Seaweed: A Global History

Seaweed is both the world's oldest and its newest superfood. As a food, seaweeds are now more associated with the East than with the West, yet they have long been eaten in many parts of the world, including Europe and the Americas. Mistakenly thought of today as a forage food for the poor, in ancient times seaweed was highly prized, a delicacy reserved for royalty in Japan, China, Korea and the Pacific Islands. Illuminating seaweed's many benefits through a fascinating history of its culinary past, Seaweed tells a unique story that stretches along coastlines the world over. Combining myth, magic and science, Kaori O'Connor introduces readers to some of the 10,000 kinds of seaweed that grow on our planet, demonstrating how seaweed is both one of the world's last great renewable resources and a culinary treasure ready for rediscovery. Offering recipes that range from the traditional to the contemporary, and taking us from Asia to Europe to the Americas, O'Connor shows that seaweed is not only highly sustainable but extraordinarily nutritious - and delicious. -- Provided by publisher.