About Sea Salt
This page provides information on some of the products we carry. For example, do you know the difference between Sea Salt and Fleur De Sel? How about why Kampot Pepper is considered to be the "champagne of pepper"?
Let's start with the differences between sea salt and fleur de sel. Sea salt and fleur de sel are often used interchangeably, yet they are not the same thing.
What is sea salt?
Sea salt (coarse) has a grain size between 1 and 6 mm. It is typically produced on a large scale and consequently relatively inexpensive. The refining process consists of washing, drying and sifting the salt. The result is a dry, hard and nicely defined grain. Most people use coarse sea salt for preparing dishes with a salt crust, or by adding salt to a dish by grinding it with a salt mill. The food industry typically uses coarse sea salt in smokehouses, for brine production and for seasoning snacks, fish, meat, etc.
The difference with fleur de sel
Fleur de sel (flower of salt) usually has a grain size between 0 and 4 mm. It is harvested manually from the top layer of the salt pan and is not processed afterwards. As a result, production is considerably limited. This explains why this type of sea salt is relatively expensive compared to coarse sea salt. Its moist and soft grain structure are what sets fleur de sel apart, making it unsuitable for salt mills. Fleur de sel gets its unique structure and characteristic soft taste from its high mineral content of calcium and magnesium. Chefs often use fleur de sel to add a finishing touch to their dishes.
An overview of the main differences:
| Coarse sea salt | Fleur de sel |
| Large scale production | Harvested manually (limited production) |
| Processed (washed, dried and sieved) | Not processed (dried naturally) |
| Dry | Moist (up to 10%) |
| Hard grain | Soft grain |
| Relatively cheap | Relatively expensive |
| Very suitable for salt mills | Not suitable for salt mills |