Friday, June 15, 2012

SPICE UP YOUR DISHES WITH FLAVORED SALTS

Flavored Salt 1 2 bis
Salt is the policeman of taste: it keeps the various flavors of a dish in order and restrains the stronger from tyrannizing over the weaker.
- Margaret Visser
Salt plays an important role in our daily life. Not only is it a vital substance for all living creatures as it regulates the water content of our body, but it is also makes food taste better. Nobody can survive or cook without sodium chloride...

Unfortunately, lately we've been brainwashed into thinking that this crystalline mineral is evil and at the origin of many of our health problems, thus you read everywhere that it must be avoided at any cost. There is absolutely no doubt on the controversial nature of this staple as it never ceases to be vehemently discussed about both in the medical and culinary world. An endless debate.

Anyway, the good news is that it is not your enemy (have a look at this Daily Mail article). Of course, one should always consume it in reasonable quantities* and favor quality, hence it is our duty to steer clear of sodium-ladden and harmful prepackaged or junk food (loaded with nasty sodium) as well as table salt which is extremely bad for you (linked to hypertension and other heart or blood illness), crammed with additives and has been stripped of its essential companion elements (iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine).

Natural sea salt is beneficial for your well-being and highly savory, therefore it is the perfect replacement for that insipid, dangerous, abominable and industrially produced muck (check out this interesting read & this one).
A flavoured salt is one of the simplest and most basic ways of finishing a dish – it’s so easy and tasty, yet hardly anyone does it.
- Jamie Oliver
Although this subject is captivating, I'm not going to speak about nutrition today, but instead I will focus on salt as a flavor exhauster and on how one can use it to create extraordinary, refined and glamorous condiments in order to enhance as well as compliment a dish. You might have guessed it, I am speaking about those colorful flavored salts that are all the rage in the culinary world right now.

* To control your salt intake, add sea salt to your food only after you have cooked it. You'll be able to taste if you're getting too much. In any case, I believe that if you have a need for salty grubs, then it is your organism which commands your cravings...

Flavored Salt 3 2 bis
- Seaweed & Rosemary Made By My Friend Corinne -

Salt and seasonings are my big addiction. I would not be able to live without them as I cannot imagine enjoying a chow that is awfully bland, lacks soul or oomph. My taste buds need to be constantly challenged, otherwise the fanciful eater that I am gets terribly frustrated.

Pungent spice blends are heavenly and elevate cooking to another level. That is exactly what flavored salts do. They are so versatile and can spruce up just about anything, thus they have the power to completely transform a recipe. The perfect addition to your kitchen pantry and a great gift for any occasion.


Nowadays, you can purchase them from any deli, supermarket, corner store and market merchant. They might not be a rarity, but generally bought flavored salts are quite expensive. It is the reason why I highly recommend you to prepare them at home as they cost a lot less and you can let your imagination go wild (no limitations) as well as have buckets full of fun during the process.

In order to facilitate your task, I have gathered some useful information and tips that might come in handy when developing your own formulas...

- Ras-El-Hanout Salt -

Which Salts To Choose:
Coarse or fine sea salts - preferably unrefined (grey) -  as well as gourmet rock salts such as sel de Guérande, Himalyan Salt, Hawaiian Salt, Murray River Salt, Persian Blue Salt, Kala Namak, etc... And why not go for a smoked salt too!
For more information check out this salt glossary.

Which seasonings to employ:
. Dried herbs (curry leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, lemongrass, keffir lime leaves, etc...)
. Whole or powdered spices, lightly toasted or not (cumin, coriander, saffron, vanilla, five spice, garam massala, curry, smoked paprika, allspice, mustard, wasabi, celery, onion powder, garlic powder, etc...).
. Dried mushrooms, ground (porcini, truffle, shiitake, morels, etc...)
. Toasted nuts, chopped finely (almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, etc...)
. Toasted seeds, chopped finely, if necessary (pumpkin, sesame, poppy seeds, sunflower, etc...)
. Grated zests, dried (orange, lime, lemon, tangerine, kumquat, etc...)
. Dried fruits, chopped (coconut, dried tomatoes, goji berries, etc...)
. Dried edible flowers, whole or petals, ground, chopped or entire (rose, dandelion, lavender, pansies, tulips, violets, geraniums, etc...)
. Miscellanous (coarsely ground popcorn, vinegar powder, dried & finely chopped seaweed, ground cocoa, ground coffee, tea, squid ink, etc...).

