xroads Philippine Sea Salts review
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Not being a chef, though I love to cook, I get a lot of my cooking knowledge from TV (ok, I get a lot of my knowledge about everything from TV!) The biggest thing I’ve learned is from the number one, seemingly simple mistake made by Top Chef contestants. I can just see Padma saying it now “needs more salt.” How can such a simple ingredient be overlooked so frequently? Maybe it’s not the lack of quantity, it’s the lack of quality. As I learned recently thanks to the folks at xroads Philippine Sea Salts, all salts are not created equal.
Crafting their high quality, eco-friendly salts is a labor-intensive process. They are hand-harvested with traditional methods during only four months of the year (Dec. – June, the dry season) in Pangasinan, Philippines (which translates into “the land of salt”). Off season, the beds are flooded and enable farmers to use them as fish or shrimp ponds. The dual purpose of the land means sustainability in an area where the salt industry was once dominant but today is at risk of extinction due to increased globalization.
But what about the salts themselves? We got the pleasure of trying both of their flavors. Ilocano Asin is a moist coarse grain white sea salt that is described as bright, clean and crisp. Sugpo Asin is also a moist coarse grain, but this is a naturally pink sea salt that derives it’s color from sugpo shrimp (from a farm that harvests giant tiger prawns during the off season). This is a more bold tasting salt than the Ilocano. Both salts are sold in beautiful handmade boxes, woven from Nipa palm and wrapped in Abaca twine (shown above), and are incredibly affordable ($10 or $12.50 for 5 ounces). Most important of all, they are absolutely delicious.
I asked Lennie Buenaflor DiCarlo, co-founder along with her husband Anthony, what was the best way to use their salt; in cooking or as seasoning before you eat the meal? She told me “The best use of the salts is for finishing. Using it in this manner allows you to take advantage of the texture (the crunch due to hollow saline structure) and immediate taste from the flake. These are two components that chefs really like about our sea salts. The oceanic minerality will come through with the white sea salt (Ilocano Asin) and the robust flavor will come through with the pink sea salt (Sugpo Asin).”
She continued “You can use these salts to cook with, but you will lose those key components. If you want to use the salts during a cooking application, try grilling with any protein or vegetable. The flavors stand out plus the saline structure allows the salts to adhere to the product.”
The best thing for me? Besides, of course, the really amazing taste and texture of these salts, I love that I can use an ingredient that has a list of chef and restaurant followers that reads like a who’s who in the culinary world. Little ol’ me. Take that Padma.
Review Team: Tell us what flavor you received and if these salts took your meals to a higher level.
I’m a little embarrassed to say this but, when I first received the Ilocano Asin Salt,I thought it was a bath salt! It came in such a cute little package and I only saw the word salt! No worries though, I kept reading the tag and saw that it was the kind of salt you put on food, before I got in the tub and started seasoning myself! With that being said, the chef in the house, my boyfriend, made dinner and we used the Ilocano Asian Salt to top off our asparagus and fish. Before our food was done cooking he took a pinch of salt and ate it plain; I’m sure my eyes were as big as saucers as he did this. I mean sea salt is strong right? Gross. But he seemed to like it, so I did the same, and surprisingly it wasn’t over powering. It tasted clean and crisp, just what you want from a salt. And it wasn’t a hard salt that cuts your lips like you get on some soft pretzels. Once the fish and asparagus were done cooking we topped them off with the salt and it really made the dish. I really like the Iloncano salt and I plan on getting more!
I received the Sugpo Asin to test. I’m someone who actually prefers a good salt though I’ve never had one this fancy before. But I do prefer Kosher salt to table salt.
This stuff is amazing! It’s got a very light pink hue (from shrimp as Stef says above) and it’s really moist. I just used this in place of where I’d use regular salt in a shaker. Which for me means on just about everything I eat. It’s delicious! It takes a bit of getting used to to figure out quantity, you’d never use as much as you do with table salt. It’s really just a light sprinkle. It’s really flavorful and has a great texture (crunchy and it kind of pops in your mouth). Love it.
Beautiful packaging too. Both salts together with some olive oil and nice dish towels would be a really nice gift.
I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of salt. I usually cover everything, from salads to mashed potatoes, with pepper. However, I dutifully brought my Ilocano Asin white sea salt with me to the dining hall (famous for serving bland food) and used it with mashed potatoes, grilled veggies, and some veggie soup. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised (D-Hall food had never tasted so good)! It added flavor without overpowering the food and didn’t have the harshness that normal table salt has. And, of course, it had that great crunchy texture. My mom stole my leftover salt and she really likes it too! Considering how much I generally loathe salt, I’m surprised at how much I really enjoyed my Ilocano Asin white sea salt. I would definitely use this salt again!
I always use sea salt. I’m a sea salt snob. But when I tried my Sugpo Asin Salt it was like I have never tried salt before. The taste and texture is wonderful.
