Gourmet Salts, And Mud (Was RE: Holly, Salts)

[Guest guest]

At 10:48 AM 1/22/2004 -0600, you wrote:

>

> >Hi Holly,

> >

> >I was wondering if there is a particular kind of sea salt you prefer

> >using in your baths, or just basic sea salt?

 

> Hey, Chris:

 

Hi Anya,

My subtropical compadre

 

> I love salts, all kinds, all textures. Correct me if I'm wrong, but

aren't

> all salts 'sea salts " ? Some are deposited in veins in the earth, and

some

> are freshy scooped or scraped from areas by the coastline, but all

salt

> comes from the sea, yes?

 

Yes, ALL salts are from the sea. ALL salt deposits began as salty water.

At this point though edible salt is usually referred to as evaporated

(sea salt) or rock salt, with evaporated salt being that which comes

from a currently existing sea, and rock salt being salt that is found

underground salt deposits within the earth, which must be mined. The

methods in which this salt is obtained differs. The from there we get

refined and unrefined salts, which deals with the processing of the

salts.

 

Here is a GREAT place to find out all about salts

http://www.saltinstitute.org/

 

 

> For my baths, I prefer Kosher salt. Diamond brand is readily

available, and

> it's about $2 for a five-pound box. Wonderful stuff, I like the soft

and

> flakey 'fine' version.

 

Yes, it dissolves so well and is called for in many recipes because of

that too. Only thing I don't like about Kosher salt is that it is

refined, but it definitely has its place.

 

I am kind of a salt fanatic

> >*lol* and love to use all kinds of salts, from the Gray Sea Salts,

Dead

> >Sea Salts, Haitian Sea Salt, Hawaiian 'Alaea Red Sea Salt, Orsa

Mineral

> >Salts (which are actually unrefined pink color rock salt from Utah),

> >etc. I got a small sample of some Japanese Salts once that are

lovely,

> >and some black salt from Hawaii that has squid ink in it! I also

want to

> >try some of the Peruvian Pink Crystal Sea Salts one day (but holy

cow

> >are those $$$). I was just wondering if you have a favorite

 

> I've only tried a few 'exotics', including the pink Hawaiian I got

from you

> (it's mixed with red clay from a Hawaiian mountain, so I call it the

'dirty

> salt' :-)

 

*lol* Since you put it that way I'll have to remember to use it in my

Cajun dirty rice recipe next time I make it (Yummmm, Cajun food!)

 

> Ylva just sent me some coarse Greek salt 'scraped from the cliffs

> outside Krynos', I believe.

 

Ylva, send me the salt woman!!!!! ::grinz:::

 

Never heard of the Haitian, which is weird,

> since I live in a Haitian part of town. Have to check that out.

 

My friend sent it right from Haiti, and it is a nice white salt, and the

coarse is really cool shaped salt crystals.

 

> I'm having

> lunch at a Peruvian restaurant today, I'll ask if they know of a

Peruvian

> grocery to check out the $$$ salt.

 

Please do, cause the ONE source I've found is RIDICULOUSLY expensive -

even at " wholesale " prices.

I've seen references to it in some cooking trade magazines too, but no

sources

 

> I received the very $$$ Fleur de Sel as a gift, and it's great, but

I find

> the differences very subtle between the salts. I like Kosher for

everyday

> cooking, and sometimes, for color or a *slightly* different taste or

> texture, I sprinkle the FiFi ones on food just before its served.

 

Hehehehe, yes, many FiFi (or Froo Froo as I call them) salts work great

as the meals are served, that way your guests can ooh and aah at the

pretty colors

 

 

>

>Also, do you notice any distinct energy difference in various

>(unrefined) salts?

 

I notice my wallet vibrates at distinct energy differences when I pay

for

them (money being energy and all that :-)

 

HA! Wallets will do that, no doubt.

 

>

>Oh, and since I'm into gourmet cooking I like to try them all in my

>foods as well as my bath water

 

> Next subject: gourmet muds for the bath, LOL. Really, the spa

industry has

> quite a rigid heirarchy of muds, and salts, all part of their sales

pitch.

> I actually believe more in the diffent properties of the muds than I

do the

> salts, due to the inclusion of base rock decomposition being a part

of the

> mud.

 

It all certainly plays a part. Different muds and clays most certainly

have different properties, and more on a noticeable physical level than

the salts do.

 

 

> And I'm starting to believe all the naysaying I'm reading about

clays

> for facials -- they can clog, not remove impurities as previously

thought.

 

I don't think that clays should be used regularly, and they DO need to

be cleaned off the skin very well. Just like olive oil. It can do the

skin wonderful, or it can clog the skin, depending on what the issue is,

and how often it is used.

 

> Guess I started freeassociating - salt, earth -- we sure love to

experiment

> and classify :-)

 

That is true!

 

> Anya

> http://member.newsguy.com/~herblady

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com