Spice Lab Gourmet Sea Salts Review & Cheddar Biscuits Recipe
A salt by any other name would smell as sweet… wait, that’s not right.
When it comes to salt there are 2 types of people: The people who think all salts are created equal and the people who realize how diverse various salts really are. I used to be that first type and refused to jump on the sea salt bandwagon. I figured it was just another gimmick to get people to spend more money. Then, call it chance or fate, I found a sale on sea salt at the grocery store. Not one to pass up a sale I grabbed several bottles and proceeded to check out. I don’t remember what I was hoping to accomplish, but it was probably something to do with debunking the myth that sea salt was better than regular table salt.
Needless to say I’m now a sea salt person; a salt aficionado if you will. I have a deep appreciation and enthusiasm when it comes to salt and haven’t had regular table salt in my home in years. When I was given the chance to get creative with the Pacific Collection from The Spice Lab a million ideas started running through my head. I mean, how could I not when presented with salts like Szechuan Pepper Sea Salts from China or Chardonnay Oak Smoked Fumee de Sel from France?! There was also Hawaiian Bamboo Jade Fine Sea Salt, Murray River Pink Flake River Salt from Australia, Hawaiian Pink Passion Fine Sea Salt and Japanese Aguni Island Sea Salt from Japan.
Before doing anything with the salts I popped out the {all natural} cork from the ridiculously cute test tubes each salt came in. I smelled each salt and then tasted a granule or 4 from each. I want to share my observations with you. Is there a name for someone who tastes salt?! If not there definitely should be.
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Szechuan Pepper
Fragrance – Peppery with a hint of a woodsy aroma.
Flavor – Very mild saltiness with a delightful bite.
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Hawaiian Bamboo Jade:
Fragrance – Somewhat citrus – kind of like limes.
Flavor – Very light with a herb like flavor.
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Murray River Pink Flake:
Fragrance – Similar to the aroma of pepper, but not as prominent.
Flavor – Distinctly salty with a bold, lingering flavor.
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Chardonnay Oak Smoked:
Fragrance – Hearty and woodsy salt with a slight sweet undertone.
Flavor – A pungent flavor that isn’t overly salty. It actually leaves you wanting more.
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Hawaiian Pink Passion:
Fragrance – Fruity is the first aroma that hits you when smelling this sea salt. Afterwards you’re left with a slightly sweet undertone.
Flavor – A wonderful blend of sweet and salty. It’s fresh and not overwhelming.
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Japanese Aguni Island:
Fragrance – Crisp and Clean.
Flavor – Probably the most salt flavor of the 6 sea salts in the collection. It’s a bold salty, not an overwhelming set your mouth on fire salty.
To say these aren’t your typical, run of the mill salts is an understatement. These salts are to cooks what roses are to florists – a needed component to create something amazing.
I’ve been experimenting with these salts and using them in various recipes. The Chardonnay Oak Smoked salt brought my mushroom & onion gravy to life! I had never made hamburger steaks that were so savory. The Hawaiian Bamboo Jade salt went into my Oyster & Sausage Stuffing and John couldn’t stop eating that.
I used the Szechuan Pepper salt to add some zing to my cheddar biscuits (recipe below) and they came out fantastic. The subtle hints of pepper and salt dance together and playfully tease the taste buds. I can’t wait to create even more with these salts – I see a cake in the future for the Hawaiian pink passion and stir fry with the Japanese Aguini Island!
These salts are incredible and so much more than just salt. They’re the paint that completes a canvas. Have you ever tasted something only to realize it was missing something. Something you couldn’t quite put your finger on? That’s where the Spice Lab Gourmet Sea Salts come into play. They give you that little something you’re missing.
Shop & Connect with Spice Lab Gourmet Sea Salts
There are so many varieties available from The Spice Lab and checking out the reviews on Amazon they’re a huge hit. I can’t wait to check out the other collections for myself and I can highly recommend you try these for yourself! You can shop for Spice Lab Gourmet Sea Salts website and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter
