Kosher sea salts are a type of mineral salts produced naturally by living organisms. Sea salt is very salty mineral water that was commonly used as cooking and food seasoning. It's used today for preserving food, cooking, cosmetics, and even for collecting. It's also known as solar rock salt, red salt or kosher salt. Production of this sea salt dates back to prehistoric times.
Today, there are two main types of kosher sea salts available on the market: dry flakes and wet flakes. A dry flake tends to be less salty than a wet one. The process of making the salt involves passing water through a sandstone bed with a concentration of sand to create a dense and fine sandstone which is then ground and dried. The result is a white and thick powder that has a light, coarse grain.
To enhance the flavour and aroma in food prepared using kosher salt, it is often combined with herbs and spices. Most popular ingredients are oregano, cardamom, thyme and ginger. Some chefs find that the natural fragrance of the salt improves the taste of certain foods. Because it's salty, some people prefer to replace regular table salt with kosher salt instead. Using the salt in this way can help to regulate the balance of salt in your diet. For instance, it's not a good idea to consume too much salt because it can cause high blood pressure.
The best locations to find kosher sea salts are along the Oregon coast and the Cascades. In Washington state, you'll find the largest concentration of these salt producers in Whatcom County. Here, you'll find glistening black rocks along the river banks where small towns such as Astoria and Corning are nestled in the sagebrush-filled mountains. There, you'll find mountain streams flowing year-round into the Pacific Ocean. Here, mountain goats and deer feed on the fresh mountain water and the natural flavour of the kosher salt provides the perfect taste for hunters and fishermen.
If you've never tasted sea salt from the ocean, it can be an unusual and delightful experience. Most table salt is treated with iodine, which makes it suitable for human consumption. Sea salt is completely different. It contains trace amounts of iodine, but because it is inorganic, it can't leave the ocean. It must be treated chemically before it can enter the body. The same is true for kosher salt.
Although sea salts taste terrific when they are freshly harvested from the ocean, they can actually have a bitter aftertaste. This is because the salt absorbs carbon dioxide from the ocean water as it decays. As this happens, it releases a compound called sulfate aerosols that linger in the air until the salt's organic properties disintegrate. It then becomes much less salty and just taste fresh and earthy. Once the process is complete, however, sea salts have a wonderful salty taste that is hard to beat.
One of the reasons why sea salts taste so great is because they have been harvested without causing damage to the environment or to people. Most table salt comes from mines around the world, which causes pollution and soil depletion while also depleting the sea salts. To guarantee that these mineral rich gems are as pure as possible, they are harvested in the most ecological way possible.
If you want to purchase kosher sea salt online, make sure to check the ingredients. There will probably be a listing of what goes into the salt. You should look for the kosher salt with no additives and a long shelf life. If you buy kosher sea salt in stores, note how the salt shakers are used and move on if you don't see the specifications stated clearly. Table salt substitutes may also come in similar shapes and sizes, but they will most likely not be the same. Sea salt may be kosher sea salt but not really kosher unless the other ingredients match too.
