Gazpacho Simply Elevated with Ghost Pepper Sea Salt

With the other flat of sun ripened tomatoes we made a cold tomato soup...Gazpacho!

This is a wonderfully refreshing soup that is bursting with tomato and herb flavor.  Perfect on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:
1)  20-24 tomatoes (this makes about 3 quarts)
2)  2 large cucumbers
3)  1 bunch of parsley
4)  1 large sweet onion
5)  1 bunch of fresh mint leaves
6)  4 tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil
7)  Ghost Pepper sea salt

Directions:

To prepare the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for 4-5 minutes and then shock in ice water.

Remove the skins and roughly chop tomatoes and add to a large pot.  Dice the large sweet onion and cucumbers into small cubes and add to the pot of chopped tomatoes.  Roughly chop your fresh herbs and add to the mix.  Add your extra virgin olive oil and puree the entire mixture.

This dish is meant to be served cold or at room temperature, whichever you prefer.  Serve into a bowl garnish with raw jalapeno and sprinkle with Ghost Pepper sea salt!  

This is a refreshing soup with a kick!

Tomato Bisque and Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt

What do you do when you are handed a flat of sun ripened tomatoes?  ....you cook!

We received at least 50 ripe tomatoes and did not want them to go to waste...so we made soups and sauces.  These are perfect to freeze into individual portions and will keep for 2-3 months.

Our first creation was a warm tomato bisque soup.  This made about 2 quarts of soup.

Ingredients:
1)  1 large sweet onion
2)  4 cloves of garlic
3)  2 sprigs of rosemary
4)  2 tablespoons of coconut oil
5)  1 1/2 cups of cream cheese
6)  Sun Ripened Tomato sea salt
7)  20-24 small to medium sized ripe tomatoes

Directions:

In a large pot place two tablespoons of coconut oil and saute the large sweet onion (diced) and garlic (diced) until translucent.  Add in the sprigs of rosemary and heat until they soften.  Set aside while you prepare the tomatoes.

The tomatoes are going to be blanched in boiling water for 3-4 minutes and then shocked in a bowl of cold ice water so skins can easily be removed.  Once the skins are removed roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the pot with the onions and garlic.  Cook to soften the tomatoes and then use a puree stick to puree all ingredients together.

Reduce soup for 15-20 minutes on low - medium and then add your cream cheese.  Puree all together and you are ready to serve.

We feature this soup with Sun Ripened Tomato sea salt and sometimes add a pinch of Ghost Pepper for some heat.

Enjoy!

Warm Kale Toasted Almond Citrus Salad

It is kale season here in Florida and we had a bunch of fresh kale to make into fabulous dishes!

I decided to make a warm salad with this fresh ingredient along with some cool elements of citrus!

Ingredients:

1)  One large bowl of organic grown kale (10-15 stalks)

2)  One large organic blood orange or orange of choice

3)  1/2 cup of slivered almonds

4)  2-3 Tablespoons of coconut oil

5)  Raspberry vinaigrette (store bought with good ingredients).

6)  Vanilla Bean sea salt and Ghost Pepper sea salt (optional)

Directions:

Wash kale and separate from the stalk into pieces.  Saute kale in a tablespoon of coconut oil until wilted.  Cut up the blood orange into sections and add to plated sauteed kale.  Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to small saute pan and lightly brown slivered almonds.  Add almonds to salad and lightly drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette.

I added Vanilla Bean sea salt to heighten the flavor of all ingredients and added a touch of vanilla.  I also added a very little pinch of Ghost Pepper sea salt to add some heat to this sweet salad!

Enjoy!

Salt Bowls...A Dining Experience!

Salt Bowls can go by several names including, salt cellars, salt dishes, salt dips and open salts.  The salt bowl (cellar) was a vessel used to store salt until the invention of the salt shaker in 1858. 

There was a time when salt bowls played an important role on the dinner table.  Salt in the 19^th century and before was considered an expensive commodity, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well-to-do that made salt bowls (cellars) quite fashionable and a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer you sat to the salt bowl (cellar), the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Small salt bowls (cellars) with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  

Since the 20^th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free flowing the salt bowls (cellars) began to fall out of fashion and the salt shakers became popular.  These bowls were used at the table until World War II, until they were permanently replaced by salt shakers.

