Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes

2011 James Beard Award Winner for Reference and Scholarship

Mark Bitterman is a man truly possessed by salt. As “selmelier” at The Meadow, the internationally recognized artisan-product boutique, Bitterman explains the promise and allure of salt to thousands of visitors from across the country who flock to his showstopping collection. “Salt can be a revelation,” he urges, “no food is more potent, more nutritionally essential, more universal, or more ancient. No other food displays salt’s crystalline beauty, is as varied, or as storied.”

In Salted, Bitterman traces the mineral’s history, from humankind’s first salty bite to its use in modern industry to the resurgent interest in artisan salts. Featuring more than 50 recipes that showcase this versatile and marvelous ingredient, Salted also includes a field guide to artisan salts profiling 80 varieties and exploring their dazzling characters, unique stories, production methods, and uses in cooking; plus a quick-reference guide covering over 150 salts. Salting is one of the more ingrained habits in cooking, and according to Bitterman, all habits need to be questioned. He challenges you to think creatively about salting, promising that by understanding and mastering the principles behind it — and becoming familiar with the primary types of artisanal salts available — you will be better equipped to get the best results for your individual cooking style and personal taste. Whether he’s detailing the glistening staccato crunch of fleur de sel harvested from millennia-old Celtic saltmaking settlements in France or the brooding sizzle of forgotten rock salts transported by the Tauregs across the Sahara, Bitterman’s mission is to encourage us to explore the dazzling world of salt beyond the iodized curtain.

"If you care about food, cooking, and taste, then you care about salt. And if you care about salt you will be over the moon about Salted by Mark Bitterman. His book is a veritable encyclopedia of the world’s most well-loved mineral and will teach cooks how to take their dishes to the next level by learning to master the principles and techniques of salting. "Salted" is transformative; it will change the way you cook." The Christian Science Monitor

An authoritative field guide to an indispensable and increasingly fashionable ingredient, written by the country's top purveyor of artisanal salts. Mark Bitterman captures the nuance and beauty of salt in this stunning field guide featuring hundreds of artisan varieties with photos. From the elegant Fleur de Sel and flake salt to 500-million-year-old Himalayan salt slabs that resemble pink quartz, Bitterman explains the history and science of salt production, and includes 55 recipes that showcase this versatile and marvelous ingredient. In Salted, Bitterman's mission is to encourage readers to explore the amazing flavors of salt beyond the iodized curtain and get the best results for their individual cooking style, personal taste, and unique nutritional needs.

Mark Bitterman is the owner and selmelier of The Meadow, a Portland-based boutique. Clients include elite chefs, leading confectioners, wineries, and thousands of annual visitors. He has lectured at The Western Culinary Institute–Le Cordon Bleu; is cohost of The KBOO Radio Food Show; and has been featured on CNN Money, CBS Sunday Morning, local media, and leading national newspapers and food blogs.

Acknowledgments . . . viii

Discovery: The Salt Road . . . 1

The Life of Salt . . . 13

History: First Bite  •  Science: Mind, Body, Salt, Ocean  •  Craft: Artisan Saltmaking

Salt Guide . . . 73

The Taxonomy of Salt  •  Salt Reference Guide

Salting . . . 193

Salting Strategically  •  Uncooked  •  Curing  •  Grilling  •  Brining  •  Roasting  •  Frying  •  Boiling  •  Baking  •  Salt Crust  •  Cooking on Salt Blocks  •  Saucing  •  Confectionery  •  Drinks

Resources . . . 301

Index . . . 305