I love my fresh veggies, done with snap and vivid color. The perfect finish to the perfect veg is Philippine Sea Salt. I can’t wait till tomatoes are in season. A little evoo and XRoads Sea Salt and I’ll be in heaven.
Cori you weren’t the only one who thought this was bath salt at first. I even put it in my bathroom by the tub. Luckily, I read the little card before I dumped it in the bath. I’m a big fan of sea salt and use it almost exclusively, so I was very excited to learn this was for my food and not my bath. I took Stef’s recommendations and have used this for grilled foods and as a finishing salt. My husband made me the most delicious grilled salmon on a cedar plank for mother’s day. When he asked me what to season it with, I immediately pulled out my Sugpo Asin salt. I love that it isn’t too salty. The texture really is amazing…super crunchy, but melts in your mouth at the same time. It is also wonderful sprinkled on grilled veggies. I feel very fancy using this salt. I adore the packaging and would definitely buy this again.
The Ilocano Asin was delicious. I am a big fan of coarse salts. Salt and lemon juice is a delicious non-fat salad dressing and I do love, just like the founder said, the great crunch they can add to a food. I loved. And I’m with you Tiffany, I was confused at first and thoghut they were bath salts too!
The packaging on these was so pretty that I, too, thought they were bath salts, but upon closer inspection I realized my mistake before I seasoned myself silly. I received the Ilocano Asin salt and if you can grill it, my hubby, the unofficial “Grill King”, would use this salt. This salt is delightful on grilled pork chops, grilled fish (especially salmon), chicken breasts, grilled veggies, and pretty much anything else you can cook over an open fire. I usually only tolerate grilled asparagus, but with this salt it was downright yummy! When we weren’t putting this on grilled items, I was sneaking this on anything that touched a plate. I was never someone who added salt to anything, but as I get older and my taste buds are dying a painful death, I’ve started adding salt to things and this salt really takes things from bland to gourmet. The salt isn’t your typical salt. There’s a richness of flavor that I can’t quite describe that you get when you use this, it’s almost a tartness. It’s a salt that’s delicate and flaky and it really compliments food. If you think all salt was created equal, try this salt and you will realize the error of your ways.
In one of my cooking classes, they do a simple and neat demonstration. First they pass around regular old iodized table salt, then kosher salt, then sea salt. You try a small taste of each one in that order. Do it and believe me, you will never let regular salt touch your lips again! You’ll want at least Kosher and sea as much as possible. The intense flavor of sea salt is just too delicious to waste your taste buds on regular salt. These are wonderful – they are my favorite of all the sea salts I’ve tried at all my cooking classes. I’m actually taking the Sugpo Asin to my next class so my teachers can try it – and maybe order it! Like so many others have said, it’s the perfect finisher for any veggies and fish. The only other thing we put it on that hasn’t been mentioned yet is eggs – just a very light sprinkle (and I LOVE salt) is perfect and delicious. The presentation is absolutely beautiful – I love the olive oil and dishcloth gift suggestion too, Veronica – I will remember that one!
Yum, salt! I come from a family that loves their salt (a Pa Dutch background seemed to limit spices to salt, pepper and maybe garlic) and so I need a good dash of salt on most foods or they just don’t taste right. As I’ve grown older and more careful about my foods, I learned to love Sea Salt over regular table salt, so I was very excited to try the xroads Ilocano Asin salt. First, as the girls have noted, the packaging is adorable, cute, woven boxes that can easily be recycled once you have used the salt. As for the salt it itself – perfection! It is the high end version of a good sea salt that brightens and brings out the flavor of your food. I’m a vegetarian, so I have only used this on veggies, but what a difference! Like Cori, I first tested on some al dente asparagus. I swear, a dash of xroads salt and a few minutes setting time and my asparagus looked greener. But it was the taste that made me a believer. A sharp, refreshing salty taste that seemed to work with the veggie and make them burst with flavor. Since that experiment, I’ve used the salt on pasta dishes, cold salads and chopped cucumbers with great results. You only need a tiny dash to sharpen the flavors and add some pizzazz to your dish. I made a simple salad for my neighbors the other day and added some salt at the end of preparation. You would have thought I invented the salad with the raves I received. Xroads salt is now my “secret” ingredient for whenever I want to Wow my friends with my humble cooking skills. Definitely five stars!
It’s amazing xroads Philippine Sea Salt! Firstly, you have a new customer in me! I have to admit that I am a salt lover. My entire family loves salt- always has.. I’m one of those from the east coast who orders a SALT bagel! I don’t care what people think as I order them either! I love cooking and couldn’t wait to use this on something yummy. It wowed my taste buds, and I thoroughly enjoyed using these amazing, xroads Philippine Sea Salts! They are not your everyday salts! They have incredible flavors that enable you to enhance whatever you are cooking. I know these salts turned our dinner into a real eating experience! What a cool company too. I was impressed with their website. It has great photos of how the salts are harvested and it gives you an idea of the labor of love it entails to get these salts to us! Oh, it is a marvel to me when I think what the human race will do in order to make our lives so rich! Truly, this company is the salt of the earth!
