In the early days of selling salt, Sahu sometimes received complaints from customers about the residue of the salt. Even his relatives advised him to sell salt on cement or canvas floors, which made Sahu sleepless. Or he could collect salt on cement floors to be sure, and avoid having to deal with a 'scandal'. But then, not knowing where his belief in the truth came from, Sahu remained loyal to the salt on the ground. After more than 4 years of selling salt, Sahu still feels lucky because he made the right choice that day.
Today Sahu would like to explain his choice. Because Sahu also took the time to find out why salt ground is better than tarpaulin or cement ground.
- The cool ground is ideal for slow crystallization of salt, the salt also absorbs energy & minerals from the soil combined with minerals in seawater to create sea salt with high mineral content.
- The gaps in the soil allow the seawater to permeate once more, and any impurities left in the seawater will settle to the ground.
- The soil creates the distinctive taste of sea salt. It is no coincidence that sea salt from some regions is more popular than from others. The soil also creates different colors, smells, and tastes for the salt. Many people comment that the salt from the soil has a mild salty taste with a natural umami flavor, a fragrant smell, and is not fishy or foul.
- Using ground salt is taking advantage of what God has given us, does not pollute the environment, does not harm microorganisms and diversity in the salt fields.
- Nowadays, many countries in the world still maintain the method of salt production on land, including developing countries and famous for their cuisine such as France, Italy, Spain, etc.
- Sahu believes that the energy of salt crystallized on earth is much better than silver or cement based salt.
Of course, to get the perfect ground sea salt we also have to “make trade-offs”:
- Salt farmers spend a lot of time making the foundation for the crystallization cell, even placing small pipes to bring water into the cell requires creativity and calculation so that the water brought in does not stick to the soil.
- Only salt the ground in areas with sandy mud. This area accounts for a minority of the total area of Sa Huynh salt fields.
- Only the first grade salt is selected. Although the second and third grade salt looks delicious, to ensure the minimum amount of residue, Sahu does not sell this type to customers.
- Flooring, selection, and removal of impurities after harvest by hand; there are impurities that cannot be removed by conventional machinery.
- Accept the risk of inconsistent product quality due to handcrafting. Occasionally hear customers complain about a lot of salt residue..
- The purchase price of salt is higher than usual but we are proud and happy about this.
Fortunately, Sa Huynh fields still have sandy soil, which helps the substrate to be hard and firm, creating natural sea salt grains and not as dirty as muddy soil.
Sahu asked his salt workers “why do you prefer ground salt?” They simply replied “because it tastes better”. Sahu worked with these people, instructing them carefully on how to make salt.
Sahu knows it is difficult to convince someone to use a salt with visible sediment, and it is also difficult to change a person's perception & standards. Therefore, Sahu appreciates even more the customers who have understood, accepted, loved & accompanied Sahu for many years.
Thinking back now, Sahu feels lucky because thanks to that choice, now Sahu has more fruits, which are Fleur de sel , a delicious, high-quality salt born from the fields and soil 🙂