Although salt mills & salt shakers will always have a place at the table and in the kitchen, Old City Salts believes that the salt bowls (cellars) can once again grace your dining table for family and guests… adding a special and unique statement to your meals.  

Experiment with them on your whole, fresh foods and experience life with flavor!  

All bowls are made by us!  We have an artist as a co-owner and that would be Karyl!  Everyone of the bowls will be unique, signed and one of a kind! 

Smoked Serrano Grilled Pineapple Rings

This is a really simple grilling idea as a side to your main meal.  Grilled pineapple rings go well with grilled chicken, beef and seafood!

To elevate these sweet rings we added a bit of flavoring!

Ingredients:
1)  1 large pineapple sliced into 1/2 inch rings
2)  2 tablespoons of coconut oil
3)  Balsamic glaze
4)  Smoked Serrano sea salt

Directions:

Cut a ripe pineapple into 1/2 inch rings and brush them with coconut oil on both sides.  Heat your grill to medium/high and sear both sides of the pineapple.  Turn down the heat on the grill to low/medium and cook until softened.

Plate your pineapple rings and drizzle with a balsamic glaze and finish with Smoked Serrano sea salt.

If you don't have a balsamic glaze the Smoked Serrano sea salt really elevates the pineapple and adds an element of sweet with a little smokey heat.

Enjoy with your favorite grilled protein!

Raw Turnip and Fennel Salad Bathed in Honey Dijon and Vanilla Bean Sea Salt

Such a long name for such a simple salad!  I absolutely adore fresh produce and this was one of the freshest!

I was invited to pick fresh turnips from the ground at a friends garden.  So I packed up my two children, age 4 and 6, and off we went!  They had so much fun searching for the turnips!  They identified them by their above ground leaves and the slight bit of purplish pink poking above the ground.

We gathered 3 bags and off we went to prepare these little gems.  They had so much fun on the back patio shaking off the dirt while we used the knives to trim.

Since these were so fresh, I thought my first meal with them would be a raw salad to honor the freshness.  A raw turnip tastes similar to a radish, therefore I decided to thinly cut them and make a simple honey Dijon vinaigrette to bring some sweetness and tang to the plate.  The 'Simple Elevation' is the addition of Vanilla Bean sea salt once plated!  I found Vanilla Bean to pair very well with honey Dijon and fresh, raw vegetables!

Ingredients:
1)  8-10 small turnips or 1-2 medium turnips
2)  2 tablespoons of raw organic honey
3)  4 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
4)  1/2 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar
5)  1 bunch of parsley
6)  Thinly sliced fennel (optional)...I had some and added it to another plate with the turnips and the combination was excellent!

Directions:

Thinly slice turnips and arrange on a plate.  Combine all ingredients for Honey Dijon Vinegarette and drizzle over turnip slices.  Sprinkle with Vanilla Bean sea salt and roughly chop and garnish with fresh parsley.

Fresh Lemon Fennel Baked Cod with Seasoned Rice

One of may favorite fish dishes is extremely fresh cod baked in the oven with exceptional simple ingredients!

I was unable to catch this fish fresh from the sea, however I was able to catch a deal at the local Fresh Market that was having a sale on this fish.  I purchased a little over 2 lbs, which was equivalent to two large fillets.

Ingredients:
1) 2 lbs fresh cod
2) 1 large fennel bulb
3) 2 organic lemons
4) 2 cloves of garlic
5) 4 tablespoons of grass fed butter
6) 1 bunch of parsley
7) 2 cups of basmati rice
8) 1 teaspoon of turmeric

Directions:

Lay fresh cod in a baking dish.  Thinly slice the fennel bulb into 1/4 inch rings and arrange on top of the fish.  Cut one of the lemons into thin rings and arrange on top of the fennel and fish.  Take the other lemon and add it's juice over the fish.  Next, cut the 4 tablespoons of butter into pats and arrange over the entire mixture.  Mince the garlic cloves and add to the mix.  Cover and cook the dish at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  The fish is done when it lightly flakes apart and is white all the way through.

Prepare your rice, by adding a teaspoon of turmeric to the water.

