Herbes de Provence Salt + Gifts from the Kitchen – I wanted to include a little takeaway or parting gift for last week’s dinner party. The dinner party’s theme was French, so I made Herbes de Provence Salt in little jars and set one at each place setting for my guests to take home.

They were so easy to assemble that I did it at the last minute. There’s no mess; I made four in less than 10 minutes. My guests raved about them. Many French recipes call for Herbes de Provence and we use it regularly on roasted tomatoes, vegetables, steak, seafood, or anything that needs a little boost in flavor. It’s great on pizza and pasta dishes, too!

Herbes de Provence originated in the south of France, and it was Julia Child who brought awareness of the herb mixture to the United States back in the late 1960s and 70s on her popular show.

What you will need to make Herbes de Provence Salt to give as gifts

Ingredients:

Flaky sea salt, like Maldon Salt or any course medium-grain Kosher salt

Herbes de Provence (or the herbs in Herbes de Provence) – We bought a bag of Herbes de Provence in St. Remy, France, last September. The shop where we bought it specializes in food gifts from the region.

Fennel, thyme, basil, and lavender are the common herbs found in Herbes de Provence, but that’s not to say you can’t add any herb you like! Other herbs often used include oregano, rosemary, sage, and marjoram.

Small jars (I use Weck jars from Terrain)

Special equipment you may need:

A food processor or spice grinder

I used a Krups Coffee Grinder, and I love the texture.

How to make the salt mixture

If you use a spice grinder, you’ll need to do it in batches if you are making several at the same time. Combine the salt and herbes de Provence and pulse it a few times until the salt and herbs combine.

I like to do it in two or three batches; I pulse the first batch a little finer, and some only a few pulses. Then, I combine all the batches in one bowl and divide it among the jars. I like the texture it creates.

I add some herbes de Provence on top that I have not ground, so the recipient can see what’s in the jar when they open it.

It will be fragrant! It’s so nice to mix with a little olive oil, dip a piece of bread, or a simple salad dressing of olive oil, champagne vinegar, a touch of Dijon mustard, and a little salt. Whisk together and toss it with fresh greens or some slices of avocado.