About Palmaria palmata (L.) F.Weber & D.Mohr
Palmaria palmata, commonly known as dulse, is a red alga. Its erect frond grows attached via a discoid holdfast and a short, inconspicuous stipe, growing epiphytically on Laminaria stipes or directly on rocks. Fronds vary in shape, and range in color from deep rose to reddish purple, with a rather leathery texture. The flat, leaf-like blade gradually expands and divides into broad segments that can reach up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) long and 3–8 cm (1–3 in) wide; these segments can bear flat, wedge-shaped new growths called proliferations along their edges. Structurally, the blade has an outer cortex made of small cells, which encloses a medulla of larger cells up to 0.35 units thick. The reference to Rhodymenia palmata var. mollis in Abbott and Hollenberg (1976) is now considered to refer to a different accepted species, Palmaria mollis (Setchel et Gardner) van der Meer et Bird. Dulse is similar to another seaweed, Dilsea carnosa, but Dilsea has a more leathery texture. Its blades grow up to 30 cm (12 in) long and 20 cm (8 in) wide, and unlike P. palmata, Dilsea carnosa is not branched and does not develop proliferations or branches from the frond edge, though older blades may split naturally. In terms of distribution, P. palmata is the only species of the genus Palmaria found on the coast of Atlantic Europe. It occurs from Portugal to the Baltic coasts, and also grows on the coasts of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It is also found on the shores of Arctic Russia, Arctic Canada, Atlantic Canada, Alaska, Japan, and Korea. Previous records of P. palmata from California actually refer to the related species Palmaria mollis. Ecologically, P. palmata grows from the mid-tide area of the intertidal zone (the region between high and low tide) down to depths of 20 meters or more, and can grow on both sheltered and exposed shorelines. Dulse is commonly used as food and traditional medicine in Ireland, Iceland, and Atlantic Canada. It is sold in many health food stores and fish markets, and can also be ordered directly from local distributors. In some countries, it is also used as animal fodder. Compared to other vegetables, dulse is a good source of minerals and vitamins, contains all trace elements required by humans, and has a high protein content. It naturally contains iodine, which prevents goitre. Dulse is typically available for harvest from June to September. It can be picked by hand when the tide goes out. After harvest, small snails, shell fragments, and other small debris can be washed or shaken off the plant, which is then spread out to dry. Some harvesters turn it once during drying, then roll it into large bales for later packaging. Fresh dulse can be eaten directly off rocks before sun-drying. Sun-dried dulse can be eaten as-is, or ground into flakes or a powder. When used in cooking, dulse acts similarly to a flavor enhancer. In Iceland, traditional preparation calls for eating it with butter. It can be pan-fried quickly to make chips, baked in the oven covered with cheese, served with salsa, or simply microwaved briefly. It can be added to soups, chowders, sandwiches, and salads, or mixed into bread or pizza dough. When finely diced, it can be used as a flavor enhancer in meat dishes such as chili, in place of monosodium glutamate. In Ireland, dulse is used to make "White Soda Bread". In Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, it is traditionally sold at the Ould Lammas Fair, and it is particularly popular along the Causeway Coast. Although gathering dulse by hand is a fading tradition, many people still collect their own. Along the Ulster coastline from County Down to County Donegal, dried uncooked dulse is eaten as a snack. On the west coast of Ireland, it is commonly known as dillisk, and dried dillisk is usually sold as a snack food from stalls in seaside towns by periwinkle sellers. Researchers at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center have selected a fast-growing strain of Pacific dulse (P. mollis). Originally developed as a feed for abalone farming, the researchers note that this strain of seaweed tastes like bacon when fried.
