It’s time for Secret Santa, fancy cooking, and the last minute struggle for just the right gift.

Currently, I’m hooked on gourmet salts, infused with flavors so that, 1. I don’t have to use as much and 2. I can give fancy looking gifts that don’t cost much at all. Salt in the 21st Century is cheap. If you purchase dried herbs from the bulk department of your local grocery store, it’s not much more.

To create your own salts, the usual equation is one to two tablespoons of herbs or spices to 1/4 cup salt*. You can use a food processor to get everything integrated nicely, or like me, if you want to get some upper arm/shoulder exercise in, just use a mortar and pestle. My method also allows for a slightly coarser salt when finished.

Choose a coarse salt to begin. I used Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt and then chose which would be used based on the color of the herbs. Celtic is a light green color. Himalayan is pink. In your mortar, sprinkle in your chosen herbs or spices. Add a tablespoon or so of salt and then grind away with your pestle. Once the herbs are well ground, add the rest of your salt and mix/grind a bit more until everything is integrated and the coarseness is to your liking. Put your salt creations in small jars, and look at what a cool present you’ve made!

*If you want to make the slightly sour/salty mix of Hibiscus Salt, do 1/4 cup of dried hibiscus flowers to 1/4 cup salt. Grind the flowers to a fine powder, then add in the salt.