In which ratio:
1/4 cup seasonings to 3/4 cup salt.
Nonetheless, you can play around with the concentration of aromas, according to your personal taste.

Which method for combining the ingredients:
In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients (certain ingredients such as nuts, seeds and flowers can be added once the salt has been blended) and give a few pulses, until thoroughly mixed. This will result in a fine mixture.
Some people like coarse-textured flavored salts. If it's your case,
ensure yourself that the aromatic components have been chopped/pounded as finely as possible and then just combine all the ingredients by hand.

Which is the best use for flavored salts:
Sprinkle on chips, potato wedges/fries, salads, steamed vegetables, pasta, meat, seafood, over soups, in sandwiches or incorporate to spreads, dips, sauces and dressings.

Delightful combinations:
. Herb salts - poultry, fish, beef, veal, pork, lamb, rubs, vegetables, soups, stews, braises, stuffings, breads, eggs, rice, pasta, dipping oils, dressings and dips.
. Spicy salts -  beef, veal pork, poultry, fish, eggs, rice, popcorn, soups, stews, rubs, pasta, potatoes, sauces, couscous, dips, dressings and dipping oils.
. Mushroom salt - beef, veal pork, poultry, eggs, rice, popcorn, soups, pasta, potatoes, cream sauces and dipping oils.
. Nutty salts - vegetables, breads, rice, soups, dips and salad dressings.
. Seedy salts - vegetables, breads, soups, dips and salad dressings.
. Citrus salts  - fish, seafood, chicken, potatoes, rice, pasta and salad dressings.
. Fruit salts - tagines, couscous, Middle Eastern dishes, poultry, beef, veal, pork, lamb and rice.
. Floral salts -  vegtables, dressings, dips, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, veal, rice and soups.

Recipes Around The Web:
Indian Spicy Salt by Todd's Blog
Jamie Oliver's Flavoured Salts by The Purple Foodie
Lemon Fennel Chili Flavored Salt by Syrie Wongkaew
Seasoned Salt by Diana Rattray
Smoky Spiced Salt With Orange by The LA Times
Spiced Porcini Mushroom Salt by Gilt Taste
Spiced Salt by Food & Wine
Spiced Salt by The New York Times
Virgin Islands Spiced Salt by The Spice House


Flavored Salt 2 3 bis
- Seaweed & Dandelion Petals Made By My Friend Corinne -

97 comments:

  1. Je trouve cela sympathique, surtout quand on ne veut pas se prendre la tête à choisir quelles épices mettre.
    J'avais déjà goûté du sel au piment d'Espelette.

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  2. You are so right, the beautiful crystals create magic with any dish, especially with tomatoe salad or with fish or some thick beef steak or filet, if you pan-fry them, sprinkling some sea salt on them, they get crispy outside but so nice and soft inside! Have a lovely day Rosa.
    Cheers
    Mamat

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  3. Love this post Rosa! I want to write each and every combination down because I often forget "what goes with what."

    Thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful resources too!

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  4. Hello Rosa,
    This is a wonderful combinations to spice up a dish. I generally used to add these seasonings afterwards but now can keep it handy in jars and its ready to go. Wonderful post and pictures. Cheers, sOnia

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  5. A beautiful write up, so much information about the simple salt, wow. Interesting herbs combo, bookmarked.

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  6. C'est fort agréable à lire tout ça.

    J'ai toujours quelques mini pots de sels parfumés. C'est un peu la musique de fond de l'été.
    Bien sûr ils ont leur place en hiver aussi, mais en été ça a une place bie spéciale dans les plats.

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  7. Wonderful post, so informative! I love salt, usually stick to Malton flakes to finish my salads and stuff, but lately I've been playing with smoked salts, they are awesome!

    great post!

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  8. What could be better than great seasoned salt! Images are beautiful, Rosa!!

