Thursday salt, also known as Black salt is a kind of salt made on Maundy Thursday. [1] [2] [3] [4]
It was traditionally brought to a church and consecrated on that day alongside other food items. [5]
Black salt comes from Kostroma in Russia. It has dark gray crystals. It smells like bread. [1]
It turns black when heated, changing its composition. The process reduces its sodium chloride content and increases other elements. [2]
Production began in the 14th century at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius monastery, located near Kostroma. It has had a long tradition in Russia. Today, people use it like regular salt. But it's not good for soups since it is insoluble. [1]
Black salt production had stopped for a while. But some old people in Kostroma remembered how to make it. Now, families make it once a year. They make it for Easter. A group started making more of it in 2000. They made up to 12 tons in a year. This group sells the salt in markets and online. [1]
Thursday salt is produced by mixing rock salt with other ingredients. These can be eggs, flour, or rye bread. Some add cabbage leaves or herbs like thyme. They wrap this mix in linen cloth. Then, they bake it on birch wood in a special oven. The oven is very hot, up to 600°C. The mix melts and forms a lump. This lump is left in the oven for many hours. After that, they grind the lump. They remove the ash. What remains are the black salt crystals. [1]
To make Thursday Salt, white rock salt is heated until it blackens. It's then cooled and ground into powder. Any remaining coal dust is removed. [2]
Three traditional recipes are used: [2]
Heating changes the salt. The rye ash adds minerals to the salt. These minerals include calcium and potassium. The salt also becomes looser. It doesn't absorb moisture easily. [1]
The salt is often blessed at Easter and used with festive foods. It can also be blessed at home. It was once a regular part of the Easter diet. [2]
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