Big Tree Saltworks | Our Salts
BALINESE SEA SALT
Balinese sea salts are produced on the volcanic black sand of Bali’s eastern coastline under the shadow of Gunung Agung, Bali’s largest active volcano. Here, salt farmers follow a unique tradition of production found only in Bali and dating back over 900 years. Balinese Sea Salts are produced 100% naturally by solar evaporation on a scale of only kilos a day per producer. Historically, seasonal variation dictated the form of salt crystal produced.
Big Tree Farms however has created infrastructure necessary to aid traditional producers in creating a consistent and competitively priced supply of these beautiful crystal salts. All Big Tree Farms Handcrafted Balinese Sea Salts are solar dried in closed greenhouses, graded and packed for export at our facility.
BIG TREE SALTWORKS
In order to maintain product consistency and quality assurance, we built a solar home for the processing. We call it the Big Tree Saltworks. Here, fresh salt water from the eastern shore of Bali is brought into the facility where the evaporation begins and the crystallization process commences.
The salt water from the eastern shore of Bali is a unique chemistry, as it borders the Lombok Straight. This trench is one of the primary passageways for whales and other cold water aquatic life that travel between feeding grounds at either the North or South Pole. The Wallace Line, which separates the humid tropics of South East Asia from the dry tropics of Australasia, also follows this majestic trench.
Because the Lombok Straight brings cold water from the north at a very rapid pace, the clean cold water mixes with the warm Bali tropical water creating a salt that is mild and sweet in flavor and is truly unique.
At our Saltworks, our master crystallizers oversee the process of the salt, knowing exactly what traditional steps to take to ensure our unique pyramid crystals emerge. Once the crystallization is complete, the salt is packed in large containers and transported to our packing facility for final sorting, quality control and packing. You can find our unique salt in premium markets from SE Asia, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, United States and Europe.
OUR SALTS
HOLLOW PYRAMIDS – coarse grain
Nowhere else in the world can you find salt crystals that form a hollow pyramid! This is a Big Tree Farms proprietary product that we are honored to share with you.
Coarse Grain “Hollow Pyramids” Crystals are the natural product of the cool, windy days marking the end of the monsoon rains. Fragile crystals are gently scooped from the surface of the brine to dry in the exposed wind and sun. How the salt crystals form into large hollow, delicate 4-sided pyramids are an unknown phenomenon. When the local Balinese are asked how and why, they simply respond, TAKSU…. By the hand of God.
Our hollow pyramids are unlike any other sea salt in the world. Truly. They have a very delicate, subtle salt flavor, a slight sweetness with a bright fast finish. These are a visual delight! Perfect for sprinkling on dishes as a garnish or grand accent. Rarity is to be respected.
COARSE KECHIL “Baby Pyramids” - coarse grain
Earth, wind, fire and water join to create a natural union that determines the unique crystal character of each salt grain. In Balinese, KECHIL means young or small. Our Coarse Kechil refers to the smaller coarse grains that appear during periods of hot mornings and rainy afternoons.
Beautiful miniature versions of our proprietary hollow pyramids. An incredibly versatile salt due to its texture and size, this is the perfect crystal for your salt grinder. And if you have a clear salt grinder, you’ll appreciate seeing the glistening crystals you’re about to create food alchemy with.
BALI FLEUR DE SEL “Flower of Bali” – fine ground
Harvested floating on the surface of the brine as a traditional “Fleur de Sel”. Fluffy, light, snowflake crystals characterize this phenomenal traditional sea salt Naturally high levels of Magnesium make the flavor somewhat sweet. Low moisture content keeps these crystals free-flowing.
Since ancient times, Fleur de Sel crystals have been treasured for their ability to heighten the flavors of any ingredient they meet. Bali’s Fine Grain salt crystals are produced in the dry season when the sun shines down on the black sand beaches causing rapid crystallization of the brine. In the early morning twilight, fluffy miniature snowflake crystals are harvested from the brine’s surface to dry as the sun rises overhead. This is a Fleur de Sel as fine and beautiful as any we have ever experienced!
VELVET SALT – stone ground
In traditional Balinese cooking, many recipes call for local sea salts hand ground into powder using a volcanic stone mortar and pestle called an ulekan . It was thought that by grinding the salt, the subtle flavors of this treasured ingredient could accentuate the final dish. In following with Balinese tradition, Big Tree Farms Stone Ground sea salt is also ground to a fine powder using these very same volcanic stones.
This is our finest grind salt, perfect for any and all applications.