Salt

Fine Sicilian sea salt is fantastic, and it’s been made the same way forever on the western side of Sicily, centered around shallow pools between the coastal towns of Marsala and Trapani. The area is protected, so it’s clean. As sun reduces the water it becomes saltier, salt gets raked out, then dried. Wind, sun, and sea. Those are the ingredients. There are natural minerals—magnesium, calcium, and potassium, for instance—that result in delicious flavor. I love the simplicity and that it’s been made there that way since the fourteenth century—maybe millennia. Trapani Sale di Gucciardo is my favorite, but don’t obsess over a brand. Try a few and settle on your favorite affordable option.