If you've ever read one of Len Deighton's cookery books such as his "Basic French Cookery Course", you will know that he has a bizarre pathological hatred of salt, describing it as "the enemy of the palate". Well, as much as I admire Mr Deighton and his absorbing and brilliantly illustrated books, I take this one, yes you guessed it- with a pinch of ...
There are various types of salt. Most table salts are refined and probably obtained from rock, and the refining process involves chemicals and other nasties. Sea salt is derived from the evaporation of seawater by sunlight.
Fleur de Sel is an expensive hand-harvested sea salt found in Brittany and the Camargue. One of the most delicious salts on the market is made by Maldon in Essex. The company's been around for a long time, and they produce their natural sea salt from the flat salt beds of the East Coast of England. Maldon salt looks slightly unusual and has a different taste too. Instead of crystals, there are flakes; and the salt has a natural, sea-sidey taste that melts on the tongue.
If you haven't switched to Maldon yet (or a similar traditionally made salt), please do- because it will make a genuine difference to your food. I promise.
