Fleur de sel from Guérande PGI

How to Use Guérande Fleur de Sel?

Guérande IGP Fleur de Sel is a natural fleur de sel harvested by the salt workers of Guérande in accordance with tradition.

How to Use Guérande IGP Fleur de Sel?

Here are some recipe ideas to use Guérande fleur de sel in your cooking:

• Caramelized apples with fleur de sel: Add 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to your apples during cooking;
• Pan-seared foie gras with fleur de sel: Once your foie gras is pan-seared, add a pinch of Guérande fleur de sel on top;
• Chocolate fondant with a hint of salt: Add ½ teaspoon of Guérande fleur de sel to your cake batter;
• Beef rib and fleur de sel: Sprinkle a few pinches of Guérande fleur de sel on your beef rib at the end of cooking;
• Caramel ice cream with fleur de sel: In your preparation, add 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel at the end, then gently mix to preserve the fleur de sel crystals;
• Chocolate mousse: Incorporate 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel into your mousse, then refrigerate.

A Fleur de Sel with Delicate and Iodized Flavors

Guérande fleur de sel is more delicate than coarse salt crystals. Fleur de sel integrates more easily into food and dissolves more quickly than other forms of salt because its texture is finer and lighter. Fleur de sel is used after cooking to preserve its natural flavor.

Guérande IGP Fleur de Sel: Craftsmanship and Tradition

Guérande fleur de sel is the result of delicate artisanal work and ideal climatic conditions: plenty of sun, sea, and wind. It is on the surface of the salt marshes that this thin layer of white crystals forms during the evaporation of water, under the combined action of the sun and wind. The quality of fleur de sel depends on how it is harvested and the care taken by the salt worker during harvesting, drying, and storage. Guérande fleur de sel is not harvested; it is gathered!

"The salt worker works to the rhythm of the seasons". In winter, the salt worker protects the salt marshes from frost and storms by covering them with water. He takes advantage of this time to maintain the basins and clean the feed channels. In spring, the salt marshes are emptied, and the mud is removed. The clay dikes are consolidated. In summer, it's harvest time! Guérande fleur de sel is harvested from the surface of the clay basins.

Guérande IGP Fleur de Sel and Its History

The History

Originating from the salt marshes of the Guérande peninsula, fleur de sel was harvested in antiquity, 400 years before Christ. Harvested using traditional tools at that time, this ancestral practice is still used today by the salt workers of Guérande.

The tools traditionally used for harvesting this marine treasure are a "lousse", similar to a skimmer to bring the salt laid on the surface near the edge of the salt marsh.

What is IGP?

IGP stands for Indication Géographique Protégée (Protected Geographical Indication). Applicable to agricultural, viticultural, and food sectors, this designation translates to a specific know-how, the reputation of a product nationally and internationally. In 2020, France had 146 registered IGP in the territory concerning the agri-food industry.