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!