Not all salt is created equal.
Just ask Jessica Helgeson and her mother, Terri Mapel, founders of See Salt, a line of finishing salts using fresh fleur de sel.
“Premium salt is harvested from the ocean marsh and processed only by the wind and sun,” says Helgeson. “Fleur de sel is the top layer, making it the most delicate flavor and texture. Most other salts have been bleached and processed.”
According to Helgeson, the concept of See Salt came about quite organically.
“In 2013, my mother and I launched a YouTube channel to document our journey in sharing beloved family and new-to-us recipes,” says Helgeson.
As the channel grew in popularity, the duo began fielding questions from fans.
“Among the most oft-asked question was what we were sprinkling on various dishes during tutorials,” says Helgeson. “We were using hand-harvested finishing salt.”
After just a few months, the duo realized there was a market for ready-made—yet additive-free and nutrient-dense—line of finishing salts like theirs.
“Beyond just adding a burst of delicate flavor and hint of crunch, there are a host of health benefits to using fleur de sel versus heaps of table salt, which really resonated with our YouTube—and eventual See Salt—fans,” says Helgeson, noting today there is both a traditional fleur de sel offering, as well as four sister varieties available both online (SeeSaltTaste.com) and at a host of retailers, including AJ's Fine Foods, Chula Seafood, urbAna, Arcadia Meat Market, and more.
Fleur de Sel + Herbes de Provence complements pork, potatoes, poultry, and roasted vegetables.
Fleur de Sel + Pepper complements steak, chicken, sweet corn, and Bloody Marys.
Fleur de Sel + Lemon complements fish, steak, and sweets.
Fleur de Sel + Cayenne/Lime complements shrimp, watermelon, and margaritas.