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Carmel Magazine Digital Edition SU16

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Pass the Salt, Please: Creating Flavor s from the Sea B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D A ncient Greek philosopher and mathe- matician Pythagoras wrote: "Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea." Carlo Overhulser takes that to hear t. Last year, he founded Big Sur Salts, a line of flavor blends using salt evaporated from Pacific Ocean locations. It was the result of a serendipitous accident. "I was walking on the rocks along the coast and got hit by a wave," Overhulser says. "I was drinking a beer and I filled the bottle with sea water and took it home." Later, he found that the water had evapo- rated and left the salt. "I got the idea to mix it with some dried stuff I had around: onion, car- rots, shallots and celery. Then I used it on a rub for a Thanksgiving turkey." Voila: it was a hit. He forages for herbs around the coast but purchases some ingredients. The salt all comes from the Pacific, however. The entrepreneur had been a home-beer maker and modified that equipment to the purpose of gleaning salt from sea water. "Water from different areas has dif- ferent flavor characteristics," Overhulser says. Initially, Overhulser is marketing his prod- ucts—30 blends so far—to chefs, and plans to begin retail sales in about a year. For more information on Big Sur Salts, please visit www.facebook.com/bigsursalts. SHORTCUTS NEIGHBORS A business was born in Big Sur when Carlo Overhulser had the idea of combining Pacific Ocean salt with local herbs and produce. 88 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 6 Photo: Kelli Uldall

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