3 Salts From Around The World To Switch Things Up In Your 2016 Kitchen

You've tried white salt, but have you tried gray, pink, red, and black? As chefs continue to explore the far reaches of the world's culinary creations, foreign salts are coming into play in their cooking and in our culture. Salt from France; Hawaii; and even Redmond, Utah, are being used — the latter being the only sign of an ancient sea that has long since dried up. Some types of salt are used for seasoning (during cooking), and some are "finishing" salts, used for extra flavor once the food is ready. Here are three salts from around the world you should try cooking with in 2016.

Fleur de Sel
This salt's French name translates to "flower of salt" in English. It's a white salt that's perfect for beginners who want to experiment with different salts. This salt, which is harvested by workers hand-scraping the top layer of salt before it falls to the bottom layer of sizable evaporative pans, is known as a great finishing salt.

Hawaiian Black Salt

Black salt comes from different areas of the world, but Hawaii's version is very popular. It consists of sea salt and activated charcoal, which adds a few more minerals into the mix. It tastes great sprinkled on everything from fish to fruit salad.

Himalayan Pink Salt

An ancient ocean in the Himalayan Mountains that dried up hundreds of millions of years ago yields this pink salt. You can choose between coarse and fine. Try a small amount on your dishes this year.