A Practical Salt and Pepper Glossary

Salt texture affects measuring and finishing; pepper type affects aroma and sensation. Expensive or unusual salt is not inherently healthier than ordinary salt.

Cooking and finishing salts

• Fine salt dissolves readily. Coarse kosher salt is easy to pinch, but brands differ in crystal shape and density; do not substitute equal spoonfuls blindly.
• Flaky salts, including Maldon, are useful finishing salts when their texture remains noticeable. Fleur de sel is a delicate harvested sea salt; sel gris is a moist gray sea salt.
• Alaea salt is associated with reddish clay; many black “lava” salts are colored with charcoal rather than being pieces of lava. The color is not evidence of a detoxifying benefit.
• Himalayan pink salt is rock salt with trace minerals contributing color. Trace minerals do not make it a meaningful nutritional supplement.
• Regional sea salts, including Sicilian salts and La Baleine products, vary in grain size and processing. Check the label rather than inferring flavor or mineral content from geography.

True peppercorns

• Black, white, and green peppercorns come from Piper nigrum and differ in harvest and processing. Black pepper is dried with its outer fruit layer; white pepper has that layer removed.
• Green peppercorns may be dried or preserved in brine. Drain brined peppercorns as needed and account for their salt.
• Tellicherry is a size or grading description used for larger black peppercorns, not a promise that they are always less pungent. Freshness and source matter.

Pepper-like seasonings

• Pink peppercorns come from Schinus species, not Piper nigrum. Their flavor is generally mild and fruity; do not confuse them with the characteristic numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper.
• Sichuan pepper comes from Zanthoxylum species. Its citrus-like aroma and tingling sensation make it distinct from black pepper. Recipes generally use the husks rather than the hard seeds.

Measure and store thoughtfully

Use recipe weights for salt when available and taste gradually where safe. Keep seasonings dry and away from heat and light. Check botanical identity and ingredient labeling if allergies or dietary restrictions matter.