Celtic sea salt is hand-harvested along the coast of Brittany, France, using a method that has barely changed in more than a thousand years. Seawater flows into shallow clay-lined ponds, where the sun and wind slowly evaporate it. Skilled salt farmers called paludiers then gently rake the crystals by hand with wooden tools. The result is a moist, light gray salt (sel gris), naturally colored by the clay beds. It’s never refined, bleached or treated with anti-caking agents, so it keeps the trace minerals found in seawater, including magnesium, calcium and potassium. It’s a little lower in sodium than table salt and has a rich, briny, well-rounded flavor that chefs love. Ways to use it: Cooking and table salt: use it anywhere you’d use regular salt. Grind it finer if you like. Natural electrolytes: add a pinch to your water or morning lemon water. Ferments: it’s ideal for sauerkraut, pickles and bone broth. Bath and body: add it to a warm bath or foot soak, or mix it with oil for a mineral-rich body scrub. Good to know: Celtic sea salt is naturally moist and may clump, which is a sign it hasn’t been processed. Store it in a glass, ceramic or wooden container (not metal) and break up clumps with a spoon. Cautions: if you’re on a low-sodium diet or have high blood pressure, heart or kidney concerns, talk with your provider about your salt intake. Sold by the ounce.