Plate your rice on a large platter and arrange your fish on top of the rice.  Layer the cooked fennel and cooked lemon slices on top and sprinkle with your favorite Old City Salts Gourmet sea salt blends.  I reserve all of the sauce in the baking dish and add to a gravy boat to add to each individual plate when served.

We had several Old City Salts on the table for this one!  Some of the favorites were Sun Ripened Tomato, Smoked Serrano, Spanish Rosemary and Ghost Pepper sea salt.

Have fun experimenting!

Grilled Burger and Pineapple Finished with Smoked Serrano Sea Salt

It's grilling time again!  Wait, has it ever stopped?  Not  at our house.  We grill in all sorts of weather.

However, I had been in the kitchen for so many days and it seemed the right time to get outdoors, open the grill and chill outside while the children played.


I had picked up two fresh pineapples the other day and grilling them sounded like a fantastic thing to do...then came to mind a grilled seasoned hamburger on top of this would be even better!

Hamburger Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs ground round.  If I can purchase grass fed, I do...if I can't find that I will ask the butcher to freshly grind a piece of round.  That way I am assured it came from only one cow.
2) 1 medium onion finely grated, I used a food processor to get this job done with less tears
3) 1 bunch of chopped parsley
4) 2 cloves of garlic minced
5) 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
6) 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Directions:

Marinade the meat for a minimum of 3 hours, longer is always better.  Get your grill hot and grill the burgers to sear all sides and then turn down to low-medium.

While they are simmering on one side of your grill, get ready to grill some pineapple rings!  Slice your pineapple in 1/2 inch rings.  Place rings on a hot grill and cook until soft and lightly brown char is achieved. If your pineapple is not as ripe, you may have to add a little bit of coconut oil to the rings prior to grilling.  This will help with the cooking process and allow the pineapple to cook without burning.

To plate, place a piece of grilled pineapple on the plate and glaze with balsamic (optional) and dust with Smoked Serrano sea salt (this salt pairs extremely well with pineapple).  Next, top your burger on the pineapple and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and another sprinkle of Smoked Serrano sea salt!

The flavor combinations go so well together!  Enjoy!

Banana Apple Caramel Bread Pie Dusted with Thai Ginger Sea Salt

We love dessert and I have been playing around with gluten free and refined sugar free desserts that retain their fullness, richness and tastes great!

I have modified this banana bread a little bit to add in apple, caramel and sea salt!

Ingredients:


1) 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
2) 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
3) 3/4 cup of almond flour
4) 1/4 cup of coconut flour
5) 2 tablespoons of olive oil
6) 3 eggs
7) 2 very ripe bananas
8) 1/4 cup of raw organic honey
9) 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, (optional)
10) Thinly sliced apples

Caramel Sauce:

1) 2 tablespoons of raw organic honey
2) 2 tablespoons of pastured grass fed butter
3) 1 tablespoon of heavy cream


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350° F/175° C.  Blend all the dry ingredients together in one bowl and add the 
wet ingredients together.  Mix the wet and dry ingredients together with a mixer to ensure batter is well blended.

Oil, butter or add parchment paper to a 9" pie pan.  Add the batter to a baking dish. I added a sheet of parchment paper to the pan, it gives a fluted edge to the bread and is pretty when plated.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean.

Prepare the caramel sauce by heating the honey and butter in a small saucepan.  Stir constantly until the mixture begins to bubble, thicken and become darker in color.  Once the desired color is achieved turn down the heat and add in the heavy cream.  Continue stirring and then remove from heat.  Allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes prior to adding over your slice of pie.  

Sprinkle Thai Ginger sea salt over the caramel to take this dessert over the top!

Coconut Red Curry Calamari

Calamari...love it as an appetizer!  I adore the crunchy calamari with the hot and sweet dipping sauce.

BUT...since going gluten free, I have had a hard time finding that same crunchy breading for my calamari.  Coconut flour burns and almond flour just doesn't do justice to the calamari.

So...this appetizer is not fried, it is sauteed!

Ingredients:

1) 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
2) 1 can of coconut milk
3) 1 Tablespoon of red curry paste (I used "A Taste of Thai")
4) 1 lb of calamari cut into 1/2 inch rings

Directions:

Prepare the red curry sauce by pouring a can of coconut milk (13.5 oz) into a saucepan.  Over high heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon of red curry paste.  Bring to a boil stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and cook 3-4 minutes until thickened.

