Another Birthday Surprise

I love it! It’s been almost two weeks since my birthday, and I am still getting birthday surprises. This time I received a wonderful box filled with gourmet salts and peppercorns from our friends Julia and Bruce.

My birthday box contained a variety of exotic peppercorns, some Maldon sea salt flakes and fleur de sel. Fleur de sel, or flowers of salt, and sea salt are both derived from seawater and are processed by hand.  Fleur de sel are the distinctive pyramid-shaped crystals that rise to the top during the evaporation process. Salt Spring Sea Salt is made with the finest hand-harvested fleur de sel crystals and infused with locally sourced ingredients. Fleur de sel  is a salt that forms as a thin, delicate crust on the surface of seawater as it evaporates. It is now used as a finishing salt to flavor and garnish food.

Maldon is a delicate salt that is less bitter than most regular salts and it too is used as a finishing touch for more delicate foods. It is used to top vegetables, butter, caramel, or grilled meat, just before serving. The Maldon salt is taken from seawater found in estuaries in Essex County, England. Fleur de Sel is usually a light gray color because of the minerals it contains, whereas Maldon is white, like table salt.

Thank you Julia and Bruce. I can’t wait to try all of these delectable salts and peppers. That was so sweet of you both.