Dulse (Palmaria palmata) - is a red seaweed that grows attached to rocks by a "holdfast" in the North Atlantic and Northwest Pacific. It is commonly used in Ireland and Atlantic Canada both as food and medicinally and is now shipped around the globe. Dulse is found in many health food stores or fish markets or can be ordered directly from local distributors.BenS tells me he eats this stuff all the time. My favourite drug dealer, JB, says it's "an acquired taste". From Wikipaedia,
Palmaria palmata is to be found growing from mid-tide of the intertidal zone (the area between the high tide and low tide) to a depths of 20 m or more in both sheltered and exposed shores.BenS buys it dried and eats it plain from the bag or as an ingredient in various dishes. It doesn't sound very appealing to me. But we used to take kelp supplements all the time when we were kids, and they didn't much bother me, so maybe dulse is okay, too.
Dulse is a good source of minerals and vitamins compared with other vegetables and it contains all trace elements needed for humans with a high protein content.
It is commonly found from June to September and can be collected by hand when the tide is out. When collected, small snails, shell pieces and other small particles can be washed or shaken off and the plant then spread to dry. Some collectors may turn it once and roll it into large bales to be packaged later. It is also used as fodder for animals in some countries.
Dulse is commonly used in Northern Ireland [4], Iceland and Atlantic Canada both as food and medicine. It can be found in many health food stores or fish markets and can be ordered directly from local distributors. In Ballycastle, Northern Ireland it is traditionally sold at the Ould Lammas Fair. A variety of dulse is cultivated in Nova Scotia and marketed as Sea Parsley, sold fresh in the produce section. Dulse is now shipped around the world. In Northern Ireland it is particularly popular along the Causeway Coast region. Although a fast dying tradition, there are many who still gather their own dulse although waste pipes have spoiled some sites.
Here are some recipe sources:
- http://www.atlanticmariculture.com/recipes.html
- http://thefoody.com/baking/dulsesodascones.html
BenS says,
... try buying Atlantic Dulse at Loblaw’s [a major supermarket in our area] and put it in your microwave for 10 or 12 seconds and eat it like potato chips. Even if it doesn’t cure dropfoot, it’s a quite nutritious food.