The Oceans Bounty – Meet The Gourmand & Three New Sea Salts

Written July 20th, 2012 by go lb. salt
Categories: Company News, Gilbert Farmer's Market, Hawaiian Green, Mediterranean, Sea Salt, South Pacific, Thinking about -

It’s a shame really.

Most of us eat three meals a day. Many of those are consumed on the run – or at least with a time constraint in mind.

We’re happy (and sometimes even prefer) to have someone cook for us. Maybe we have little interest in the food itself other than to soothe our hunger. Or, maybe we just don’t take the time to think about it.

If that’s the case for you, then we invite you to consider our newest addition – The Gourmand. By definition a gourmand is someone who takes great pleasure in food. We are hoping these new salts will convince you to slow down a bit to enjoy, even take great pleasure in, the food you eat. Even better, these are the types of salts that should motivate you to cook or prepare something on your own.

We know from personal experience that if you make food taste better you will eat better. That’s a motto the fast food industry has certainly tried to implement. But their flavor creations are chemical based and we continue to learn how unhealthy many of those choices are.

We’ve opted to go a different route, to bring you premium flavor enhancers that are entirely natural. But, why aren’t most sea salts Certified Organic? Because only the French are willing to recognize (and certify) unrefined sea salt as organic. No worries though, these are hand crafted, hand harvested unrefined sea salts that should have a place in your kitchen alongside our other unique premium salts!

The Gourmand will be available as both a sample pack as well as a gift box. Additionally you will be able to purchase each of the salts individually like all of our other salts.

What’s in The Gourmand you ask? Four incredible sea salts! Fumée de Sel, Mediterranean Flake, South Pacific Pyramid and Hawaiian Green. As you may have already noticed, the Fumée is not new but the other three are. Each is equally well suited for use as a cooking salt and as a finishing salt. Like all of our other salts, they come in flake and grain sizes that can be pinched, rather than milled or shaken. These salts and the sample packs will be available for purchase at our local markets starting Saturday, June 21, 2012.

But what do you do with them? Which foods are they best suited for? Have no fear, here is a brief introduction to each salt. It’s also what most of you have come to know as our Tasting & Pairing Notes.

Mediterranean

This top growth flake comes from the salt pans in the Sicily, Italy region. This region was part of the ancient “salt road.” Pedigree in place, this salt presents with an intense, sharp brininess. As the flakes dissolve on the tongue and the flavor profile finishes, the sharpness mellows into something reminiscent of well-salted, buttered popcorn. (Recommendations: beef, pork, chicken, lamb, sautéed veggies and eggs)

South Pacific

These beautiful hollow pyramid-shaped crystals are born from hot sunny mornings fueled by trade winds that blow along the coast of the idyllic Indo-Pacific isles responsible for this incredible salt. It presents with a unique textural crunchiness, gentle saltiness and then finishes with a very subtle sweetness. (Recommendations: grilled veggies, salsas & picos, scallops, as a margarita rimmer, and great on chocolate ice cream too!)

Hawaiian Green

For thousands of years, the Chinese have prized bamboo leaf extract as and essential health aid. What the Chinese didn’t know is that bamboo leaf extract is rich with amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins. Our artisanal crafter has combined that extract with one of their most prized sea salts! This sea salt is not less than 10% mineral content with the sweet earthy fragrance of green tea. It presents with a forward sweet saltiness and finishes with the subtle flavor of the bamboo leaf. (Recommendations: halibut, tilapia, mahi mahi, sea bass, scallops, broths, consommés and ramen bowls – this is also a great vegan & vegetarian salt!)

We hope you enjoy these new salts as much as we have and look forward to sharing them with you!