THE POWER OF SEAWEED

We discovered a fantastic tradition on the Cote des Abers and around the city of Plouguerneau. From May to October, the “Goémoniers” move out on the coasts of the Cote des Abers and collect seaweed. Brittany is the No. 1 Seaweed producer in Europe.

In 1889, Paul Gauguin recorded the work of the Tang collectors in his painting of the same name. To this day, this drudgery has hardly changed.

As you can see Vasco continue the tradition of hard working

More than 800 species of seaweed thrive in Brittany: green-thin Ulva, yellowish-tough Fucus with float bubbles and meter-long, bearded Sargassum. Only the red seaweed “Chondrus Crispu” is collected. During low tide, a good picker will harvest around 150 kilograms of red seaweed. The oily-glossy Laminaria is collected with a rotating “scobidou” on the high seas, in which the seaweed lobe gets caught.

From Sandpiper Cottage by the Sea you can watch the scobidou’s harvesting the seaweed.

The “Goémon”, which Breton farmers once spread out as manure in the fields, has been an important economic factor since the 18th century. At Brest, Sanofi produces the red algae extract Carraggenan, which can be found as a binder and gelling agent in pudding and yoghurt.
Seaweed flour improves the consistency of bread and the shelf life of sausages in France. The brown algae extract Alginate used in make-up production, makes the lips red and tightens the face.
The Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique in Roscoff is researching other applications. Already now, seaweeds are ‘trés en vogue’: as a thalasso therapy, they bring wellness out of the sea, as vegetables and drinks they invite culinary discoveries.

First introductions to cooking with the versatile marine vegetables are given by the Ecomusée de Plouguerneau