It’s algae.
And humans eat it.
My mother says she loves it.
It grows on rocks on North Atlantic coastlines.
Harvested by hand or rake.
Dried in the sun.
And it’s good for you.
A good source of minerals and vitamins.
And fiber (or fibre for Canadians).
Salty. Bitter.
(not a great combination in my opinion).
After 50 years of trying,
I still can’t eat more than a small amount
while others eat it by the bagful.
Read the Wikipedia article here.
Buy it from Amazon.com (no kidding!)
(see immediately below)
Dulse is an acquired taste - it has taken me 50 years of detesting it till now I quite like it. It is still gathered on the shores here and dried on harbour walls. Our local sweetie shop sells it in paper bags as a pocket treat for adults and children at the beach.
ReplyDeleteSo you eat dulse in Ireland then! The Wikipedia article mentions Iceland. I don't detest it, but given the choice of 10 snacks, I think dulse would be last on my list :) About tied with licorice.
ReplyDeleteReally? People really eat this?? (But, re licorice, wait a minute; that stuff is good!)
ReplyDeleteDulse is really traditional all along the coast of N. E. Ireland - Counties Antrim and Down anyway. In the West of Ireland other seaweeds are eaten.
ReplyDeleteAt the coast of Co. Down where I now live 'Dully Men' collect it as a full time job and dry it in patches along the shore. At the Lammas Fair in Ballycastle (on the north Antrim coast, two favourites are sold and bought together - Dulse and Yellow-man (a sort of sweet candy broken up with a hammer). Have you heard the traditional song "The Oul Lammas Fair at Ballycastle-O"? It's been recorded many times, but maybe not recently. Its chorus is:
At the Ould Lammas Fair, boys, were you ever there?
Were you ever at the Fair In Ballycastle-O?
Did you treat your Mary Ann,
To some Dulse and Yellow Man,
At the Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle-O!
I think you would like the song, Gary.
Elizabeth, Yes they eat it by the bagful! :)
ReplyDeletePhilip,
ReplyDeleteI really need to find this song!
Maybe my Irish band could sing it...