Helen and Spice Girl foraging for seaweed |
Ah! what pleasant visions haunt me
As I gaze upon the sea
All the old romantic legends,
All my dreams, come back to me
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- The Secret of the Sea)
I have been informed that there are more than 200 varieties of seaweed on Irish shores and, while some may be distasteful, all are edible. Some tasty varieties are: Sea Spaghetti (Himanthalia Elongata)Sleabhcán (porphyra spp) Dilisk (Palmaria Palmata)
Carrageen (Clondrus crispus)Alaria (Alaria Esculenta).
These next few weeks will find us foraging for seaweed and learning of its medicinal, culinary and cosmetic benefits.
Entrance to Youghal Harbour |
The Lighthouse at Youghal Harbour |
This song shows some of the Irish shores we will haunt.
Do you include seaweed in your diet?