We know that Sicily provides us with beautiful wines, olive oils and fish but she is also the source of another of Nature’s gifts – sea salt. With Marsala still on our palates, we set course for Saline della Laguna along the coast that connects Marsala and Trapani. Our tour started with a short film describing the process of harvesting salt from the flats just outside, a process that is largely manual and has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.
Dating back to the 1600’s the Infersa windmill was used to grind the salt crystals. Today mechanized methods are used but the windmill has been restored and is open for tours.
At the end of our tour we were invited to a salt tasting. Oddly enough, sea salt can add a wonderful taste element when added to foods you wouldn’t think of salting – for example fruit! They paired a wide variety of fruits with various forms of salt, some coarsely ground, some seasoned with sage, orange essence, juniper etc. This salt tasted nothing like what comes out of the shaker at home – no bitterness nor chemical aftertaste, just pure Mediterranean ocean!