In France, it is customary to sprinkle with fleur de sel over meals and to sprinkle it on utensils used to prepare meals. It is thought to be a symbol of wealth and good luck. Unlike regular table salt, fleur de sel does not come from the earth. Fleur de sel is simply made up from the crystal-like crystals that form on the surface of salty ponds after evaporation.
Fleur de sel has a salty taste. Like regular salt, fleur de sel contains trace amounts of minerals and other chemicals that naturally occur in seawater. However, fleur de sel does not have as much sodium chloride as regular salt. It may have more chloride than calcium chloride, magnesium chloride or potassium chloride.
Because of its salty taste, fleur de sel should not be used frequently because it causes staining to fabrics. Also, it must be sprinkled on food items and only once a month. Its effectiveness wanes after one year. The minerals and the fine salt lose their absorption abilities when exposed to air, sunlight, heat and water, making it ineffective as a food source and as a salt substitute. Moreover, it loses its effectiveness after evaporation.
Fleur de sels can be purchased in small pouches. But it is more economical to purchase larger packets of fleur de sel prepared according to brand specifications. You can also use fleur de sel as a cooking ingredient, as it adds a salty taste to dishes prepared with it.
Fleur de sels provide a distinctive salty taste that is liked by many people. Its unique flavor makes it a good choice as a food seasoning or a salt alternative. Its flavor is somewhat reminiscent of a combination of sea salt and rock salt. Although it has a distinctive taste, it is considered to be a neutral taste by most cookbooks and restaurants. The flavors of the sea salt and rock salt mixture are not discernible in the taste buds of people.
Fleur de sels can be used to add flavor to fish. Its salty taste provides a delicate aroma that is great for frying and grilling. It adds a lot of flavor to seafood cooked on the stove. Its fishy smell will make your taste buds salivate even before you have tasted it. Moreover, its distinct salty odor will leave a lasting aftertaste on your tongue and nasal passage.
Fleur de sels have high moisture content, because its chemical structure is similar to that of table salt. Because of this, when this salt crystal is exposed to fire for a long period, its moisture content increases to about 90%. As it evaporates, it releases sodium chloride and magnesium ions. These ions have different effects depending on how they react with water.
There are other salts that evaporate at a lower rate than fleur de sel. They are known as secondary salts and are usually harvested from rocks or underground water sources using ancient methods. It is important to note that although these salts are as salty as table salt, the process of harvesting is different. These salts are processed through different evaporation processes to release their different properties. While the traditional harvesting techniques are being used for traditional purposes, modern evaporation techniques have evolved to produce the salts used in cooking today.
The salts are extracted from fleur de sel by exposing them to high temperatures. Evaporating at a high temperature causes the water to boil and as a result, the salt ions are separated out from the seawater and crystallized into different shapes. The crystals vary in size, shape, density and crystal content. The most common types of crystals harvested from fleur de sel include calcium sulfate, calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate.
The fleur de sel crystals that are harvested form a mound on the surface of the seawater. After evaporating for a few hours, the concentrated salts are collected on the uppermost layer of the seawater. On the contrary, the ordinary sea salt is dissolved into the seawater immediately after harvesting. During the first pass of evaporating water, some of the magnesium and calcium minerals in the seawater are carried to the surface while the others sink to the bottom.
There are some salty dishes that taste better with fleur de sel than with ordinary sea salt. This is because the former has more magnesium and calcium elements in it. Among the appetizing dishes that taste great with fleur de sel include fish curry, tuna salad and shrimp gumbo. So it is recommended to use this salt in place of regular sea salt in your cooking recipes.