Wow.. I am so relieved I thought they were bath salts too :) but man oh man are they delicious!
I always use sea salt and this was a wonderful treat.
The texture, and the kick are amazing. I found I used less and got more punch which is a much healthier way to go when your adding salt.
Try this on Edamame, sooooooo good!
I have tried it on salads, in marinades, and in sauces and I have to say I am officially hooked.
The packaging makes you feel like you have an ingredient from a fancy cooking show and the taste makes you feel like a primo chef.
Five glowing and happily salty stars from me!
Well worth the buy if you have a love for cooking and want to kick it up a notch ;)
This salt has changed my cooking! I am not a fan of good ol Mortons, I have a little sea salt grinder of McCormick at home that I use for cooking, and I thought that was fancy. Well let me tell you this little bag of Ilocano Asin White Sea Salt makes all the diff in the world. My favorite item sprinkle some on the last few mins of grilling a baked potatoe, it’s heaven in a piece of foil!
As Krista said, we received the Ilocano Asin. It was an absolutely delightful salt. I agree with everything said so far. From the handmade packaging to the slightly moist consistency, this is a must have for your kitchen. We primarily used it as a grill seasoning. It is particularly useful for this because of it’s moisture content. It sticks well to anything you can grill. We sampled it on chicken, pork chops, salmon and asparagus. I particularly liked the grilled salmon with grilled asparagus. If you are interested in making this, take a salmon fillet and rub it with the Asin (you won’t need much for the flavor), set it on a piece of parchment paper. Put fresh dill on the fillet (rub the leaves between you fingers a little to release the flavor) and then squeeze 1/2 a lemon on the fillet. Wrap the seasoned fillet in the parchment paper and put it on a medium heated grill for about 15 minutes. To make the asparagus, take several spears and very lighly coat with olive oil. Add a pinch of the Asin. Wrap in foil and place on the upper rack of the grill for 8 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!
I’m just glad I wasn’t the only one who thought it was bath salt! ahaha
I received the Ilocano Asin Philippine Sea Salt! Its great. I’ve tried it lightly on salads as well as finishing salt on a few other dishes. its very strong so i used it very spargingly, which is what i think you’re supposed to do anyway right? I tend to have a heavy salt hand, but i learned with this the first time around. The packaging it comes in is so cute. I have to admit with the other ladies, i totally thought it was bath salts too! Another great find ladies!!!
When I first received Xroads Philippine Sea Salts, I too thought it was bath salts because of its decorative wrapping. :-) It wasn’t until Mother’s Day, when I was given the free time to enjoy a bath, did I realize it wasn’t! Imagine my face. Lol. The box remained unopened on my kitchen counter for a few more days because I enjoyed looking at the mini bamboo (is it bamboo?) box.
On day five, I opened it because I heard about the reported health benefits of using sea salts as opposed to regular table salt. This has become important to me since my husband has been diagnosed with high cholesterol, and has been ordered to change his lifestyle pronto! Although the Mayo Clinic says the contrary, other websites state that sea salt is unrefined it can boost the immune system; help adjust insulin levels; and acts a natural antihistamine. As the allergy and asthmatic resident in my household, I jumped for joy.
Not being a great cook, I made a tuna salad using Xroads sea salts. I tossed together a bowl of precut cole slaw, 2 cans of tuna, and about a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. I tossed it together with just a pinch of sea salt. It truly brought out the flavor of the fish. It even had my husband complimenting my “cooking” when he has been complaining about it for nearly a year. It was also great sprinkled on an ear of corn. Unlike regular table salt, this salt didn’t fall off the corn. It stayed where sprinkled! I can’t wait to try it out on some other dishes. Tomorrow I’m roasting chicken.
I would definitely buy it again, and the fact that it is eco-friendly and helping an indigenous region makes it taste even better.
I recieved the Sugpo Asin sea salt. I do love to cook and do use sea salt. Generally, I purchase a box of the basic stuff at Whole Foods, and it serves its purpose well. I always wanted to try all of the fancy varieties, but their expense is prohibitive.
The basic sea salts do have the flakiness and crunch that finishes a dish well (I top grilled meats, fish and salads and vegetables with it). I had purchased Hawaiian salt while in Hawaii (similarly packaged in a woven basket, and sold in the ubiquitous ABC stores) that was as good as the basic sea salt, but not better. I expected the Phillipine sea salt to be more of the same.
I was pleasantly surprised. The Sugpo Asin sea salt definitely takes the flavor one step further.
There is a definite “sea” taste to this salt–not overt, but present–a second dimention of flavor. On fresh tuna this is wonderful. I also plan on using this on my avocado/lemon/arugala salad (maybe tonight). And a little goes a long way; I don’t think I’ll have to purchase any more for a while.
This salt has definitely inspired me to want to experiment more with different varieties of sea salts. Good stuff. Thumbs up.