In creating The Salt Horse, Sam Savage Breit pays homage to back-to-the-land lifestyle
By DIANNE RUSSELL
Photos by Mary Hurlbut
The Salt Horse, a farm-to-table specialty grocery store, may be the best kept secret in Laguna, but hopefully for owner Sam Savage Breit, it won’t be much longer. Open since October 2022, it shares a building (that previously housed two plant nurseries) with Business and Pleasure. The names of both shops – Business & Pleasure (which sells unique beach accessories) and The Salt Horse – are mysterious and could represent a multitude of endeavors.
However, the focus of The Salt Horse is not at all secretive – the main goal is to serve the community by sourcing the freshest and most sustainable, nutritious, organic and seasonal produce from California family farms. At its core is a farm-to-table concept for down home living in a modern world and the celebration of the stories behind the food – the people who grew it, raised it, caught and created it.
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Sam Savage Breit opened The Salt Horse in October 2022. The logo was designed by local artist Gulliver Farnan.
Stories
The name of The Salt Horse has special meaning to Breit, one that she was unaware of until she started researching the name.
“I did a search of the name to be sure it wasn’t being used anywhere else,” she said. “The salt represents the essential seasoning that can make or break a dish and salt to the earth people who I have the pleasure of working with. The horse represents the farm, the original way food was delivered, and hard- working people, which you have to be to be in this industry. I discovered that it is an Irish nautical slang for corned beef.
“Immediately I knew this was serendipity and must be the name of my dream business. You see I was named after my grandfather, Samuel Savage, a deep sea diver from Ireland. Family is a huge inspiration for also why I founded The Salt Horse. Inspiring people to gather, tell stories and create food memories.”
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Hand-curated artisan goods and specialty foods. The beautiful macramé pieces hanging from the ceiling were made by local artist Jim Olarte.
When entering The Salt Horse, it’s obvious the space is all about food – but on a deeper level – its benefits, where it came from, the story behind it, its relationship to health and well-being, how it affects the planet and how it connects families around the dinner table.
Sounds like a lot to ask of food, but Breit breaks it down. “We are what we eat. Food affects the mind, body and mood. It either energizes or depletes,” she said. “We need to get into a ritual of recognizing the value of health and the choices we make and what are we going to grow, because we’re stripping the earth.”
However, according to Breit, there is a solution – sourcing local markets.
“When I select a vendor, I want to make sure the farm is using organic farming practices, taking care of the environment and not spraying pesticides,” she said. “It makes a difference, and we have to be conscious of our decisions. It’s a very important question, because it affects our health and well-being. Over the years, how food is produced has drastically changed, it’s full of chemicals and artificial ingredients. Once people become educated about organic food, they can taste the difference – it’s a sensory experience.”
The Salt Horse carries other items such as salsa, fresh goods, dips and they offer charcuterie boards.
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Breit created her dream business
Pursuing a dream
“My passion is to create a more sustainable food system for our local communities and transform the grocery business through mindful and valuable innovation,” Breit stated on her website.
How did this vision become a reality?
“I wondered where I was going to start my startup business,” Breit said. “I emailed Business & Pleasure and said, ‘I’m very passionate about food, I’m trying to create my dream business, can I sublease part of this beautiful building?’”
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