Place sauce aside and prepare your calamari in a sauce pan heated with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to cook calamari.  Then pour in the sauce on top of the calamari and heat an additional 1-2 minutes.  

Plate over your favorite pasta, rice or in our case al dente spaghetti squash.  We finished this dish with Ghost Pepper sea salt to heighten the heat!

Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Wings and Smoked Serrano Sea Salt

I love chicken wings...something about the tiny little pieces perfectly cooked and seasoned.

If I am making wings, I am making them sweet and spicy...

First, obtain about 3lbs of wings.  You can either purchase in a pack or save the wings on your whole chickens.

Marinade Ingredients:

1) 1 Cup of raw organic honey
2) 1/2 cup of organic grass fed butter
3) 1/2 cups of Frank's hot sauce
4) 1/2 teaspoon of Smoked Serrano sea salt
5) 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Directions:


1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange dry wings on a lined baking sheet.

2) Place wings in oven for 15-20 minutes.  Then remove and glaze both sides of the wings with 1/2 cup of honey.

3) Place wings back into the oven, set the timer for 30 minutes, and prepare the sauce.

4) In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, remaining 1/2 cup of honey, Frank’s Red Hot, Smoked Serrano sea salt, and garlic powder; whisk to combine.

5) While the wings are baking, periodically baste both sides of the wings with the sauce (about every ten minutes). Once the timer goes off, crank the heat up to 400 degrees F and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Plate add chopped scallions to garnish and a dollop of blue cheese dressing!

Braised Short Ribs and Braised Cabbage

This was a two day meal preparation and I'm usually not in for complicated...however I would and will do this one again!

When our diet became all about whole fresh ingredients, I paid more attention to my meat and where it came from.  No longer do I purchase meat in bulk from confined animal feeding operations (CAFO's).  To many diseases, too many antibiotics and chemicals pumped into the animals. So I have been purchasing my meat from the local Fresh Market and single cuts of meat that they cannot combine 1,000 animals into my ground round.

One of my staple cuts of meat has been the short rib. It has a nice meaty cut of meat wrapped around a rib bone.  I usually braised the short ribs and used the bones to make a beef bone broth.

Well, I was in the mood to grill....so I did a little investigating and you really need to marinade these ribs in order to have them come off on the grill not being chewy.  So I got thinking of marinades...this is what I came up with!

Short Rib Marinade:

1)  3 Tablespoons of raw organic honey
2)  3 Tablespoons of olive oil
3)  6 Scallions roughly chopped
4)  1 Tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar
5)  1 Cup of home made kefir or (live cultured yogurt)

I placed 4 large short ribs into a sealable bag along with the above marinade for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Once marinated, gas up your grill and get it really hot.  You want to sear the ribs on all sides and get a good caramelized crust.  Then turn your grill down to low and cook for about an hour with the lid closed.  Check and turn occasionally.

I paired my marinated grilled short ribs with braised cabbage and a mango coconut puree.  I used Smoked Serrano as a finishing salt on the ribs and it went exquisitely well with the cabbage and mango coconut puree.

The Cabbage was sliced in 1/2 inch rings and basted with coconut oil and broiled for about 5-10 minutes.  Pull out and place a rib on top.  I purchased a very natural sweet and spicy mango coconut puree from the Fresh Market that was exceptional with all of the ingredients!

Dandelion Green Salad

What a wonderful green salad...If you have never had dandelions, it's worth a try.  They are a bit bitter, so it's best to pair it with something sweet.

I choose to use my organic fresh red beets that I used raw and shaved. 

For the dressing, I used two tablespoons of raw organic honey with two tablespoons of coconut oil heated on the stove.  Cook over the stove and add 1/2 cup of fresh walnuts into the sauce and continue to cook until the sauce is a bit brown and let cool.  Mix a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and add to the honey sauce. Once mixed pour this over the salad and enjoy!

We finished this salad with Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Green Eggs and Toast!

My 4 and 6 year old would love for me to make green eggs and ham...however, no ham in the house so we had to settle for green eggs and bread!

We are into whole, fresh foods and this one is made with some really good ingredients.

First, we poached the eggs in a pan of water on top of the stove with about a tablespoon of vinegar added to the water.

