Octopus's Garden Seaweed

I never imagined I would end up working with food. I have always worked in the environmental sector, but over the years I have become increasingly absorbed in the world of food and in particular, eating for health. I like to experiment with new and different foods, as well as attempting to grow some of them (with varying degrees of success, admittedly... but this year we have enjoyed home-grown Chilean guava, Physalis, and Aztec broccoli!)

I first became aware of edible seaweed when my best buddy was volunteering in Japan, helping to restore seaweed farming operations after the tsunami. We got talking about what an incredible foodstuff it is and how underexploited it is here despite the British coastline being blessed with an abundance of beautiful edible seaweed species. I started picking it and cooking with it, and I absolutely loved it.

I have been harvesting seaweed and cooking with it for about 5 years now - ever since I was pregnant with my first born, who now has an unusual knowledge of seaweed species for one so young, and loves to munch the stuff straight from the sea!

I like to talk about seaweed to anyone who will listen, and my impression is that lots of people are interested in seaweed and its benefits, but it's not always obvious how to use it. I hope that by making seaweed into common kitchen staples (starting with my concentrated seaweed stock), more people will be able to enjoy its flavour and health benefits.

My two children both love stock-making days and demand to sup the 'seaweed soup' neat, straight from a spoon. (It does taste good that way). Likewise my partner who has willingly sampled a plethora of permutations of seaweed stock, with only an occasional complaint that our house smells like a rockpool!

I have recently given up my 'day job' and am excited that my seaweed stock is now for sale and making its way out there onto people's plates!

Please like my facebook page to keep up-to-date with the Octopus's Garden Seaweed story

Thanks for reading
Jane