4. Dishes of Seaweed

The edible seaweeds found on our coasts include Carrageen or Sea-moss; Tangle or Redware (Eng. Sea-girdle); Henware or Honeyware (Eng. Bladderlock); Sloke (Eng. Laver); Green Laver; and Dulse (Fucus palmatus, Linn.).

‘That there is great virtue in seaweed,’ writes a native of Caithness, ‘is evident from the numbers who went to the “ebb” at least once a year, usually about May—early morning was the proper time—and after a surfeit of dulse, etc., washed down with copious draughts of salt water, they returned set up for the year. It was cheaper and better than Strathpeffer (spa).’