As I’ve said many times, salt is salt. But if you use a lot, why not use the best? I like that this top-notch, hand-harvested sea salt comes from the Oregon coast and its briny flavor leaves no aftertaste. And I admit, I also like the packaging! A two-pound box is a reasonable $12, a reasonable proposition, and a two-pack of the slide-tins (they are .42 ounces each) is just $7, good for traveling or for a stocking stuffer or small birthday gift.

Jacobsen's hand-harvested sea salt from Oregon has a delicate crunch and releases bright bursts of clean, crisp salinity with each bite; it's perfect for tempering the pungency of garlic, making this one of the most balanced garlic salts we've tasted. The blend is savory and slightly nutty without being overpowering.

We love the deep savoriness and subtle fermented funk of this infused black garlic salt, whose every component is made in-house by Jacobsen Salt Co. near Portland, Oregon. Aged for two to three months in controlled heat and humidity until it undergoes the Maillard reaction (the same phenomenon that gives seared meats their umami flavor), black garlic is more mellow than raw garlic, with caramelized notes and a delicate balance between sweet and savory. Jacobsen Salt Co. grounds black garlic into a powder and mixes with the company's flaky, hand-harvested Pacific sea salt.

Cherrywood chips impart a rich smoky aroma and subtle fruitiness to this sea salt, without the bitterness that you might get from hickory or the more intense sweetness of apple or maple. We love the delicate texture and clean flavor of Jacobsen's hand-harvested salt flakes from near Portland, Oregon—they add a crunchy element on top of bright salinity.

Jacobsen Salt Co.’s Pure Kosher Sea Salt is wonderful as a finishing salt—but it can do so much more. It has a smaller grain than the company's signature flaky sea salt, which makes it a perfect go-to alternative for table salt in recipes: It weighs just a tad less than table salt, so the volumes are almost equivalent, yet it's easier to pick up by hand and sprinkle into dishes than table salt (which is why all Milk Street recipes call for kosher salt). The company hand-harvests every single grain of salt from the Netarts Bay in northern Oregon, so this bright, clean-flavored sea salt has an even consistency ideal for cooking, baking or pickling, in addition to finishing sprinkles.