requesting coastal ID assistance

[irishlostboy]

my next trip out is a cycle down the west coast (of ireland) with my girlyfriend (and trusty bear of course) my foraging skills in woodland is not totally rubbish, and there is a lot of information out there regard identifying edible woodland food, and what to do with it once it is identified. my coastal knowledge doesn't go much beyond knowing where to find good waves and how to surf them. i would like to learn more about what you can and cannot eat on the sea shore and shallows. most importantly, seaweeds and stuff like that.
finding information to help[ me identify different types of seaweed is tough. i found information on some type, but nothing comprehensive. dulse is edible. cool. only i have no idea what dulse is. once i can ID it i dont know much else to do with it.
can anyone recomend a good place to find a simple list of good-to-eat seaweed, with identification tips, pictures and suggested uses?

shelfish and fish are pretty easy comparitively, i think/hope. not being a seafood fan, this trip will be quite the dietery challenge.

 

[Hetzen]

Does your girlfriend know you plan on living off seaweed?

 

[irishlostboy]

Does your girlfriend know you plan on living off seaweed?

lol. i was more planning on living off fish and chips, and whatever other stuff i can find in the shops in the wild west mostly. just wanna know more about the sea edibles for my own learning and experimentation.

 

[Toddy]

Not very good at this myself, but I do know.

Carageen, steamed and served with potatoes.

Laver is dipped in oatmeal and fried or cut up a bit, boiled and lifted out before being fried. Don't dump the water, it's 'thick' and makes an excellent base for soups and stews.
Someone said at the Moot that the Welsh marinate it

The kelp stems were chewed by children, like rhubarb,

There are dozens of sea veggies though, hopefully others will come along and add a bit.

cheers,
Toddy

P.S. There aren't any that will poison you around our shores, usual caveat.....where are they, and on what are they, growing.

 

[irishlostboy]

thanks toddy. below info is one of the cool reasons i am willing to experiment with them. might taste yuk, but hopefully wont kill me. lol.

P.S. There aren't any that will poison you around our shores, usual caveat.....where are they, and on what are they, growing.

the northwest coast of ireland is pretty clean, so finding clean food will be easy. we will be away for a good long trip, so plenty of time to experiment on various bushcrafty things. cant wait!

 

[Toddy]

Lucky man, that sounds like a good trip

Came across a site this morning while surfing looking for photos for those I do know and tripped across one in Penzance..........three types they say, green red and brown
Here's the link
http://www.pznow.co.uk/marine/redseaweed.html

Sea veggies are one of those underestimated good things I reckon, wish I knew a lot more about them.

Let us know how you get on ?

atb,
M

 

[Bravo4]

Hi irishlostboy, I came across this page entitled 'Edible Seaweeds around the British Isles' from the Wild Food School website.
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsseaweed.htm

There is another link at the bottom the of page with more info on seaweeds and the WFS homepage also of possible interest.

I have a strong interest in bicycles+bushcraft and would love to hear of your trip, have a great time

 

[Joonsy]

Hi, don't know about seaweeds but i have eaten Rock Samphire and quite liked it, don't know if it grows in Ireland i had mine from seacliffs in south-west england.

 

[torc]

This book looks interesting...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edible-Seas...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242186198&sr=8-1
The other books in the series are pretty good.
Happy trails...torc.

 

[rivermom]

bloody amazing! and when i think of all the trouble i used to have just getting him to eat cabbage!

 

[irishlostboy]

bloody amazing! and when i think of all the trouble i used to have just getting him to eat cabbage!

well, that was AFTER you cooked it

 

[redneck]

There are only 2 types of seaweed that are not edible and even they will only result in a mild stomach upset. Both varieties are feathery types so provided you stay to the Kelp ( particularly luminaria saccharina ..gorgeous!) and the wracks, you won't have a problem, although too much can be bad as well, don't want too much Vit A coursing thru your system!

 

[Toddy]

bloody amazing! and when i think of all the trouble i used to have just getting him to eat cabbage!

Last time my eldest was out camping with me I made stir fry, and with that dry as a desert look they perfect by five years old, he looked at the brocolli, looked at me, and said with disdain, "It's brassica Mum. I don't do brassica! ".
"It's a wee bit of brocolli." I said.
"It's brassica, I don't do brassica, even when you try to pretend that it's a prehistoric dinosaur type tree, it's a damned brassica ! "

Now your's is prepared to try 'seaweeds' , How did you do it ??

cheers,
Toddy

 

[irishlostboy]

Now your's is prepared to try 'seaweeds' , How did you do it ??

cheers,
Toddy

by starving me.
my idea of dinner is "if there is not at least a 45 degree slope from the edges to the edges of the plate to the center, it is a starter.
mom's idea of a three course meal is three objects on a plate at such distances from each other they do introductions in her stomach.
of course now that i have slagged off her cooking in interweb i will be lucky to get pot scrapings next time i am home. and i dont mean from the INSIDE of the pot as is usual.

example of one of my burgers. WARNING; people with high cholesterol, look away now......

and you see all that white around the edge? that means snack.

if there is a sudden decline in sea life in a few weeks, you know what has happened.
and btw, mom still tries to tell me they are little dinosaur trees. its true!

 

[hog]

There is a book called Food for free which covers all eddible plants of the UK and the last part of the book is dedicated to costal, if my memory serves me right.