All salt is not the same. Of the many salts available, one of my all-time favorites is Sel Gris – or Grey Salt.
Grey salt is a moist, unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France’s Atlantic coast. Its natural, light-grey color comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay that lines the salt ponds. True Grey Salt is collected by hand using traditional Celtic methods and wooden tools.
It can be purchased in either coarse or fine form. My favorite is the coarse.
Sel Gris is not the same as Fleur de Sel. Although they are harvested from the same place, Fleur de Sel is harvested from water on the top of the marshes, and is light in color. Sel Gris is harvested from the bottom of the of the ponds and contains a higher level of impurities (minerals) than its light colored cousin. Those minerals supply a great source of flavor that is missing in the whiter Fleur de Sel.
Grey Salt (Sel Gris) is available online, at specialty stores such as Williams Sonoma, Sur la Table, and often at your local World Market. Be sure to search for both Grey Salt and Sel Gris – as it is sold using one name or the other.
