[britni] please, touch your salt

(pictured: grilled pears with Smoky Rhubarb Salt... #yum)

Let’s talk about using sea salt for a minute. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many customers in the store recently who have never heard of or ever imagined using salt that wasn’t highly refined, chemically washed, and bleached before pouring it into a shaker.

Let’s be clear about something: Good salt shouldn’t shake. Period.

Raw, unrefined salt is clunky and chunky and flaky and can't be coaxed out of a shaker. Ours in particular clogs up grinders (sea salt should have a higher water content than other salts).

The best way to use sea salt is to pinch and sprinkle it over your food. But training humans in our culture to actually touch their food!? Nearly impossible. People are so afraid of food!

Of all things you put in your mouth, salt is the safest to touch as it cannot harbor bacteria (which is why it's used for brining meats, for example). Salt inhibits the growth of microorganisms by drawing water out of microbial cells through osmosis. Concentrations of salt up to 20% are required to kill most species of unwanted bacteria. (Thanks, Wikipedia).

Anyway, start touching your salt. Learn to salt your food by touch and you will literally taste the difference.

photo: @ashleyswitzerphotography 

hand model: @kaygriffin1