Next, make the green sauce!

Green topping:

1)  4 oz of pastured cream cheese
2)  1/2 of a ripe medium avocado
3)  1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Mix in a blender, nutribullet or other apparatus that will do the job of blending all of these ingredients together.  Add more olive oil if you want a thinner consistency.

Bread:

I took sour dough bread that was made by fermenting the dough for 3 days.  Take this fresh loaf and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Put either olive oil or coconut oil on the slices and brown in the broiler.

Plate the eggs and add a dollop of the cream cheese avocado mixture.  Add a sprinkle of Spanish Rosemary sea salt!  Green sauce and green salt!  The flavors go so well!

When you pull the bread out sprinkle with a little rosemary sea salt, ghost pepper, smoked serrano or any of your favorite Old City Salts!

Homemade Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken stock is a staple in our home.  We have it all the time!  It comes from cooking a whole, fresh chicken once a week.

Chicken stock has amazing flavor and mineral content when prepared from whole, fresh chicken in your home versus the chemical laden ones found in grocery store shelves.  Plus you can add your own flavor profile and have a healthy cup of this per day...must I say it....Yes, to keep the Dr. away.

Ok, here we go!  Purchase a fresh, whole, pastured and preferrably organic chicken with no antibiotics...I know tough to do these days.

Once you have chicken in hand, put said chicken in a large stock pot.  I have purchased a 16 quart stainless steel pot for this weekly activity.  The bigger the better and will keep you in good stock for a week (based on a family of 4).  

Cover your chicken with about 8 quarts of purified, filtered water.

Turn the heat up high in order to get your water to boil.  Once boiling, turn the heat down to low-medium and cook for about 2 hours.  There might be a foam that develops on the top of the water...go ahead and skim this off.

After 2 hours you can pull the whole chicken out.  Allow to cool so you can handle the chicken.

When, cooled down enough to touch, discard the skin and pull all of the white and dark chicken meat off the bones.  Reserve all the meat for use in casseroles, chicken salad or whatever you fancy.  Put all of the bones back in the stock pot.  

Now, comes the true stock creation!  Add nothing but the bones back in for a plainer broth or add in trimmings from your favorite vegetables to get a subtle vegetable flavor in your broth.  Anything works and this is where experimentation comes in.

Keep your broth on low for 12-24 hours for a deep stock flavor.  If I keep overnight I will put the lid on about 6 hours into it and let is sit on low overnight.  

Once complete, strain the broth into quart size mason jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I heat up a cup everyday with a little pinch of sea salt.  Use in soups, casseroles and rice dishes.

Super Sweet Salty Snack!

Need a pick me up during the day?  Don't want to dive into a processed snack?  I've got the perfect little pick me up with a zing....

I always have my pantry stocked with fresh, whole ingredients I use in cooking and sometimes these fresh, whole ingredients can be used for snacking too!

I raided my pantry and found some Goji berries, Golden berries and organic pumpkin seeds.  All super foods and all super good for you!

I mixed about 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds with 1/4 cup of Golden berries and 1/4 cup of Goji berries.  Place in a jar and sprinkle Thai Ginger sea salt (1/2 tsp) on the top and shake!  Portion out and enjoy!  Perfect to keep in your purse or take to work.

This is loaded with anti-oxidants and minerals!

Simply Elevated Okra and Thai Ginger Sea Salt

I love when I get my hands on a fresh, whole ingredient!  Most of them I could just wash off and eat right out of the garden!

Sometimes, my family likes a little preparation...so here is what I did to simply elevate this delicious okra!

I had about 30 small delicate okra and I washed them and then patted them dry.  

Next, I like to trim off the ends so the whole thing can be eaten off the plate!  Next, I warmed up a skillet with about a tablespoon of organic unrefined coconut oil.  

Lightly saute the okra in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes, turning and making sure they do not burn.

Finally, toss your okra in your favorite serving dish and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Thai Ginger sea salt!  The okra should still retain it's freshness, but be warmed up and seasoned just nicely!

My 4 and 6 year old cannot get enough of them!  I'm a happy Mom!

Blue Cheese Steak Fajita and Ghost Pepper Sea Salt

This is an easy one skillet dish that is sure to satisfy the meat lover in your family!

