During one of our tours to Sicily, we visited the salt pans near the city of Marsala, located on the west coast. We learned about the fascinating history of salt, observed the harvest, and tasted salt with unique pairings. Here are some of the salty facts we learned about.

Myth vs. Reality

Myths about salt are plentiful, but the truth is, our bodies need salt to survive. Salt helps regulate water intake and helps our cells function. Without salt we die. It’s a question of how much is too much? The answer is about one teaspoon per person a day, or 2300 mg.

Wooden Bowl of Salt
Image by andreas160578 from Pixabay

How to Obtain Salt

The source of the salt consumed is critical – whether natural or in processed foods. The salt we add to our food, that already contains salt, can harmfully elevate our daily quota.

There are only three methods for obtaining salt:

  • solar collection,
  • evaporation, and
  • mining.

The Marsala Salt Fields uses the most ancient and also today’s most widely used method of retrieval – solar collection. Almost 3,000 years ago, the Phoenicians recognized the perfect conditions for sea salt harvesting here: hot African winds, shallow waters, and sun-drenched climate.

Sicily Marsala Salt Fields
Image by Jacques Savoye from Pixabay

Salty Phrases

The saying “worth your salt” was high praise and referred to the fact that when salt was less plentiful, it was a valuable commodity – more so than gold. In fact, it was sometimes called “white gold”.

Surprise Pairings

Salt is a surprising and tasty complement to fruit, especially pineapple, oranges, and peaches. We had our palates pleasantly awakened in ways we didn’t expect.

Oranges Paired with Salt for a Refreshing Treat
Image by wei zhu from Pixabay

And the Winnner Is…

The last of the salty facts we learned is that all salt contains the same amount of sodium, so no one variety is better than any other. However, there is more table salt in a teaspoon than there is sea salt, since table salt is finer.

All in a Day’s Work

As our tour and tasting concluded, we were fortunate to see the colour of the salt pans change from bright blue to warm pink, with the sun setting on the lagoon. The salt harvesters, weary from another day in the scorching sun, slowly walked by their salt mountains, anticipating a well-deserved rest!

Sicily Pink Salt Fields
Image by Ilario D’Amato from Pixabay