I’ve begun to realize that I have an obsession with salt, salt of every flavor and variety. I don’t heavily salt my food but I do enjoy the briny taste of salt when it hits my taste buds. I’ve always had a preference for salt over sweet, and if I have a sweet I love a touch of salt with it. That doesn’t make me obsessive, however a quick inventory of my pantry and one would agree that I have a problem…
I have at this very moment:
- Iodized table salt
- Coarse sea salt for grinding
- Kosher salt
- Truffle salt
- Celery salt
- “Real salt” from the Salt Lake
- Black Magic seasoning salt (that’s my house blend)
- Cabernet salt
- Hawiian Black Lava salt
- Sel Gris
- Fleur de Sel
- Smoked Sea Salt
- Aromat (a seasoned salt I bought in South Africa)
- Margarita salt…hey I’m counting it all
- Old Bay rim salt (another of my concoctions
- Rock salt…okay, so maybe that shouldn’t count
Freakin ridiculous right! Given my obsession with salt, and I think we can all agree that it is an obsession, it’s no wonder that when I got my Secret Recipe Club assignment Bklyn Locavore I immediately honed in on the Chili Lime Salt. ‘nough said you knew I’d be a gonner! Plus I’m already thinking of Christmas gifts I can make (I continue year after year to fantasize that I will start early…)
While perusing the blog I really have to admire Melissa and her commitment to eating local. And I really like the fact that eating local is more important to her than purchasing organic. Plus Melissa has a practical approach, realizing that she can’t possibly live without coffee and olive oil. And she wouldn’t turn down going out to eat in a restaurant that doesn’t necessarily serve only local food, I love how she is realistic about life and just does the best she can! Eating all local is easier if you live in California but for those of us who don’t…well, we would be mal-nourished if we didn’t make some concessions.
Melissa I didn’t go local with the Chili Lime Salt. Limes, salt and chili’s aren’t native to Montana…however, this year I’m growing some chili’s and plan on drying them for salt making. After reading through the post Melissa suggested some other fab salt ideas which gave me the idea to use something I did grow myself and dried, it seemed only right based on Melissa’s passion for local food. Although I have a lemon tree in my house, it didn’t have a ripe lemon to choose from so I used a purchased lemon. But I did use some dried rosemary that I grew myself. Hooray! So I’m giving you two salt recipes.
Son now I have 17 different edible salts in my home…is there a therapy group for gourmet salt addictions?
I see in my future a Thai salt with Thai basil and Chili’s (I’m attempting to grow both in my garden) and maybe a cucumber salt (that will take a little more thought).
Melissa, thanks for fueling my salt obsession…watch out friends and family you may be seeing salt this and that at Christmas time.
- 1 dried chili
- zest of one lime, dried (leave out for 24 hours)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- Zest of one lemon, dried (leave out for 24 hours)
- 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- Chili lime salt: In a blender or a mortal and pestle, break up the dried chili, add lime zest, cumin and sea salt. Pulse a few times to blend or use mortar and pestle. Store in an air tight container.
- Lemon rosemary salt: In a blender or a mortal and pestle, break up the rosemary, add lemon zest, and sea salt. Pulse a few times to blend or use mortar and pestle. Store in an air tight container.
- Yields 1/2 Cup
I’d like to thank Debbi for doing the linky for me, I’m up at the cabin right now enjoying some much needed time off!
Oooh, I would totally use this to spice up plain popcorn
I love that idea, so going on my next batch of popcorn!
Love, love, love your blog, Rhonda aka Giggles 🙂 So many fabulous choices for SRC!!! And, now, another salt. Let’s see, I have about the same collection… There’s a lemon one that’s yummy. And, the Bloody Mary mix one… Indeed, we do share the same tastebuds!! Hope you’re having a great time at the cabin. That’s where I felt like I was when I was reading your blog. Alas, I’m sitting at my desk staring at the list of client appointments I need to prep for this week… K
You must continue to post your salt experimentation. BTW, tried your steak seasoning this weekend and it was the BESTest evah! Made extra for the FiL for Father’s Day, too. Thanks for another stellar recipe.
You must continue to post your salt experimentation. BTW, tried your steak seasoning this weekend and it was the BESTest evah! Made extra for the FiL for Father’s Day, too. Thanks for another stellar recipe. Love that salt pig, too!
Considering my addiction I don’t think I’ll stop the salt experience any time soon. Glad you liked the steak seasoning!
I need to add more salt to my diet, gourmet salt that is! Great SRC pick~ Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
With recipes like this I could become salt obsessed too. Amazing how many different types there are out there.
Rhonda – we are so alike. I think you have me beat by a few salts but I also have a ridiculous array of them in my spice cabinet. And I’m the dietitian who says do NOT put away the salt shaker – using it in cooking in small amounts is essential to make good food taste great (and the hidden sodium in all the overly processed foods/fast food is the real sodium issue today – not the salt in our kitchens.) Can’t wait to try these out!
Deanna, I totally agree with you. Salt is a good thing but all that sodium in processed food is way over the top. Glad to hear that a dietician preaches that!
I’m so glad you made this recipe! I love flavored salts too but I feel like condiment recipes are often ignored or forgotten because you can’t eat them on your own. Well I guess you could, but… And love that you used the blender with a jar. Still figuring out how to work that one.
Gourmet salt addiction is a new one on me – lol! This sounds sooo yummy and perfect for gifts!
I’m in that salt obsession boat right there with you … thanks to my son who started collecting gourmet salts. I never thought about making my own. I’ll be giving this a try and sending him some. Thanks Rhonda.