A Shop Worth its Salt
Dour city officials may have declared sodium a public enemy last year, but that didn’t stop Portland, Oregon–based salt shop the Meadow (523 Hudson St between Charles and W 10th Sts, 212-645-4633) from opening an outpost here in the fall. Thirty-plus countries are represented in the store’s collection of more than 100 salts, each painstakingly sourced by owner Mark Bitterman. Perennial chef favorites like delicate fleur de sel, flaky Maldon and quartz-like slabs of Himalayan pink are well represented. But the real treat is chatting with the shopkeepers and tasting their colorful, far-flung finds, contained in glass canisters lining the shelves. A new arrival, the Alaska Pure (bright, sweet flakes with a mineral crunch) works with everything from moist fish to winter green salads, and the magenta-pink Maboroshi Plum Salt, made from the vinegar of salt-preserved plums, has an acidity that plays well with sautéed vegetables, pork and poached eggs. Bitterman calls these crystalline beauties “elemental pleasures,” and the same can be said of the rest of his offerings: Flowers—including amaryllis and tulips—fill the space, ready for an impromptu arrangement; bitters, like local upstarts Bittermens and Regan’s, are arranged on hemlock tables; and an entire wall of chocolates emphasizes rare and single-origin varieties. We favor Byrne & Carlson’s stunning, limited-production bars decorated with crystallized violets, and the Sahagun Sun Drops—dark-chocolate balls oozing sunflower-seed butter and raw blackberry honey. We can’t help but think that a handful of these, and an upgrade from Morton table salt, might be just what some curmudgeonly legislators need.
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.