A gourmet revival for St. Lawrence River marine algae

Algae in the St. Lawrence River. The cold waters of Québec are conducive to their growth. Shutterstock

Seaweed has been part of the human diet for a long time. In Asia, its consumption is well established in culinary traditions. Think of the famous dashi, the flavourful Japanese broth.

While less known in the West, algae is a traditional food source in some coastal areas of Iceland, Ireland, France, Denmark, Norway, the United States and Canada.