Interview | Vancouver Island Salt Co. November 18 2016
Our new West Coast Sea Salt Soap proudly uses Pacific sea salt from Vancouver Island Salt Co.
We asked them a few questions about their amazing salt.
Where are you based?
We are based in Cobble Hill which is in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island (about 30 minutes North of Victoria).
How do you make sea salt?
We can't claim to 'make' sea salt, but we sure love to harvest it! We like to think of ourselves somewhere between farmers and miners in the salt world ;) Here in the Cowichan Valley we are in what is generally considered cold weather harvesting meaning we don’t really have great solar seasons. To work around this we use forced evaporation which simply put, means we boil! Each harvest takes time & patience maintaining the right conditions for each salt vat to first produce the beautiful Fleur de Sel crystals on the top, and then reach the right salinity for Sea Salt to form. Once harvested, we infuse it, smoke it, let it dry and pack it up!
We can't claim to 'make' sea salt, but we sure love to harvest it! We like to think of ourselves somewhere between farmers and miners in the salt world ;) Here in the Cowichan Valley we are in what is generally considered cold weather harvesting meaning we don’t really have great solar seasons. To work around this we use forced evaporation which simply put, means we boil! Each harvest takes time & patience maintaining the right conditions for each salt vat to first produce the beautiful Fleur de Sel crystals on the top, and then reach the right salinity for Sea Salt to form. Once harvested, we infuse it, smoke it, let it dry and pack it up!
Does pacific salt have specific benefits? Why are some salts better then other salts?
Natural sea salt retains several valuable natural trace minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium, potassium) that are all removed during the processing of table salts. Because of this, the taste of sea salt reflects the characteristics of the waters from which it is harvested. For example we've noticed our salt to be higher in Magnesium which is often attributed to a little more sweetness. Others may be higher in Calcium giving a slightly bitter taste...basically means no two sea salts taste the same, and each one will give a unique flavour experience. This stands in stark contrast to the homogenized nature of table salt which is chemically treated and processed to prevent clumping. Our sea salt is made up of what is naturally found in the ocean - that's it!
