Fleur de sel, literally translated from French to mean “flower of the salt,” is a hand-raked salt from the northern Brittany region of France.
While its gained popularity over the past few years in the United States, fleur de sel has been a staple of French cooking for years. It makes its iodized table salt counterparts look downright common.
Price
If you’re in a store and happen upon a jar of fleur de sel, you may gape at the price, but there’s a reason the salt is worth a little more.
Harvest
Fleur de sel is harvested with precision. As saltwater evaporates in coastal pools, a thin layer of gray salt (or sel gris) is left. When weather conditions are just right—sunny and clear around September—the layer of salt on top is raked off. Essentially fleur de sel is the flower of the gray salt (or sel gris).
According to Penzey’s Spices, for every 80 pounds of gray salt, only 1 pound of fleur de sel is harvested.
Taste
The salt, with its coarse crystals, is a finishing salt for the distinct, delicate flavor it leaves on the palate. Fleur de sel has higher concentrates of calcium, magnesium and iron.
Availability
Fleur de sel is sold in airtight jars, and because it’s a celebrity among salts at the moment, it’s generally available in all specialty food stores.
Penzey’s spices sells a 12.8-ounce jar for $28.65 and a 3.5-ounce jar for $8.59. For comparison, a 1-pound bag of coarse grind grey salt retails for $10.29.
Buying Fleur de Sel
On the market right now, salted sweets are popular. Whold Foods and Trader Joe's offer fleur de sel caramels, Haagen Dazs has a Caramel Fleur De Sel ice cream (which is a must try), and Starbucks has a Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate.
Incorporating Fleur de Sel into Cooking
Though sweet and salty are popular, fleur de sel is about a lot more than desserts. Since it’s a finishing salt and dissolved fairly quickly, it can be rubbed onto steak at the end of the grilling process, sprinkled on a poached or scrambled egg once the egg is plated or added to steamed broccoli or other vegetables.
That said, there is a reason why fleur de sel is being added to desserts: The balance of flavors is absolutely delicious. Sprinkle a pinch of the salt on chocolate, toffee, caramels and even cookies.
Variations
While the French pride themselves on their salt, a Portuguese version, flor de sal, is available as well, at a lower price.
You can read more about different sea salts and harvesting techniques.
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