What is it? Achill Island Smoked Sea Salt (RRP €4.50, 75g).
What’s good about it? It is hot smoked in-house, over beech and oak wood chips, giving a natural rather than artificial smoked taste to the crunchy flakes.
Who makes it? It is made by the O’Malley family on Achill Island, Co Mayo, where mum Marjorie is the managing director, dad Kieran is the salt maker and manager of production and operations, and daughter Maebh is sales and marketing manager. They make their salt by hand, in a process that began in their kitchen in 2013 and moved to a customised production facility three years later.
How do I use it? Anywhere you want a salty taste, along with a bit of smokiness. It is excellent sprinkled on grilled meats, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, and especially good with eggs. On the company’s website, achillislandseasalt.ie, you’ll find a selection of recipes including one for an intriguing roast parsnip hummus with smoked sea salt.
Róisín Ingle: My profound, challenging, surprisingly joyful, life-changing year
The Big Irish Times Quiz of 2024
Megan Nolan: A conversation with a man in his late 30s made clear the realities of this new era in my dating life
Winter walks: 10 family-friendly trails around Ireland, from easy to challenging
Where can I buy it? It is widely available from delis and specialist food stores and online from chillislandseasalt.ie.
Anything else? Nigella Lawson is reputed to carry a mini tin of Maldon salt in her handbag, and you can do the same with Achill Island sea salt, which has very cute tiny tins on sale online and at the visitor centre gift shop at the production facility on Achill. The gift shop is due to reopen for the summer season in June. As well as the natural and smoked salt, the range also includes sea salt with Atlantic Wakame seaweed from Connemara.
Send your Shelf Help product suggestions to marieclaire.digby@irishtimes.com
