Detail of a chef sprinkling rock salt onto uncooked focaccia dough, taken on November 2, 2012. (Photo by Adam Gasson/N-Photo Magazine/Future via Getty Images)
Food - Drink
The Citrusy Salt You Should Have In Your Pantry
By KAREN HART
Salt has been prized throughout history for its potent preservative powers, and ancient societies such as the Egyptians used salt to lengthen the shelf life of meats and fish. Salt has been used in cooking for almost as long, and today, we have many varieties to choose from, including flavors like garlic salt, truffle salt, and lemon salt.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay champions the use of lemon salt in particular. Ramsay explains that this salt is relatively easy to make, requiring nothing more than coarse salt, lemons, and a mortar and pestle, and can be used to season food during cooking or right before serving for a burst of tart, citrusy, sweet, and savory flavor.
Meyers lemons work the best for lemon salt, since these fruits are sweeter than other lemons, making for a better balance of sweet and salty that isn't too sour. Meyer lemons can be hard to find, so look around during their peak season from November to March, and use your tasty lemon salt on eggs, veggies, seafood, and more.