Sel Gris: A Unique and Versatile Culinary Salt
Sel gris, also called "grey salt" or "Celtic sea salt," is an unrefined sea salt raked from the surface of shallow evaporation ponds (marais salants) along the Brittany coast of northwestern France, mainly around Guérande and the Île de Ré.
Salt has been harvested from these marshes since antiquity - the Guérande salt works date back roughly 2,700 years to the Iron Age, with today's pond layout largely set by the 10th century - using a method that has changed little: raking crystals off the pond surface by hand during the warm summer harvest. The slow evaporation and mineral-rich clay lining the ponds give the salt its grey color and briny, mineral-forward flavor.
Chefs use sel gris mainly as a finishing salt, adding a delicate crunch to seafood, meats, vegetables, and baked goods just before serving; it is also used in curing meats and fish. It pairs well with fresh herbs, citrus fruits, butter, and olive oil or other nut oils.