can take as much as five years. In most places
the freshly harvested salt is washed of its
surface impurities before drying. Unrefined
versions are not systematically washed of
their coating of minor minerals, algae and a
few salt-tolerant bacteria. They therefore
carry traces of magnesium chloride and
sulfate and calcium sulfate, as well as
particles of clay and other sediments that give
the crystals a dull gray cast (unrefined French
salts are called sel gris, “gray salt”). Because
taste and aroma compounds are often
detectable in minute concentrations, and these
salts include both organic and mineral
impurities, it’s possible that they would have
a more complex flavor than refined salts,
though that complexity would be
overwhelmed by any food to which the salt is
added.
Fleur de sel Fleur de sel, literally “flower of
salt,” meaning the finest and most delicate, is