September 26, 2003
Salt from San Cristobal

A review of specialty salts, featuring the lttle bundles sold in the market in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas.

Journal Gazette | 09/24/2003 | Wave of flavor

Mexican Benequenes - At the bottom of the Rio Salinas gorge are the salinas of Ixtapa: a small brine well, more than 2,000 years old, and seven long thatched cocinas. Inside, the brine is "cooked" in iron pots set atop woodburning adobe ovens.

As the salt forms, it is packed into straw matting tubes to form loaves of salt, most available daily in the market at San Cristobal de las Casas. Almost a powder, benequenes (loaves) partner best with french fries, tortilla chips or Spanish salted almonds.

Posted by Dave at September 26, 2003 12:20 PM