For the beef in this dish I used 1 lb of strip steak:

1)  You can purchase steak strips already prepared from your local butcher or super market.  

2)  If you purchase your beef in bulk you can prep the cuts and save the trimmings for this dish.  

or 

3)  Get your favorite cut of steak and trim into strips about 2 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick.

This entire dish was made on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.  I started by taking a large organic onion and chopped into medium rings and one large bell pepper diced ( I used red pepper for color!)  

Saute these in a pan with a tablespoon of coconut oil until they start to caramelize.  Remove and add in your mushrooms (1 bin), I used baby portabella mushrooms.  Cook down the mushrooms and remove when they start to get soft.

Once all vegetables are cooked and set aside get your skillet hot and throw in your strips of steak.  Sear all sides and then turn down the heat to low.  Add in all of your vegetables and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary.  Allow all of these flavors to come meld together for several minutes.

Just prior to serving add several chunks of blue cheese (to your liking) and then most importantly season your dish with either Ghost Pepper sea salt for a kick or Smoked Serrano for a milder heat.  The salts are what really elevate the dish to another level!

Short Cake and Thai Ginger Honey

Salt and Dessert?  You bet!

Sweet and salty is a great combination and when executed correctly it is amazing!

I'm really big on a gluten free and refined sugar free and will always opt for this version.

This is a very simple short cake that is absolutely amazing and healthy.

Short Cake Recipe:

     1/3 cup melted organic grass fed butter
     6 eggs, lightly beaten
     1/4 tsp sea salt
     1/2 cup raw organic honey
     1 tbsp vanilla extract
     1/4 tsp almond extract
     1/2 cup of sifted coconut flour

Bake in greased muffin pan or 8 x 8 pan in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  When the tops begin to brown take out and cool on a wire rack.

'Simply Elevate' Topping:

1)  Fresh fruit, we choose organic blueberries
2)  Freshly grated organic lemon zest soaked in raw     organic honey and dusted with Thai Ginger sea salt.

The Thai Ginger sea salt and honey is a fantastic duo on this delicious cake!

Fresh Local Roasted Beets with Smoked Serrano Sea Salt!

Here is a simple side that is amazingly tasty, elegant and oh so colorful - the beet!

We obtained some fresh harvested local beets from Local Fare, a local farm delivery service in Saint Augustine, FL.  They were picked the day before being delivered to our door.

We couldn't wait to try them so we scrubbed them, sliced them and roasted them in the oven at 400 degrees.  We coated them in coconut oil, but olive oil would be good as well.

Once they are cooked to your liking, pull them out and plate them.  Drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil over them and season with Smoked Serrano Finishing sea salt!  The freshness of these beets are amazing and the smoked serrano gives this dish heighten flavor and a bit of smoke.

Delicious!

Sampler Mini's are Here!

Purchase 3 sampler mini's for $10.50 and shipping at ONLY $2.10! 

Our Sampler Mini's are the perfect way to sample our sea salt blends! Due to the grain size, mineral content and flavor in each crystal a little of these salts go a long way! Sprinkle on your finished dish to elevate your whole, fresh foods!

Order yours today at www.oldcitysalts.com

Roasted Garlic and Eggplant Simply Elevated

Eggplant is a very versatile ingredient.  Did you know that technically an eggplant is considered a fruit, not a vegetable?  

Eggplant can be baked, fried and even pureed into a dip.  There are a couple of things to take notice of when shopping and choosing your eggplant.

At the store or farmer's market:
1) Avoid eggplant with brown spots on the skin
2) Avoid eggplant with mold or dark brown stems
3) Eggplant should be bounce back when pressed gently
4) Heavy feeling when held

The smaller eggplants are generally less bitter because they contain less seeds.  If you have a larger eggplant you can remove most of the bitterness by soaking the slices in salt water.

Ok, here is what I did with my two medium sized eggplants!

I cut in half and then diced them into small chunks.  I layered them on a baking pan and poured about 1/2 cup of liquid coconut oil on them.  Be sure to coat all pieces.

To this mix I quartered several gloves of peeled garlic.  

Cover the baking pan and cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Stir and check to see if they are all soft and not sticking.  Next, uncover and roast until golden brown.  You might need to add additional oil at this point.  

