Sea salt

Seawater is channelled into shallow ponds or pans and left to evaporate, often with help from sun and wind; the remaining crystals are collected and dried. Some sea salt is instead made by evaporating seawater with heat.

Scatter flaky sea salt over food just before serving, so the crystals stay crisp and give little bursts of saltiness. It works particularly well on roast vegetables, grilled fish, eggs and chocolate desserts.

Yes. Fine sea salt dissolves readily in cake batter and bread dough; if you have coarse crystals or flakes, crush them first so they distribute evenly.

By weight, usually; by spoonful, not always. Flakes and coarse crystals leave more air between them than fine table salt, so weigh the salt or follow the recipe’s specified crystal size.

Keep it in a tightly closed, dry container away from steam and splashes. If flakes clump, break them apart with dry fingers or a spoon; moisture can make them stick together without spoiling the salt.

The saltiness is similar, but crystal size and shape change how quickly it dissolves and how it feels on the tongue. Any flavour differences from trace minerals are usually subtle; flakes are prized mostly for their crunch.

Grey sea salt is a type of sea salt, usually harvested from clay-lined salt pans; contact with the clay gives it a grey colour and a moist texture. Ordinary sea salt is often whiter and drier.