Sea Salt, Hawaiian Pink

Alaea clay is a volcanic byproduct. When sea salt is evaporated it mixes with this clay that gets its color from high amounts of iron oxide. The result is a salt that has a slight flavor of clay and metal. It might sound off-putting, but the flavor is extremely pleasant. It’s a perfect finishing salt for root vegetables, white fish, and pork.

Red salt is essentially the same as pink salt, but pink salt has less of the alaea clay. The result is less mineral in flavor allowing the salt itself to shine. Less clay also means less moisture, so the salt won’t melt. Instead, it stays rocky and shatters in a satisfying way when bitten into.

Pink and red Hawaiian salts are also becoming very popular for use in confections. Often, it is paired with chocolate to intensify the bitter and sweet flavors.