Living in Chicago, it is almost impossible not to notice the giant “Morton’s Salt” sign brazen across the cityscape view. This is the center of a polar opposite world standing in stark contrast to Beyond the Shaker. Coincidentally, this mammoth factory is mere blocks away from my condo but surprisingly I have never driven past it…UNTIL TODAY!

As I neared the factory, that must have been sitting on at least half a city block of land, I was in shock at how large this production facility is…especially up close. Driving by it from high atop the highway that circles Chicago does not do the sheer size of the place justice. The other characteristic that surprised me was truly how much this facility was an actual factory (the way that I had envisioned at least such a salt factory to be…not being an expert, I honestly have no clue). If you look closely at the photo I shot from the car on my iphone, you will notice forklifts moving pallets around which presumably contain refined table salt in one of its stages of processing. In fact, I was partially expecting to see some little oompa loompas scurrying to and fro amongst amongst the giant salt works of the factory floor (for you info buffs, oompa loompa is defined by the Urban Dictionary as a girl/woman who wears too much fake tanning solution…which seems fitting for some reason).

We at Beyond the Shaker are not in the business of preaching about the health benefits of naturally occurring sea salts versus processed table salt. In fact, we do not even believe refined salt is in the same category, nor is it a competitor to our all-natural products. That being said/written, we do receive from time to time questions about the differences between our salts and refined table salt. And so here is our take on it: The real distinction between the naturally harvested unrefined sea salts at Beyond the Shaker (our Pure Foundation Collection) and the other stuff a.k.a., refined table salt, is in the name…simply put, refined salts endure intense commercial processing to make them more suitable for mass production and consumption.

During factory processing, rock salt or sea salt is put through a chemical transformation that strips the salt of its natural mineral content. Sea salts in their natural form can contain up to 60+ trace minerals plus countless macro-nutrients which give these salts their distinctive color, flavor and texture (not to mention potential health benefits from the mineral content).

On the other hand, the goal of such factory processing is to be left simply with a white powder that is easy to store and has an infinite shelf life. In commercial salt production, the chemical change described above occurs when rock salt is superheated driving almost all natural minerals out of the ‘salt’ leaving just sodium and chloride. Typically bleaching agents are also added in this stage of the processing to give the salt a sterile white color.

As a further step in the refinement process, anti-caking chemicals are infused into table salt to allow the salt to resist moisture content that would otherwise reduce its shelf life. Why are anti-caking agents bad (shouldn’t it be obvious that anything which is not PRO cake must be wrong?! hahaha. )? First, these chemicals interfere with the natural taste of the salt, and in fact can sometimes create a very bitter flavor which then must be counteracted by the addition of sugar to the factory processed salt. Odd but unfortunately true. Second, putting aside the fact that anti-caking agents interfere with the natural flavor of the salt, the other problem is that commonly these anti-caking agents are either alumino-calcium silicate or sodium alumino-silicate. Both chemicals can be found in household air freshners and latex paint (yummy!). There are some that say excess aluminum in the human diet can have negative health ramifications as well. Regardless, we certainly do not want these chemicals in our salt or food!

In a nutshell that is the world of refined salt for you. We are sticking with the all natural stuff, and we hope you chose to do so as well. And next time you are in the Chicago-area, feel free to drive by the Morton’s factory to see if you can spot any oompa loompas lurking amongst the vats of table salt.

Chris, our founder and attorney extraordinaire, is featured in a fantastic article in the AmLaw Daily. Thank you to Francesca Heintz for this wonderful piece. We are so excited that Chris is being recognized, and that BTS has been introduced to lawyers everywhere!

Thanks to Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby, the Dining Editors of Chicago Magazine, for their shout out to Beyond the Shaker in the “Links to Do” segment of the magazine’s “Dish” e-newsletter.

If you are not already a subscriber, we would highly recommend it since this is a great newsletter for all things food and Chicago (which is saying a lot).

Although we can’t specifically comment on the suggestion that there is a connection between the names of our salt blends and ‘types of pot’ (see, if you were a Dish subscriber, you would be so in on this joke), we can say that our customers have told us Beyond the Shaker gourmet blends are so darn delicious they could almost be addictive (yes, putting aside all debates about if pot is actually addictive, I think you get the point…it is just a loose analogy).

Anyway, thanks again Chicago Magazine! We at Beyond the Shaker are pleased as punch to be part of the incredible Chicago food community.

