The flake salt used in this smoked applewood flake salt is produced by pressing sea salt with a large roller to compress the salt crystals into a flat, irregularly shaped flake. These "lamellose," or plate-like crystals, have a smooth surface and a low mass. This helps add to the crunch and the length of time that the salty flavor lingers on the tongue.

After the salt has been flattened, it is cold-smoked in a process using hardwood that is both bark free and aromatic. 68 to 86°F is the temperature range in which the cold smoking takes place. This is a process that ensures the flavor of the smoke lingers on the salt, without overheating or "cooking" the salt. The smoking process itself isn't complicated. The smoke produced from the applewood pellets are burned and the smoke wafts around trays of the flake salt over the course of 8 to 12 hours. Not all smoked salts are the same. This cold smoking process delivers the most high-quality flavored salts. Top grade smoked salts, like ours, will pick up the flavor characteristics of the wood they were smoked with.

Lower quality, or cheap smoked applewood salts are often made from inexpensive table salts that have added apple flavors and coloring agents. These salts are not even classified as pure salt products because of their added ingredients. Real smoked salts, like ours, are slightly more expensive in comparison because of the true quality you will get from them.