What will we eat in the future? Insects, lab-grown meat, or algae?
Personally, I'm more in favor of algae, and we have started offering products made from algae in our range.
What are the benefits of algae?
Algae are true survivors that have thrived on our planet for millions of years. They withstand enormous temperature fluctuations and laugh off strong UV radiation. They grow ten times faster than other vegetables. And in the kitchen, they bring the taste of the sea to your plate.
The dulse (Palmaria palmata) belongs to the red algae family. It is a fine algae with a sweet taste, hence its name. In Ireland, Scotland, and especially in Iceland, dulse is eaten in its natural form.
Description: Thin and light red in color, dulse becomes thicker and darker as it ages. Its leaves can grow up to 50 cm long and open up like the fingers of a hand.
Habitat: It grows on rocks or other algae below sea level in an environment that is generously mixed by the currents. It can be seen during the low tides when the sea recedes. It is found along the coasts of Europe. The harvest takes place from February to July.
Use: This very delicate algae can be easily mixed with raw food, e.g. with raisins, walnut and hazelnut pieces. In Wales, it is traditionally fried in a pan with onions and mixed with oats.
The nori (Porphyra umbilicalis) belongs to the red algae family despite its purple color. The aquaculture of this algae is the oldest algae culture in the world. Nori is sweet, has a nutty taste, and is the most frequently eaten algae of our time.
Description: Nori is a very fine seaweed whose lobed leaves can grow up to 60 cm long and which is frequently found along the Atlantic coast. Nori aquaculture is the oldest algae culture in the world, with three centuries of experience in China, Korea, and Japan.
Habitat: Cultivated in Japan, harvested in France (Brittany) and Spain (Galicia), it is found in an environment that is moderately rocked by the currents. The harvest takes place in spring and autumn.
Use: Nori is used to make algae sheets for sushi and can be used as a seasoning, side dish, in sauces or other vegetable dishes, or raw and chopped in salads.
Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) is a brown algae that is very popular in Japan and Korea.
Description: Wakame is a marine plant that can reach a length of up to 50 cm. It lives at a depth of 6 to 12 meters and thrives in water with a temperature between 10 °C and 15 °C. The harvest takes place from March to July, but also from September to December.
Habitat: Wakame is intensively cultivated in the Far East on floating facilities in the open sea. It is the only algae currently cultivated in France. It does not originate from our coasts, but it acclimates very well to the Breton coast. It is cultivated in the open sea at a depth of 10 m in a floating structure inspired by the methods practiced in South Korea.
Use: After a short cooking process to preserve its nutrients, cut into pieces, wakame is perfect for your soups, fish dishes, algae caviar, etc. You can enjoy it as a salad with shrimp or chicken and combine it with crunchy vegetables.
