Introduction to Artisan Salts

Learn how to enhance your cooking with artisan salts at this lecture and tasting, lead by Mark Bitterman of West Village specialty store the Meadow. He'll elaborate on different types of salts—including fleur de sel (an all-purpose finishing and cooking salt), flake salt (used for fresh vegetables) and sel gris (used for proteins and hearty foods)—and introduce three exotic varieties: Kauai guava-smoked, black diamond from Cyprus and Molokai red salt. You'll also taste how the mineral and crystalline properties of each variety play off different foods to provide textural contrast and enhance flavor, and see how a salt's hue can bring dramatic color to a dish, while sipping complimentary vino.