Trendy Seasoned Salts Add Exotic Flavor Twist

Most people are proud to admit to having a sweet tooth, but I've always been a savory fan. If it comes down to making a choice between mashed potatoes and gravy or ice cream, I'm always going to stick my spoon in the spuds.

That's why I'm so tickled to see the rainbow of exotic salts surfacing in the past few years. I've collected various shades of salt: pink salt from Hawaii (where the red soil gives it a blush), snowy flakes from Cyprus, rocky gray stuff from a steakhouse in Argentina. 

Lately, I've exploring all sorts of seasoned salts. I'm a huge fan of Seattle-based Bacon Salt and all its variations. The Hickory flavor is probably my favorite. I'm also been sprinkling lots of Secret Stash Sea Salts on anything and everything.

Chef Joseph Conrad and his partner Janna Wemmer (in the photo at the Thursday Queen Anne Farmers Market in Seattle) launched this line about a year ago, creating some intriguing flavor profiles under the name. Secret Stash Sea Salts. The lineup includes Almond Cardamon, Nicoise Olive, Coconut Masala, Bloody Mary and Soy. I used the Pineapple Cumin Chili salt in my watermelon salsa (chopped watermelon, Walla Walla Sweets, serrano peppers and lime juice). I felt like a composer finding the right note writing a song. OK, I am over-reaching. I could not even dream of writing a song, but the salsa was a hit, served over grilled salmon.

Of course, with all the fresh herbs available year-round, it would be fun to come up with your own mix and give them a whirl in a coffee grinder reserved for that use. I don't have a grinder, but instead prefer an old-fashioned mortar and pestle, which can be downright therapeutic. Add some rosemary, some thyme, a bunch of Kosher salt and then pound, pound, grind, grind. As relaxing as a downward dog. 

--Leslie Kelly