Alaea salt

Alaea salt is an unrefined Hawaiian sea salt.  The salt is expensive,[1] and hard to find outside the Hawaiian islands. It is, however, readily available through the internet.

Overview

Customarily, Alaea sea salt was used by Hawaiians to cleanse, purify and bless tools, canoes, homes and temples.[2] Alaea is also used in several traditional Hawaiian dishes such as Kalua Pig, Hawaiian Jerky and Poke.[3]

Color

The salt gets its pinkish-brown color from Hawaiian clay, called 'alaea, which is rich in iron oxide.[4]

Also eaten with salads (and baked potatoes).

References

  1. ^ Weinzweig, Ari (2003). Zingerman's guide to good eating: how to choose the best bread, cheeses, olive oil, pasta, chocolate, and much more. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 343. ISBN 978-0-395-92616-1. 
  2. ^ Schrambling, Regina (April 6, 2005). "Salt, that essential flavor" (fee required). Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/817612631.html?dids=817612631:817612631&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+06%2C+2005&author=Regina+Schrambling&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Cooking%3B+Salt%2C+that+essential+flavor%3B+There%27s+a+world+of+varieties+-+-+and+each+brings+something+different+to+the+plate.&pqatl=google. Retrieved January 13, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Simply salt, in many variations" (subscription required). The Press Democrat. August 15, 2007. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SA&p_theme=sa&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=11B105E3748C1278&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved January 13, 2010. 
  4. ^ Laudan, Rachel (1996). The food of Paradise: exploring Hawaii's culinary heritage. University of Hawaii Press. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-8248-1778-7.