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  9. Je crois que je vais également m'imprimer qui va avec qui, parce que c'est l'anarchie par ici ! Merci pour ce chouette billet, j'aime bien recevoir ce genre de cadeau, ça vaut bien des fleurs pour moi.

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  10. Never made flavorful salt! I have go look for some of stuffs you mentioned here ..

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  11. true indeed rosa salt s the police man and my god thank you i never knew there were so many salts now i ve to make some

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  12. Oh my Rosa - I think you just gave me a slew of ideas for homemade gifts! Grazie!

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  13. Rosa, this is a great Idea! I am going to try a few. Thanks for sharing it.

    Hugs

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  14. I love this post, Rosa!! What a brilliant idea. I think you'll be starting a new trend with this one! I know I can't wait to try it. :)

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  15. Hi Rosa, Great ideas to spice up our salt, I specially like dried mushrooms blended with salt. I need to try citrus salt.

    Your music is beautiful, thanks for the treat!!

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  16. Fantastic ideas Rosa. Love those salt with spices, they are pretty handy for sure.

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  17. Thank you!! I absolutely love this article and that is why I'm going to feature it as Article of The Week today (just a thumb and link to your post)... I hope you don't mind :)

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  18. You are so right. Flavored salts are very expensive to purchase. I used to make my own house blend, but haven't in years. You've given me inspiration to do so and also to try some new flavors as well.

    Have a lovely weekend.
    Sam

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  19. Una fantástica idea Rosa me encanta la utilizaré a menudo ,abrazos y gracias por tus consejos.

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  20. You have made the humble salt looks so good. Very informative post and great pictures :)

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  21. Well, I'm sure no one wil be offended if I present them with gourmet salts. :)

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  22. What a wonderful idea. I love the blends.

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  23. That would a great thing to rub on fish or chicken. So flavorful! Love the second shot.
    Have a nice weekend.

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  24. A great resource for salts. Excellent compilation. All the photos are excellent as always but the 2nd one is my favorite!

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  25. Just gorgeous and what a great gift idea too!!

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  26. I have no idea there is so many different types of salt :) Wow, all I have at home is normal salt, garlic salt and sea salt.

    This is very educational for me thank you :D

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  27. What a fabulous post Rosa! I absolutely agree with you. These tiny crystals create miracles to any dish. :)

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  28. This is a great post, that I will bookmark to refer to later on; I had purchased Himalayan pink salts from Au Bon Marché in Paris at least 10 years ago and never used them! Plus, I always believed that no matter what salt it was, it was going to be bad healthwise. Thanks for opening my eyes Rosa.

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  29. Magnifique !! Moi je suis très gomasio :) Bisous et belle journée**

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  30. A fantastic idea and and great ways to use it.

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  31. Quelle bonne idée de faire un billet sur les sels aromatisés! Je vais certainement faire quelques test dans les prochaines semaines, tu m'as inspiré Rosa!

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  32. Très intéressant cet article. Une bonne idée pour faire des cadeaux de fin d'année.
    Par contre, ce n'est pas pour moi, car je limite ma consommation de sel depuis longtemps. Donc, un peu plus d'herbes et beaucoup moins, voire pas de sel du tout.
    C'est plus sain.
    Bon week-end.

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  33. I have never made flavoured salt before...sounds really interesting.

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  34. Wonderful post! I cannot imagine eating bland food, either.

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  35. These beautiful homemade salt blends would make great holiday gifts, too.

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  36. More simply wonderful photo's Rosa - thank you. Salt is a magic ingredient on food and not to be underestimated. I moved away from using it for many years because of health warnings, but have returned it to our diets over the last 5 or so years with a renewed appreciation for the difference it makes.

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  37. You are absolutely right....these create a magic in any food. Great pictures as always Rosa:). I've never thought about using seasoned salt.Great idea:)

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  38. Lovely Rosa, perfect for Christmas gifts.

