A gourmet revival for this marine algae

Hollow-Stemmed kelp underwater in the St. Lawrence River in Canada (Getty Images/LaSalle-Photo)

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.