Once, the color is achieved place your eggplant in a serving bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and 'Simply Elevate' with one of our gourmet blended sea salts.  We love this dish with:  Sun Ripened Tomato or Smoked Serrano or Ghost Pepper

Pair this with a nice loaf of bread or Bruschetta!

Tomato and Blue Cheese Chicken Soup!

I'm always finding new ways to use left over chicken!

Chicken is so versatile and goes well with almost any ingredient.  I personally, am a buffalo chicken wing junkie and therefore tend to make all chicken taste this way.

This one is a soup version and is made by sauteing your favorite vegetables in a large pot.  I used 2-3 carrots, 1 medium onion and 2-3 stalks of celery.  

When vegetables are softened, add in your diced or shredded chicken meat along with a quart of homemade chicken stock.  Next, add your favorite marinara or tomato based sauce.  I added a jar Fresh Basil Marinara which contained all natural ingredients.

Simmer on the stove for 30 minutes or more to meld all the flavors together. 

Now the fun....

Ladle out this soup into your favorite bowl and add several chunks of blue cheese.  Kick up the heat and salt your bowl of goodness with Ghost Pepper sea salt for intense heat or for a more mild version add Smoked Serrano sea salt!

Enjoy!

Fresh Rosemary...Bring it in the House!

Rosemary is in the House!!!!  Yes, bring in your extra fresh rosemary from the garden and enjoy it's many benefits!  First and foremost, this is a delicious herb to cook with so add to your roasted potatoes, marinara and soups.

BUT this herb is not just for cooking!  This is an excellent all natural air purifier and freshener!  Put them in a favorite vase or bowl around your house.  They have properties to help in killing airborne bacteria and viruses.  The smell is awesome and reinvigorating.

BUT wait not done yet!  Throw some of the stems and leaves into your freshly drawn warm bath to reset your mood and uplift your spirits!  

Behind the Scenes at Old City Salts

This is a story of a Mother and Daughter business venture that was developed by both of our passions for whole, real food.

We started Old City Salts in our heads November 2012 out of a desire to 'Simply Elevate' our fresh, whole foods!  We are thrilled to be starting Old City Salts in the "Old City" of Saint Augustine, FL.

We have been on a whole food diet for a long time and we have developed a strong passion to treat whole fresh ingredients with respect.  We like to honor the freshness and quality of the food with an equally amazing and natural seasoning...hence Old City Salts gourmet sea salt blends.  

We are huge supporters of local farmers and farmer's markets. We opened up for business January 2013 and immediately partnered with Local Fare, a local farm bag delivery service, in Saint Augustine, FL.  

Our goal is to spread awareness of eating from local, fresh sources and to season responsibly. We have a line of 8 gourmet blended sea salts and many more to come.  

We are enthusiastic about showing our customers how to use these finishing salts with fresh, whole ingredients.  You can find photos of our finished dishes along with short recipes on how to execute and finish these dishes on Facebook, our Blog, Pinterest and Instagram.  We hope to show you that you can really simply elevate your fresh, whole ingredients with fewer steps, fewer ingredients and fewer dollars. 

We are so glad to connect with all of you that are currently in our community and we encourage you to share the news!

Here is to Experiencing Life with Flavor!

Warmest Regards,

Karyl and Stephanie

Old City Salts

Plantains Simply Elevated with Lemon, Mint and Vanilla Bean Sea Salt

Plantains are a member of the banana family.  They have a higher starch content and lower sugar versus the banana.  They are prepared by either baking or frying them, they are not to be consumed raw.

If you cook the plantain that is still green, it will be more starchy and not as sweet. These chips go well with salsas.  If you choose to bake or fry them when they turn yellow, they will be more sweet.

I made this dish when the plantains were very yellow and brown. The height of sweetness!

I like baking them in coconut oil on a baking tray. Cut them in lengthwise pieces with uniform thickness.  Toss in coconut oil and arrange on tray.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees until golden brown. 

I made a simple syrup, by taking 2 tablespoons of raw organic honey and mixing it with 2 tablespoons of hot water.  Pour this diluted honey over the plated plantains. To these we added a sprinkling of Vanilla Bean sea salt - amazing!  To finish I add fresh organic lemon zest and some fresh mint from my garden.

Enjoy this simple elegant dessert!