoked Serrano Sea Salt:

Serrano’s have a more fruity pepper taste than jalapenos. They're not milder, but they have better flavor, crisp, bright and biting, more fully developed, and not just all heat.  The Serrano pepper's Scoville rating is 10,000 to 25,000. It is said that Serrano chilies have a "delayed fuse," which means that their heat takes a moment to fully kick in when it hits the palate.

The Serrano pepper is typically eaten raw and they are commonly used in making Pico de Gallo. It is also commonly used in making salsa.  Our Smoked Serrano Sea Salt has the wonderful qualities of the fresh Serrano pepper with a mild 'heat'... making it a delicious alternative for those who cannot eat spicy, hot peppers.  

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/sweet-and-spicy-wings-and-smoked.html

Vanilla Bean Sea Salt:

This salt is made with genuine Tahitian Vanilla Beans mixed with a delicate hand-harvested sea salt.

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its flavor and is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture and aromatherapy. The combination of sea salt and vanilla bean accentuates sweet desserts and is also used as a drink rimmer, on fresh fruit, salads, pasta, finishing.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/vanilla-bean-dusted-parsnip-fries-and.html

Thai Ginger Sea Salt:

  

Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. Our Thai Ginger combines the clean simple flavor of sea salt with fresh, juicy ginger. The ginger flavor of this gourmet sea salt blend variety cannot be matched by powdered or synthetic flavorings. 

Use on grilled veggies, Asian noodles or fish. Great for chocolatiers and pastry chefs alike.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/banana-apple-caramel-bread-pie-dusted.html

Aged Balsamic Sea Salt:

True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown in color and has a complex flavor that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks. Revered by chefs and foodies everywhere, fusing together the rich, concentrated flavor of aged Modena balsamic vinegar with our hand harvested sea salt was a no-brainer. The result is a mouthwatering balance of sweet, sharp, spicy, and salty.

Try it on a salad with fennel, herbs and tomato, any dish with ricotta cheese, or on sliced pears for a super easy delectable snack.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/01/aged-balsamic-parmesan-cheese-and.html

Ghost Pepper Sea Salt:

The Naga Bhut Jolokia is a chili pepper previously recognized by Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper in the world.

With a taste only for the very daring, this salt is the hottest salt in the world! Made from pure, unrefined sea salt and the Naga Jolokia pepper, this salt has a spicy hot flavor that is without compare. Named for one of the most venomous snakes in India, this pepper, also known as the King Cobra Chili, has a blazing heat that is out of this world. For some flaming flavor, sprinkle over chicken wings, chili, or your fajitas, but beware – this salt bites back!

Uses: Roasted vegetables, seafood, meats, finishing, fried foods 

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/blue-cheese-steak-fajita-and-ghost.html

Spanish Rosemary Sea Salt:

Spanish Rosemary is an all-natural sea salt that delivers a straight from the 'Herb Garden' flavor. A perfect pairing with roasted potatoes, it will make this simple dish extraordinary. Add to any dish to give it a fresh herb taste.

Rosemary is one of the most commonly used herbs in Italy especially for roast lamb and kid. Italians have a passion for rosemary and you will see it in many of the true Italian recipes. If you go to an Italian butcher shop and order lamb they will include several sprigs of rosemary with the meat. Rosemary is discreetly used in French, Greek or Spanish cooking. Just sprinkle our Spanish Rosemary Sea Salt on your spaghetti sauce... it will bring out the flavor of other ingredients.

Uses: Roasted vegetables, meats, salads, pasta, bread dipper (w/olive oil)

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/04/caramelized-sweet-onion-toast.html

Espresso Brava Sea Salt:

Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.  In Italian tradition, espresso is best enjoyed in one hot gulp. At Old City Salts, we adore the fusion of espresso with sea salt.

 It's not only a delicious addition to chocolates and desserts, it is also a rising star in rubs and marinades for steak, pork, or whatever you can think of!

 A delicious match with a cognac reduction, or anything with nutmeg, anise, vanilla, cherry, hazelnut, raspberry...The only limit for this Espresso Brava Sea Salt is your imagination.

Uses: Desserts, drink rimmer, steak rub

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2012/12/skirt-steak-marinated-with-espresso.html

If you are intrigued with the idea of gourmet finishing salts to elevate simple whole fresh food…follow us on Facebook and experience life with flavor!

Bon Appetit!