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  39. Excellente idée Rosa. C'est sympa comme cadeaux.
    Bon dimanche

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  40. That's a fantastic and easy recipe to make, and very useful too. Will need to get some more jars to keep them in. :D

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  41. First of all, your photos are absolutely gorgeous!! You have made me want to dive into those salts; they are like jewels. Beautiful. And what a great post, Rosa!. I have bought flavored and spiced salts from a friend's family who produces salt and sells small sachet of salt mixes but I am thrilled that thanks to you I can make them now myself! I love using them and giving them as gifts.

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  42. SO beautiful! I love flavored salts, and need to revamp my selection of them ASAP!

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  43. Pretty please post to Punk Domestics?

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  44. My auntie gave me some salt infused with chilli and five spice and I love it.
    Really inspiring post from you - I feel like there's no end of possibilities. Loads of flavour ideas I hadn't even thought of!

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  45. Excellente idée que ces sels aromatisés. Je ne me suis pas encore lancé dans la fabrication maison, mais ton post est une véritable invitation !

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  46. Great post Rosa .. flavored salt make so much difference but we often forget to dress this vital ingredient. This also make the dish simple yet delicious. Great info thanks for all the resources!

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  47. I love flavored salts! I recently purchased some at my local farmer's market and will be using them on the grill. Your photography is beautiful!

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  48. These are great gift ideas. I really like the sound of some of those salts Rosa! :)

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  49. Rosa - I've made herb salts, but never using those large grain salts like your photos show. Speaking of which, your photos are always top notch.

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  50. I love the flavored salts, Rosa. And I do use them. But I am careful with my salt intake and for everyday use, use a lite salt. I do have to be a tad more cautious at my age than I did when younger. At least that's what my doctor says! :)
    I loved reading about them, though. I have several of them already.

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  51. I am with you Rosa. High quality flavored salts add so much to a recipe. The seaweed & dandelion is so unique!

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  52. It's amazing how little we really know about "nutrition" isn't it? So much of what was once thought to be correct now turns out to be wrong. Another food myth that bit the dust not that long ago is that eggs are bad for you. The latest research doesn't support that at all. Anyway, I can't live without salt either! But I've never made flavored salt. You've inspired me! I have to give this a try. Thanks.

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  53. A fantastic post and the photos are exceptionally stunning!

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  54. I don't eat a lot of salt, but it has to have some. I got some pink Himalyan salt the other day and don't know at to do with it, I got some ides now! Thanks. Beautiful photos too.

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  55. oooooohhhh merci Rosa ;)

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  56. This is a super gift Idea too!

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  57. Great post Rosa!! And your pictures, I can never seem to get over how beautiful they are!!

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  58. Love those rough textures. And such savory madness.

    Great, great shots, Rosa!

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  59. Seasoned salt is great and your post is informative. Salt is definitely what brings out the flavor in food and I have to try making one. Thanks!

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  60. This post is very helpful to make our own flavored salt and it was fun to read all kinds of varieties! I love seaweed and rosemary flavor!

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  61. Your flavoured salts look amazing Rosa! I agree with you totally, I'm addicted to salt and seasonings too. They have such a profound effect on a dish. And your flavoured salts look so pretty too.

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  62. I love salt and the way it enhances food. This is a great resource Rosa. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  63. thanks for the information. i am glad to read it. nice post.

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  64. Thank you for this useful post!Kisses,dear!

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  65. Thank you for such a detailed post. I love the flavour combinations in your photos! These would make such a lovely edible gift too.

    Cheers!

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  66. Hi Rosa,

    I'm often tempted by the gourmet flavoured salts. But it's always the crazy unreasonable prices that prevent me. While I don't mind spending money on a quality product somethings are just crazy. Anyways, thanks so much for this post and all the ideas. I'll definitely be giving this a try.

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  67. This salt will go very well with a grilled salmon. Very informative post :)

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  68. I'm a big fan of sea salts and seem to accidentally collect them! I love the idea of mixing dried mushrooms with salt. I have to try making that!

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  69. Rosa - Hello from Minnesota this time. We've finally arrived in the States after two weeks of traveling.

    Your post on flavored salt is absolutely brilliant! When we were in Iceland, we came across some interesting combination of salts at some specialty stores. They do incredible magic to bring out the flavors of foods. Imagine how thrilled I was when I saw the title of your post. It makes sense to experiment them at home. Useful information and gorgeous pictures as always. Love this post!

