There is something so precious about Balinese sea salt. But before I start waxing lyrical at the virtues of this divine condiment, let me shine a spotlight on a little salt history.

Beyond its culinary contributions, salt has created and destroyed empires and played a prominent role in determining the power and location of many of the world's great cities. Hard to believe.

Salt's mighty ability to preserve food was a foundation of civilization. For a start, it eliminated the dependence on the seasonal availability of food and allowed all those fearless seafaring folk to travel long distances with a bounty of preserved snacks.

Enter terasi or shrimp paste, Indonesia's salt-preserved, fishy and ever-so-smelly beloved seasoning. But I digress.

Salt is undeniably one of the world's first seasonings. But it seems in the early days, it was difficult to obtain, and thus became a highly valued trade item.

As far back as the Bronze Age, salt roads were established and cities, states and duchies exacted heavy duties and taxes for salt passing thorough their territories.

Until the twentieth century, salt was one of the prime movers of national economies and wars (it's starting to sound oh-so-familiar). An amazing act for a seasoning that now sits humbly on dinner tables in modest glass shakers.

And don't you love the way that essential ingredient pops up in unforgettable quotes. In the New Testament, Jesus said to Matthew, "you are the salt of the earth", who was obviously flattered and thought he'd better write that one down for posterity.

The word "salary" was derived from the Latin term "salarium" which was the name for a soldier's pay in the army of ancient Roman. The pay included a large ration of salt, which was not only a taste sensation of high value but also a medium for exchange: thus the origin of the expression, "worth your salt".

Remember during India's Independence movement, when Mohandas Gandhi organized the Salt March protest to demonstrate salt taxation by the British? I used to think the British were so truly cruel to have implemented this unfair tax until I found out that all the great powers before them did the same. It was business as usual with the ruling class. No one better than the other!

But it is Balinese sea salt that I love the most. I am passionate about this bright, sunny seasoning and take it with me in sealed bags whenever I travel to Australia. Customs officials sigh when I appear, with a "what has she brought with her this time" look.

The bitter, intense taste of iodized salt pales in comparison to the honest flavor of this coarse, home-harvested kitchen icon.

Balinese sea salt is produced in coastal regions around the island. In Kusamba, East Bali, you can see the small salt-making huts and coconut-drying trunks from the road.

The work begins in the misty, early hours of the morning, when the sun is still yawning. The farmers rake the sand gently and sprinkle it lightly with water.

A thin crust forms which is gently scooped up and tipped into the first of a series of coconut trunks that resemble a woody mouse-trap game (remember that one!).

The filtering journey ends with a pool of concentrated salt water. The thick salt water is collected and poured into open-air trays and left to evaporate, relying on the heat of the fierce sun and gusty winds. Once the water has evaporated, the salt is crushed and ground without further refining.

Most of the action takes place under the eaves of a rustic grass hut, full of these well-worn and weather-beaten coconut trunks and, ummm, equally well-worn and weather-beaten farmers!

In Bali, this hand-raked process for making sea salt is known as the "agricultural technique". I have compared Balinese sea salt to the likes of Maldon sea salt, Fleur de sel and other grand dames of the sea salt world, and Balinese salt comes up trumps every time. Or am I biased?

After the first soft salty taste, a gentle sweetness lingers and rolls around the tongue in a gentle pillow fight of flavors. But it's more than that. The high levels of natural minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and iodine, add to the complexity. In fact, it is said that unrefined sea salt contains up to 84 minerals and trace minerals; all the body needs for optimal functioning. And a dash of Balinese sea salt will transform any dish, believe me.

Even coconut milk without a pinch of salt tastes bland. As Ian Hemphill states in his book, Spice Notes, "salt performs the essential function of maintaining the equilibrium of bodily fluids, a balance so critical that one can be at greater risk from dehydration from a lack of salt, than from a shortage of water".

So do yourself a favor and stock the pantry with fresh Balinese sea salt. Throw it liberally on vine-ripened tomatoes, fat avocados, into salad dressing, curries and even sweet dishes. You will become as addicted as I am!

And apart from a sensual gourmet experience, you will also be supporting the people who have dedicated their lives for such little returns. It is called home-grown integrity and you can taste the difference!

Janet DeNeefe is the owner of Casa Luna and Indus Restaurants, author of Fragrant Rice, and founder and director of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival. She also runs the Casa Luna Cooking School. She can be reached at jdeneefe@gmail.com.

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