A precious pink mineral mined from ancient hills in Pakistan’s Punjab province has arrived on the American cooking scene as an exciting and enticing new form of cooking. Himalayan salt blocks, for years the stuff of Iron Chef panache, are today available at specialty retail stores around the world. And the market is growing. This is the first book to address this subject, along with 60 recipes designed for using this unique cooking tool.

Salt blocks are a big deal, and they are getting bigger. They bring an otherworldly beauty to the kitchen. Luminous crystals shot through with hues of rose, garnet and ice offer a template for preparing food that is as arrestingly visual as it it tantalizingly beautiful. Salt expert, Mark Bitterman outlines the ancient practice of cooking on salt blocks, while providing simple, modern recipes. The introduction provides a thorough manual on everything you need to know to buy, use, heat, maintain, and clean salt blocks with confidence. 60 recipes are divided by 5 techniques: Serving, Curing, Warming, Cooking, and Chilling. Salt blocks are not only beautiful, but will appeal to people interested in grilling, baking, general cooking, curing, and notably, entertaining.

About 500,000 salt blocks come into the country every year. Author Mark Bitterman's company, The Meadow, sells over 70,000 blocks per year. Some are sold in bulk to hospitality businesses, but most are going directly to consumers. Here is the first book to comprehensively describe and photographically show how to use these blocks.