Salt has gone a major gourmet makeover. Salt now comes in so many flavours that it's no longer an option between a traditional table salt and rock salt.
Telegraph UK reports how salt manage to become a gourmet food item in a short span of time. According to luxury retailer Harvey Nichols, there's an exceptional demand for gourmet and flavoured salt over the past two years.
"We've found that our customers are moving away from traditional table salt and purchasing a range of flavoured salts to keep [to add] more depth and umami flavours to dishes," says Marion Carpentier, director of hospitality at Harvey Nichols.
It was reported that sales for gourmet salts have increased by 252 percent in the last two years.
One of the best-sellers is the Himalayan salt that comes with its own grater and stand. There's also a bourbon flavoured smoked salt, truffle salt from Umbria, umami, Christmas Tree, porcini, chilli and Fleur de Sel.
This trend may have been inspired by chefs who are trying out the posh-sounding salts but it mostly stemmed from the urge of home cooks to create something from scratch. Some of the chefs are even promoting it, highlighting it as the key ingredient of their dishes.
So here's a list of best gourmet salts according to Telegraph UK:
Halen Mon - harvested, rinsed, dried and packed by hand from water around the isle of Anglesey in north Wales. Available in plain and a range of flavours including spruce-smoked Christmas Tree crystals.
Lake Assal salt pearls - naturally occurring salt spheres from Lake Assal in the Danakil Desert, Africa.
Fleur de Sel - literally "flower of salt," this has been gathered in Brittany since the 7th century. Prized for its delicate flavour, the flakes are fine and contain a high concentration of minerals.
Hawaiian black lava salt - collected from pools formed naturally from lava flows, the charcoal-coloured crystals have smoky sweet notes.
Himalayan salt - naturally occurring pink crystals from the Himalayan Mountains in Pakistan, once reserved for royalty.
Murray River Salt - light and delicate peach coloured flakes from the Murray River basin in Australia.
Kala namak - also known as Himalayan black salt, the dark purpley-black crystals have a distinctive sulphurous/ smokey flavour that work well in Indian food.
