Salt of the Earth...

While some would disagree, the texture of various salts seems more important than the actual taste. Some salts have more minerals or a higher degree of salinity, but unless they are flavored, they're pretty much the same...salty. Ah, but that's the rub, many salts are flavored and what a difference that makes, especially among the smoked salts.

Salish, the alder smoked salt of the Pacific Northwest is intense and I like its grayish brown color and small gravel like granules. Halen Mon, the Welsh oak smoked salt has a lighter smokiness with flat crystal flakes and a pale gray color. Having purchased a generic black smoked salt with fine textured crystals, I admit to that being the smokiest of them all. Even in a double bag, its aroma wafted through the kitchen for months, although it was tucked in the back of a utensil drawer, so it wouldn't affect other items like herbs and spices that would normally be stored with salt. When asked what was in it, all I could come up with was salt and carbon. I have never seen it again and I believe that is for the best, considering the description. I recently purchased a hickory flavored salt, but have yet to taste it.

Of the flavored salts I have purchased, Halen Mon Vanilla flavored flakes seems the most exotic, or perhaps an Italian truffle salt, or an hibiscus salt. But I haven't yet tried the latter two or a red pepper infused salt. Some flavored salts really fall flat, as did a sage salt and lemon salt I recently acquired. The ideas were better than the products, so a little experimentation with those combinations might be in order. I've already made my own lavender and rosemary salts with some success.

Pink salts have the most obvious mineral inclusions of iron, creating lovely coloring from the deep rust of Hawaiian Red or Alea salt to the soft pink of Real or Himalayan salt. To my palate, Real salt has the highest salinity level, and I usually refer to it as "salty salt" and reserve it for use on popcorn.

When it comes to textured salts, Murray River salt from Australia is my go to salt. I love the pink color and the flakes are just the perfect size, so as not to accidentally over salt something. Maldon salt from England comes in a strong second with light flakes of a modest size; again very easy to use without the danger of over salting foods.