Cookstuff

A grand finish

Sel gris de Guerande, a gray sea salt harvested on the west coast of France, has wonderful flavor. It’s very coarse, though, so you only want to use it when you can toss a spoonful into boiling water or a long simmering soup or stew. Now comes an ultra-fine stone-ground version from Le Tresor. Expensive? Yes. But the amazing, almost powdery texture makes it great for finishing just about any kind of dish -- especially for anyone annoyed by the crunch of fleur de sel.

Velvet de Guerande premium sea salt, 7.5 ounces for $10.99 at select Whole Foods Markets; $8.90 plus shipping at www.saltworks.us.

-- Leslie Brenner