Flaky Salt

This is a wonderful salt with large thin, crystals—they look like snowflakes—that can be used to cook with as well as for a finishing salt. I keep a box of Maldon salt flakes in my pantry; the flaky, crunchy crystals create a fantastic texture when sprinkled over chocolate chip cookies or brownies.

Maldon is prepared by collecting the seawater from estuaries in Essex County, England, and drying it out in large salt pans. The salt crystallizes into flakes, which are removed and then dried in an oven.