Cari amici, nelle Filippine c’è la piccola città di Albuquerque, famosa per la produzione di sale. Sto parlando dell’Asin Tibuok, un raro sale artigianale marino. Immaginate le mangrovie che fanno da cornice a una fossa che cattura l’acqua del mare in cui vengono poste delle bucce di cocco per diversi mesi. Queste vengono poi essiccate e quindi bruciate. Dal fuoco, dal legno arso e dalla cenere ecco il miracolo della salamoia!
Asin Tibuok (unbroken salt) is a rare Filipino artisanal sea salt from Alburquerqe, Bohol. Asin tibuok is part of the unique traditional methods of producing sea salt for culinary use among the Visayan people of the central Philippine islands. Asín tibuok has a sharp taste with smoky and fruity undertones. They are characteristically finely textured with small granules. They are consumed by grating a light dusting over food.
They are sold along with the broken domed pots which has given them the nickname “the dinosaur egg” in international markets due to their appearance.
You can break the rock salt into chunks and grate it over your food. You can also sprinkle some salt in your condiments such as vinegar and the unbroken salt was typically dipped in rice porridges or stews, then wash it and set it aside for the next use.
Salt-makers (asinderos) were once important professions in Philippine society, but the craft is nearly extinct in modern times. Part of this is due to the time-consuming traditional methods of producing salt and the hard work that go with it. Artisanal salt-makers cannot compete with the cheap imported salt prevalent today in the Philippines.
Asín tibuok is only made by a few families today. They are commonly sold for the tourist trade for their novelty as well as to gourmet restaurants that feature Filipino cuisine. Due to their rarity, they are considerably more expensive than regular salt. The demand is usually high for asín tibuok, but the supply cannot keep up.
Asín tibuok is listed in the Ark of Taste international catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.
