Ben Jacobsen was living in Europe in 2003 when his girlfriend brought home good quality finishing salt and he was blown away by how much better it was than anything he had ever had in his life. After returning back to the states a few years later, Ben began experimenting with making salt on his own, sourcing sea water from the Washington and Oregon coast to see if he could replicate that salt he had enjoyed in the early 2000’s.    After sampling 27 different locations for sea water, Ben finally landed on Netarts Bay in Oregon for water that produced the best salt in the world and opened his small business in 2011. Today, Jacobsen Salt Co. is recognized as one of the best salt makers in the world and their products are used by award-winning Chefs and celebrities, have been featured in multiple noteworthy publications, and are sold nationwide in both specialty shops and places like Williams Sonoma.    In this episode Ben shares the story of building his business, some of the challenges he’s experienced over the years, why good salt is always worth the small investment for any home cook, and a few bonus recommendations for great restaurants in the Portland area.      Resources:   Follow Jacobsen Salt Co. on Instagram   Follow Ben on Instagram   Purchase Jacobsen Salt Online   Check out their two newest products: house special seasoning & Italian seasoning Follow Female Foodie on Instagram