Sal Marina Atlantica Spanish sea salt
This is a wonderful coarse salt from the Atlantic coast of Spain.
No romantic stories. Just good stuff for stews and cooking where you want good quality but don't need finesse
subtext flavors.
Sal Marina Aux Deux Piments
I saw a version of this in the Languedoc near Sète. This one is a good Spanish sea
salt thoroughly mixed with Pimenton of Murcia (for smoky sweet red pepper flavor) and some Piment d'Esplette (for well, FIRE).
This stuff is for folks who want hot and flavorful, and is the perfect addition to fruity Olive oil for grilled whole fish,
or shrimps on the barby or CORN ON THE COB!!!!
Pimenton de Murcia
Writers always write about the pimenton piqiullo or the cute pimenton with the saint on the can: hot
or sweet. But the reality of this is that Catalon households go through Pimenton de Murcia like water. It goes in rice for
flavor. It is the color and body flavor of paella. Mix it with olive oil and Sel Gris to flavor roast chicken or for color and
flavor or grilled corn. And for a lazy cook like me, blend it into store-bought mayo with some minced garlic for FAST Salsa
Brava. (This goes on oven-roasted potatoes, or fried artichoke hearts.)
Piment d'Esplette
Piment d'Esplette is an entire French Basque town's enterprise raising the HOT HOT HOT red peppers
that emigrated from Mexico during Christopher Columbus' travels. This stuff is precious and precarious to get a hold of due
to its geographic location. During certain times of the year the entire town is draped in peppers drying. So red peppers and
white buildings are the order of the day until it comes to the Basque colors, which are red, and green.). What the French or
the Basque would use this for is different than our sensibilities: put it in mayonnaise for some real bite; I've had it
delicately infuse a sauce for halibut; or add it to guacamole: What the hey!