MALDON Crystal Salt Company has celebrated its 130th birthday by compiling a cookbook written by 60 acclaimed chefs.
The firm teamed up with the Academy of Culinary Arts to produce the book, Desert Island Dishes.
Chefs including Rick Stein, Gary Rhodes and the three Michelin-starred Albert Roux all wrote recipes they could not live without using the historic Essex salt.
Steve Osborne, fourth generation owner of Maldon Salt, said: "We're all absolutely thrilled to be celebrating such a milestone.
"We're proud of our heritage and this year we have had the additional accolade of receiving the Royal Warrant.
"We wanted to celebrate such a big birthday with something special and thought that a cookbook would be a great way to show our affiliation with the Academy of Culinary Arts at the same time.
"As you can imagine, I have grown up using Maldon sea salt so enjoy it on and in everything. My favourites include Maldon salted roast potatoes and on a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad."
Since Delia Smith first used the salt on her cookery show and in her books, the product has become an institution, and the company provides sea salt flakes to more than 45 countries around the world, including the US and Israel.
The business, based in Wycke Hill, has seen its little white box line the kitchen shelves of prime ministers, Hollywood stars and of course home cooks.
Food critic and Maldon enthusiast Jay Rayner, who wrote the introduction for the book, said: "Maldon salt is one of the tightest links between the amateur and the professional kitchen, it is the salt others are measured by.
"If proof were needed take a look at the remarkable list of great cooks who have contributed to this book."
The book contains 80 recipes, from starters to desserts. Maldon Salt is donating part of the proceeds to the Academy of Culinary Arts.
The company has been an associate member of the academy for nearly ten years, in which time it has committed to the education and training of young people in the hospitality industry.
Mr Osborne said: "We owe much of our success to the chefs and professionals in many kitchens so we're keen to continue our support for the industry.
"I think the fact we use mainly traditional methods to produce the salt makes it popular and of course, the fact it is completely natural."
