Moist towellettes inhibit finger lickage

December 22, 2004

As usual the package is better than the product because these moist towellettes inhibit finger lickage. Still, it’s a great holiday present for under 5 euro for people I don’t know. I hope that the receiver of this fine gift won’t take it personally.

debra at 8:08 | Comments (0) | post to del.icio.us

A grain of salt: holiday gifts for under 5 euro

December 21, 2004

In just 3 days I will be one of the extended friends of family at an English Xmas celebration. This could be just the chance I’ve been waiting for to initiate a salt and fleur de sel tasting. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Fleur de sel (salt flower) is the term for the “young” crystals that form naturally on the surface of salt evaporation ponds. They are hand harvested under specific weather conditions by traditional paludiers (salt farmers). Purists would say that true fleur de sel could only come from the Guérande region of France, on the isle of Ré. Impurists know that salt is harvested all over the world and that the purists are just trying to market their particular brand of salt.

Fleur de sel is considered to be a ‘finishing salt’, a salt that is both rich in regional flavour and not too concentrated and therefore the perfect salt for sprinkling on salads and steamed vegetables. I have read (but have a hard time believing) that the term fleur denotes the violet-like aroma of the ripening crystals in the ponds. If this were true I’m sure the French would not hestiate to call the crystals violets de sel.
(Please read more… )

debra at 16:50 | Comments (0) | post to del.icio.us