Salted Butter

A staple of French coastal regions (Brittany, Normandy), the incorporation of sea salt crystals into butter acts not only as a formidable flavor enhancer, but slightly alters its preservation structure (salt being hygroscopic and antibacterial). In technical pastry (shortbread, kouign-amann), salted butter provides the saline touch (osmosis) necessary to cut through the sugar without having to dissolve salt into the dough, offering "nuggets of sapidity" to the bite.