Sea Salt
Sea salt is obtained in so-called salt gardens by crystallisation from sea water.
In coastal areas, for example in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, sea water is assembled in artificial shallow basins or lakes. Through strong sunlight and wind part of the water gradually evaporates, increasing the salt concentration of the remaining sea water. When a certain salt saturation has been reached, the water is directed into another shallow basin where further evaporation leads to a crystallization of the salt at the bottom. After drying out or removing the remaining water, the salt layer produced can be harvested either with machines or manually.
Fleur de Sel
Fleur de Sel - meaning "flower of salt" - is a special sea salt quality that only develops -
e.g. at the Algarve - on particularly hot and windy days in form of a very thin layer on the water
surface that is skimmed off manually with a wooden shovel. Gourmets and many cooks particularly
appreciate Fleur de Sel because of its fine taste.