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  70. Great post! I'm just recently realizing how much a difference salt makes in a dish.

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  71. Such a great idea! I have probably 5 kinds of salt but I've never thought to flavor them.

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  72. I adore flavored salts, yet have never made my own. Now I will.

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  73. Rosa, this is a wonderfully informative post! Bookmarked for further reference!

    xo
    H

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  74. What a fabulous idea to use flavored salts! I bet these would be as good sprinkled over salads as they would with desserts. Thanks for sharing and inspiring, Rosa!

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  75. wow, i never thought about making flavored salt! such a great idea! great post :)

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  76. Never knew there are so many varieties of salt in market...wow...never tried working with flavored salt....

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  77. Such a good idea to make your own salt. The colours in the pics are stunning. You've got me thinking about all those flavours now.

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  78. I adore flavoring salts, but mine never looks as gorgeous as yours do! Thank you so much for all the info on the ratios and such. Not only are they extra-tasty additions to our meals, but I bet yours look so beautiful lined up on a kitchen shelf or spice rack! Going to try the dandelion - seaweed combo!

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  79. I enjoyed this post and will be making a few flavored salts with herbs from my garden. Last fall when we were in Europe, one of the hotels gave me a thank you gift of a lavender salt and each time I use it I think of our stay.

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  80. I love flavoured salt. It's great to use in cooking. I'd love to make flavoured salt like you did!

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  81. Rosa, it's good to see your site again and to know that it's as beautiful as ever. I'm slowly making my rounds to see all my old friends. Now that i'm working on my website again. I just love the black and white photos of the countryside. Beautiful! These herbed salts seem to be all the rage these days. They really do add a lot of flavor to a dish.

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  82. Dear Rosa, what a wonderful post you've put together. I've heard so much about flavored salts and have been wanting to try it myself. Blessings to you my dear, your friend, Catherine xo

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  83. C'est tres beau Rosa, ces photos de sel epice. Bravo a Corinne au passage, chouette recette.

    Je n'utilise que du sel gris de Guerande maintenant, pour des raisons de gout essentiellement. Et j'essaie de ne pas trop en mettre. Finalement ces campagnes ont ete benefiques sur notre consommation de sel.

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  84. Yours are looking so nice. I don't use them a lot. I should because it change the taste of a dish.

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  85. i'm a salt FIEND, but the only flavored version i've had is chocolate. i would go wild with all these varieties!

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  86. I've always thought a good pinch of fleur de sel makes everything better!

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  87. Je n'achète jamais ce genre de sel. Je le fais, comme toi. Une bonne manière de recycler les gousses de vanille (poulet, poissons...) :) Les photos sont très jolies, comme toujours d'ailleurs!

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  88. Je n'achète jamais ce genre de sel. Je le prépare à la maison. :)
    C'est comme cela que je recycle les gousses de vanille (poulet, poissons...)

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  89. I love flavoured salts and your post is so interesting and rich in information!! Thanks for sharing and being so helpful.
    Cheers,
    Lia.

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  90. Wonderful post Rosa!! I love flavored salts and need to try my hand creating a few. love.love

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  91. I've never used or made flavoured salts before but your post has made me inspired! Definitely going to give one a go soon.

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  92. Lovely post Rosa. I always say "there is never enough salt".

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  93. Belle idée tous ces sels aromatisés, j'aime beaucoup !
    Bien utiles en cette saison de BBQ :)

    Bises.
    Muriel

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  94. LOL - in my house I am known as the salt queen as I love to salt EVERYTHING! But as you say, these days this is like saying I like crack cocaine! But if your blood pressure is normal to low, and your body is calling out for salt, then there really is not a lot of harm to be done... In fact, too little salt in the diet also causes problems, like muscle cramps. love flavoured sea salts and especially smoked salt - your pics are gorgeous!

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  95. Here's a recipe for homemade celery salt, made with celery leaves (sorry if the link isn't live):

    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/homemade-celery-salt-recipe.html

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  96. MIRIAM: Thanks for the comment and for visiting my blog! That is a lovely recipe. :-)))

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