Sea Salt

Sea salt is a crystalline mineral salt harvested from evaporated seawater. Its clean, briny taste and crunchy irregular crystals make it versatile for both cooking and finishing; it dissolves readily and the grain size affects perceived salinity and melt. Cooks use it for seasoning, brining, curing, baking en croute, and rimming cocktail glasses, sold in fine, coarse, and flake forms.

Traditional saltworks along Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts developed solar-evaporated sea salt, later adopted worldwide. Modern producers harvest with pond systems and rake drying, while some regions also refine or wash crystals; sea salt features prominently in Mediterranean, Japanese, and Latin American cuisines.