Welcome ladies and gentleman to the main event of the week! In the category of Culinary Boxing here at Chef’s Mandala, we have weighing in at 9.2 oz from the beautiful ocean, please welcome Sea Salt!  His opponent, weighing in at 7.9 oz from the neighboring mainland, please welcome Land Salt!

LET’S GET READY TO RRRRR…….HAVE A SPIRITED DEBATE ON FOOD!!!

In the Red Corner – SEA SALT

The reigning champion has a bit of an attitude when it comes to itself.  As one of the essential ingredients for all life on Earth, sea salt has been around for a long time (4 billion years).  Evaporate some ocean water and about 3 to 4% of it by weight will be salt.  It is the result of a marriage between two minerals, Sodium and Chloride.  The flavor of these two elements is heavily influenced by its’ environment.  But since oceans cover 3/4 of the world’s surface (which sea salt can’t shut up enough about), a bounty of flavors are available across the globe.

In the Blue Corner – LAND SALT

Is salt mined from the Earth different from salt harvested from the ocean?  This is the controversy that has plagued land salt from the start of its career.  Some say land salt is sea salt’s twin, others claim they are both the same thing.  One mining company I met with claimed that all salt once same from the sea, so Colorado sea salt was a legitimate thing.  What no one can deny is that land salt is cheaper to harvest commercially, and the addition of iodine has allowed this challenger to help millions of people avoid enlarged thyroids (gland located at the base of your neck).   Some research has theorized that iodine plays a critical role in brain development during fetal gestation.  Iodine is considered a key component in preventing mental retardation, giving land salt with its’ controversial origins a more noble reputation in his later years.

FIGHT!!!

• The Play-By-Play

Land salt leaps out of his corner, and lands jab after job while dancing around his opponent.  The footwork involved here is a spectacle in itself, are we in a boxing arena or a nightclub?  Sea salt lurches in and out, back and forth, but but like the tide he is unable to keep his opponent on the ropes for more then 6 hours s at a time.

AND THE WINNER IS….

A draw, ladies and gentleman, this bout has ended in a tie-decision on the part of the judges.  These two challengers were so evenly matched that they could’ve gone head to head for another 4 billion years!  While the flavor of their style were in stark contrast, no clear winner emerged.