NBC Chicago mentions the Beyond the Shaker launch and website in its “Around the Town – Food & Drink” feature on its website. Thanks Wendy Wollenberg for the kind words and coverage! Make sure to indicate you are “intrigued” if you are able to get over to Wollenberg’s story.

And watch for more exciting news from Beyond the Shaker over the next couple weeks as we continue to be added to retail locations across the Midwest.

  

  Recently, I enjoyed a fantastic lunch at David Burke’s Primehouse in Chicago. This “modern” steakhouse celebrates all the classics with a contemporary interpretation. Unlike a typical, clubby steakhouse with its dark leather and paneled walls (which certainly has its own special place in my heart), David Burke’s Primehouse greets the guest with a cool, quiet atmosphere, illuminated by large windows and bright, modern artwork.  As part of David Burke’s contemporary cuisine, he utilizes fresh, innovative ingredients. Lots of chefs do that; it’s the hip part of today’s food culture. But what did David Burke do that stuck out in my mind, that warranted a blog post? He used gourmet salt, of course.

    His respect for our favorite ingredient was immediately apparent when the warm, light, airy popovers were presented to the table. A plate of delicious, softened butter studded with sparkly gems of Himalayan Salt invited the diner to go ahead, butter that popover. Not only was the popover mouthwatering and delectable, but the butter was perfectly salted with the Himalayan Salt. More importantly, this little addition, this tiny sprinkling of Himalayan Salt spoke to me. It said, this chef respects his ingredients. He doesn’t just respect the steak, but the popovers and the butter. If you’ve read the SaltScribe or the SaltGuide, you understand that many chefs and home cooks strive to use premium ingredients only to season them with chemical-laden, industrial manufactured salts. This little sprinkle of color and flavor on the butter signaled respect not only for the diner, but for the diner’s palate and the ingredients themselves. Once the appetizer arrived, I knew this restaurant was serious in its respect for salt. The silky Kobe beef sashimi lay draped over a block of Himalayan Pink Salt. The Himalayan Pink block infused the sashimi with the perfect amount of seasoning to highlight the amazing flavor. Later, I learned that not only does David Burke serve his sashimi on a Himalayan Salt block, but his steaks are aged in a Himalayan Pink Salt tiled room. How cool is that?

    The next morning, I recalled each tasty, salty bite of my delicious meal while sipping coffee with the Today Show quietly playing the background. Then I heard the magical word that always puts me on high alert…Salt! Standing behind a gorgeous plate of gourmet salt on the Today Show was Chef Govind Armstrong! (Check out his demonstration here) He demonstrated a lovely salt-crusted sea bass (a perfect application for Beyond the Shaker Bolivian Rose, Red Alaea or Hawaiian Black Lava!) and chatted with Ann Curry about the importance of good salt. Ann has recently tasted and loved Truffle Salt…perhaps we should send her some of ours! As the show broke for a commercial broke, I felt extremely satisfied. We at Beyond the Shaker know in our hearts and our mouths the importance of salt. To see chefs and restaurants and mainstream morning television embrace this culinary cornerstone made me smile. And made me hungry…

Chicago is proud of its culinary traditions, and no visit to the Second City is complete without an authentic Chicago-style Hot Dog.  Historians trace its origins to famed Maxwell Street in the late 1920′s, where it earned the nickname “the Depression Sandwich.” A less expensive lunch option, customers got a Vienna Beef weiner with a “garden” on top – supplying both meat and veggies. Today, stands selling these legendary dogs are more prevalent in the city than any other national fast food chain.

As a Chicagoan born and bred, I have eaten plenty of Chicago-style dogs over the years, but have never made one in the comfort of my own home. When I obtained the Windy City Celery Blend from Beyond the Shaker, I knew it was time to go for it. First, the necessary ingredients:

• Steamed poppy seed hot dog bun
• All beef hot dog (steamed, preferably Vienna Beef)
• Yellow mustard
• Chopped white onion (raw)
• Sweet pickle relish (traditionally in a neon green hue)
• Sport peppers
• Tomato wedges
• Crisp kosher dill pickle spear
• Dash of celery salt

Assembling the hot dog took a bit of work – that’s a lot to put on one bun! Once all the condiments were on the dog, I topped it off with the Windy City Celery Blend. The difference here is that Beyond the Shaker’s blend is not your typical celery salt – our chef goes a step further and adds shallots, jalapenos, mustard seeds, garlic, and Murray River Salt to create a gourmet blend that will make your Chicago-style hot dog better than the original. My advice? Pick up the Windy City Celery Blend and make a hot dog for yourself! Just remember – no ketchup allowed!