Need a gift for the foodie who has everything? Wander over to The Meadow. Featured in the New York Times, The Meadow sells chocolate from around the world, an extensive line of artisanal bitters and over a hundred different kinds of salt. I recently spent an enthralled half hour in The Meadow’s shop on Hudson Street in New York City. Part Victorian greenhouse, part alchemy shop, part candy stand, The Meadow is filled with delectable items. A long display table and wall shelves—made of 100 year-old salvaged hemlock planks—hold fragrant flora and edibles: Flowers, mosses, tiny salt cellars, row upon row of chocolate bars and hundreds of apothecary jars filled with salt of every color, grain and provenance imaginable. Your eye is immediately drawn to The Meadow’s grotto-like store window, stacked round with what look slabs of luminous, pink quartz. But they’re not. The rosy, translucent chunks are actually Himalayan salt, quarried and cut in Tibet. Beautiful as they are, the Himalayan salt blocks are also practical: You can serve—and cook!—food on the slabs.
I bought this as part of a flight of Japanese and Hawaiian salts to "snack" on during a prolonged fast. It tastes very unique and I enjoy it on cooking too.
I tried a sampler box of smoked salts and found the Pecan Smoked Salt amazing. As a result, I purchased a large bottle that now sits on my counter in easy reach while preparing food. I have always liked the smoked salts that The Meadow carries and have gifted them to others. But when I tried the Pecan Smoked Sea Salt for myself it was an unexpected delight. Now the salt finds its way into many of the foods I prepare. My new favorite.
Love the Meadow...been shopping with them since they first opened their New York store 20 years ago. Lately I've been driven to the dark side... dark chocolate. The darker the better and this is pretty dark. Most local chocolatiers will only go to 72%. This is 92. Not for everyone.
This single origin chocolate from Kona, Hawaii is perfection. One only needs to try a small nibble to be filled with the aroma and taste of a tropical treat.