If your idea of salt is limited to what comes in a shaker, a trip to the West Village will rock your world. The Meadow, which just opened Wednesday on 523 Hudson Street, sells over 100 kinds of salt, from coarse to flaky, volcanic to rose-colored, Mesquite smoked to salt mixed with truffles. Some taste strongly of mineral, others taste fresh from the sea. Shop owner and cookbook author Mark Bitterman wants you to toss your box of iodized salt. "Our focus is on finishing salts," Bitterman told the News. "We suggest using more complex salts at the end of the cooking process rather than adding in the middle." Each salt can be paired with a certain foods. He recommends a flake salt for salad dressings. The silvery-gray sel gris is ideal for finishing meats. A Fleur du Sel makes butter pop. Taster size salt bottles (1.2 oz) start at around $4 and go up from there. Two and half pounds of their multipurpose sel gris will run you about $14.
I got this salt as well as couple others for my brother-in-law's first Father's Day and they were a big hit! He and my sister-in-law have been big fans of The Meadow for a long time and have gifted their salts to my husband and me in the past. Therefore, it was no surprise when I asked my SIL what he would like, these salts were top of the list. They arrived in perfect condition ready for my BIL to use as he fires up his new grill for the summer. I look forward to ordering again (but for myself this time).
Light mineral pleasant taste with a burst of the ocean
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Box had a nice array of "wacky" -- from minimally wacky (e.g., chocolate and green mango) to very wacky (e.g., kelp and everything seasoning). Recipient had a fun time tasting.
Hi Francesca, we're so glad to hear your recipient enjoyed the variety and that the tasting was fun! Thanks for sharing your experience.