Gala Salt Factory or How to make Salt Okinawan Style: A Tutorial

Ryan woke me up this morning & said, I know what we are going to do today & they have your favorite ice cream. Avocado? I thought. Bc I have long been searching for avocado ice cream since I had it 7 yrs ago in Morocco. Then he started over, Well one of your favorites. Salted Caramel ice cream. Sold. You see, there is nothing I covet more, above all other sweets, than salted caramel. In any form.
We traveled about half an hour away to the salt factory where there are several things to see & do. A couple of restaurants, an area to make salt & see how they make it. There are places to see glass & pottery making & an ice cream shop. And it's all w a view of the ocean!

The first thing we did was eat at the pizza restaurant, Ocean's Pizza. It was a buffet salad & pizza bar. The pizza was delish & they brought out several kinds. They had cheese, Hawaiian, sausage, taco w tons of lettuce & tomatoes, one covered w corn & peppers & a dessert pizza that appeared to have like, sugar coated corn flakes, cinnamon, fruit & chocolate on it! They also had typical taco rice, curry & rice & pasta w squid & shrimp. Very interesting!

Mimi has some dessert pizza.

Unfortunately, some phrases just don't seem to translate well into English. This sign was hanging above the salad bar & I have no idea what it is supposed to mean. "Freshness! Salad free!"

Next we went to the salt making area. It was 1500 Yen per person (abt $15) so we let both Mimi & Oliver make salt. And now, how to make salt: First, choose gloves!

Next, choose sticks!

Then, choose a pot!

The next thing that happens is the guy puts some flaming hot coals in a bucket.

Then he pours salt water into bowls.


He sets up the bowls for you & then gives you instructions to read - in English!

Basically, the whole point is the salt water is heated over hot coals. It must be constantly stirred so the heat will make the water evaporate, leaving only the salt!

Keep in mind it is sweltering out here! They give you frozen ice packs to cool you down!

Mom & dad take a turn!

Thing are starting to heat up!

Once it starts to look more like paste the guy takes your bowl to the table where you use a spoon to continue to stir & scrape.

Mimi checks on Elliot. He slept the whole time!

Then, the guy brings you a 'biscuit' & tells you to sprinkle the salt on top & taste them! Not the tastiest thing I've ever had. The biscuit was similar to a rice cake in texture & Mimi had dumped a spoonful of salt on top! haha

Finally, you spoon your salt into your pot & they top it w a piece of paper & string.

Next stop, the ice cream shop. Which we all really needed after being in the heat for so long! Whew. They had some interesting flavors, such as fresh milk, salt, salt caramel & soybean!

Oliver chose coconut, which was yum! And Mimi of course had 'pink'. Strawberry.

Finally, salted caramel ice cream! Delish!

So I know there were like, a billion pictures in this post so if you made it thru, thanks a lot! I just loved every minute of this day w the kids & they so enjoyed everything. Oliver is planning to take his salt to school on Monday for show & tell for all his friends to taste & we used some of Mimi's salt on our burgers for dinner tonight!