If you enjoy fine dining then fleur de sel is something you have probably heard of before. A classic French dish that dates back to the 15th century, fleur de sel is made with golden bay rose petals, Rosemary leaves, butter and sugar. It is a type of pasty, and as such it is very popular with foodies and those who enjoy experimenting with different flavors and presentation. The flavors can be subtle or quite strong depending on the mixture you use, which is what makes this particular dish so exciting to experiment with.
To prepare fleur de sel you will need; Rosemary leaves, butter, sugar, golden bay leaf, sea salt, flour, sea oil and baking powder. You can make your own mix, using any combination of these ingredients or purchase one of the commercially produced blends. Fleur de sel is best served cold, after being stored in the refrigerator for a minimum of eighteen hours, but preferably overnight.
When purchasing fleur de sel ensure that you purchase one of a quality nature grade product. This will ensure that it has been kept in an area where it has had minimal contact with salts or other elements that could affect its quality. In most cases you are buying France soil at the supermarket or farmer’s market, however in certain areas of the country salts are imported and can affect the purity of the product. Typically you can expect to pay more for the higher quality varieties, however if you are on a budget it doesn’t make sense to go for the cheapest either. It is better to pay slightly more for a high quality product because you know that it will last longer and taste better than a cheaper alternative which may well have been sitting in a landfill for many years.
To begin you should rinse off any soap or cleaner from the skin before applying the fleur de sel. Massage it gently into the top layer of skin leaving it to dry. After this take a clean sponge and apply gentle strokes into the skin in a circular pattern. The moisture should penetrate easily through the entire thickness of the coat, but try not to get it on the clothing or bedclothes. When you feel there is moisture remaining, gently brush some more water into the top layer to open it up a little bit more.
The next step is to gently scrub the fleur de sel de ranse onto the skin in the same circular motion as previously described. Be gentle as you don’t want to damage the crystals. Use the same amount of water with the same concentration of salts as previously described. If you want the product to stay moist longer you can increase the concentration of salt. Experiment to find out what works best for you.
Once you have finished your bath experiment, it’s time to take a look at the taste of the fleur de sel. Like many other natural body care products the salt tends to change its taste after being exposed to seawater for awhile. My recommendation would be to leave it in for a few weeks and then once you’re comfortable with its taste, use fleur de sel.
Most of us are more familiar with traditional fleur de sel harvested from the coasts of France. This type of sea salt is harvested from seawater during warmer months when the water has a higher concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Because of the high mineral content of the seawater harvesting sea salt has a high concentration of calcium and magnesium. Many people do not like the taste of sea salt and will often substitute it with regular table salt or even regular table sugar. To avoid a harsh flavor try harvesting your fleur de sel from the French Atlantic or Mediterranean regions where the water is abundant with seawater.
Another aspect to enjoying fleur de sel is to make sure the salt residue on your hair and skin is completely dissolved before shampooing, conditioning or styling. You don’t want your locks or skin to be left with lumps of mineral salt residue when washing. When styling, dry naturally first to allow the moisture in the air to open pores and let your hair or skin breathe. Rinse well and let your hair or skin dry naturally for the best possible taste and texture.