We are leaving next week for Maui, and a friend of mine was hoping I could find some red hawaii sea salt. Does anyone know if I can find this while I am there and where it would be?? Thanks in advance ALOHA!!!

mmm, you can probably buy it at a grocery store. It's called Ale'a Salt, right?

Melis:

I think it's Alae salt, but I'm not sure why. I was told once that the best salt used to come from Hanapepe, Kauai. Don't know if it still does.

When you find it, be sure to look at the list of "ingredients" and additives on the container. I think you may be surprised at what you find.

OK I looked in my kitchen cupboard and found "Alaea Sea Salt, Medium Grain." Ingredients are salt and Alaea (Hawaiian red baked clay).

Burta, I think I heard that the best one comes from Kauai, too! But as a bona fide sodium fiend, I gotta say, I don't know the difference.

The pre-packaged red salt is available at grocery stores everywhere here in the islands (even Costco and Safeway). It's just regular sea salt, to which some red dirt has been added (processed at a large facility on O`ahu).

For true Kaua`i sea salt, you need to know one of the families who have a salt plot -- either at Salt Pond (here on Kaua`i), or one of the other islands. This type of salt is not commercially available for sale, but is shared (and treasured) by family members.

BTW...that red dirt has laxative properties, so use the salt sparingly!

cleo, remember to come back and tell us all about the red sea salt. i would love to try some myself.

Found this panorama photo of the salt ponds here on Kaua`i, if anyone's curious:
http://virtualguidebooks.com/Hawaii/...nSaltPond.html

Thanks for all the replys. I guess I will have no problem finding some kind of red sea salt. It's for a friend of mine. She said it suppose to be good to add to choclate fondue. I'll let you know how she likes it Thanks again all Aloha!!