As a lover of salt – GOOD SALT – that is – I’ll take any and every opportunity to lick my lips with the succulent crystals.
In fact, there are many times when certain foods simply become a carrier for the crystalized deliciousness.

As a result, I’ve become somewhat of a salt – snob.

No surprise there…

Really, I’m enthralled with amazing salts – kosher salt, finishing salts, sea salts, and flavored salts.
And truly good ones are actually hard to come by, believe it or not.

Thus, I am truly blessed to have discovered Hamptons Salt Company – one of the very best.

Rated #6 in Food and Wines TOP 10 Objects of Obsession in 2016

So, blessed with a beautiful bounty of salts to try and review, I dug in right away.

Hamptons Salt Company is the preeminent provider of all natural sea salt. Our salt merchants scour the world to offer you the best selection of raw salts, flavored salts or smoked salts. All our salts are unrefined and have no unhealthy additives. Each salt has a unique taste profile based on the sea from where it originated and the natural minerals are not stripped out like refined salt.

Our selection of flavored and smoked salts are all natural and provide a burst of flavor with just a pinch and can add some zip to any meal, snack or drink!

…and…

I have always loved the sea.  Little did I know that growing up on an island would guide me to create a company with all natural products derived from the great oceans of the world. As a concerned father, I am cautious about what my family eats and once I began researching salt – I discovered that most of the salt Americans consume is actually nothing more than chemicals. Refined salts are stripped of all natural minerals found in the sea and most contain potentially unhealthy anti-clumping additives, I realized using this wasn’t a smart choice for my family.  So I went to our cupboard and got rid of all the refined salts, including my kosher salt. This is how Hamptons Salt Company was born and since then, I’ve created an amazing assortment of all natural salts from around the world.

…that tidbit of information and pointed purpose makes it all worthwhile.

I was eager to try each and every flavor delivered to my door. Of course, I began with the Finishing Salt. Simple, easy, and acutely complex. I dipped my finger in the jar (sshhh) and allowed both the delicate crunch and the subtle dissolution to delight my senses. Amazing.
Amazing texture. Amazing taste. Amazing sensation. Amazing fluidity.

Amazing on crispy fried carrots (and just about anything else).

The Cooking Salt was next. This was also somewhat of a no-brainer. Since I liberally salt all my food, switching to this winner made both a salubrious and sensational sapid difference. The flavors in the items I cooked, simply seemed to pop. Just a pinch did the trick, enhancing the complexity of everything else…particularly in this Pecan Apple Cheddar and Rosemary Galette.

Next up was the Rosemary. I couldn’t wait to try this one.
What I love most about the flavor-infused salt – is not just the incredible flavor imparted by the elements, but the texture and shape of the crystals. If you’re not aware, this makes a huge difference in salt quality and taste.

“The size of the salt can affect how the salty flavor hits the tongue. Salt with a larger grain size can have a stronger flavor and last longer on your tongue.”

To taste-test these beauties, I went super simple – not wanting to influence the true taste and how it would hit my tongue.

Simple sautéed squash with rosemary salt. Pretty much the “best thing ever.”

Smokin’ Squash Bacon with the Hickory Smoked Salt (stayed tuned for the recipe).
SMOKING amazing. I couldn’t stop eating…

For the Garlic Salt, I wanted something super fantastic. Typical garlic salt does not meet my standards by any means. The granules are far too fine to impart any goodness – other than to overdo the garlic in every sense of the word.
This was so much better.
Simple Scalloped Potatoes (recipe coming soon) won me over on this one – oh, and my beloved companion too!

Kite Hill Artisan Almond Cheese topped with the Black Truffle Salt – oh, my good god. There are no words.
Subtle. Simple. Sensational.

The Ghost Pepper variety was something different all together. I am fully aware of how spicy ghost pepper is in general. However, I believe I may be been a little distracted by the excitement of all the taste testing and overdid my salt sprinkling. This stuff was s.p.i.c.y. hot – but darn right delicious! I can’t wait to sauce up some chocolate recipes with it this winter…wouldn’t that be great….

Thus, I’m honored to continue to consume these winners in every, way, shape and form.

Hamptons Sea Salt, you’ve hit the ball out of the park. We ALL thank you.