The refreshing and healthy Caribbean elixir for summer

Plucked from the ocean, Trinidad’s answer to the summer milkshake is now part of a frenzied craze around the world.

“I’m the sea moss man. Allyuh, $10 a bag! What do you want? I got some nice sea moss today…” intones a merchant (vendor) at a public market in Trinidad, one of the two islands of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He holds bags filled with strands of brownish seaweed. This sea moss, the most prized seaweed in the Caribbean, will probably be transformed in local households into a delicious, refreshing, milky, spicy drink or punch.

Sea moss punch is enjoyed on all islands, at any time of year. The vitamin-rich beverage is especially essential for replenishing the body with nutrients, especially when temperatures are scorching. Used by the indigenous Caribs and Arawaks for centuries as a healing elixir, sea moss is bland by nature, with a slight taste of the sea.

Sea moss needs to be prepared carefully. It is first dried in the sun. “Once dried and stored properly, it is bound to last 10, 15, 20 years,” says John Lewis, who occasionally deals with the visits showcasing sea moss, among other treasures, in the village of Matelot, in collaboration with The National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago.

When ready to use, the dried sea moss is soaked, boiled and cooled, allowing the agar, the natural thickening agent, locally called “gel”, to emerge.

Long ago, “goons” sold sea moss punch on the islands, and dried sea moss has been readily available for as long as anyone can remember. “Raw, dried sea moss is sold in markets and grocery stores, packaged with nutmeg, cinnamon, and a recipe on the label,” says Lori Lee Lum, a retired community education officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Institute of Maritime AffairsPre-made sea moss punch is so popular that it comes in everything from big brands like Nestlé Supligen sold in tetra packs to bottled concentrates and pop-up smoothie shops.

“I grew up drinking it since my teenage years. There was a particular shop where I would go almost every Saturday and buy a roti and a cup of sea moss,” recalls Ravi Sankar, owner of Flavors of the Caribbeana producer of Caribbean-made products that sells two tons of sea moss per month.

As part of an ancient tradition of “bush medicine,” sea moss promises benefits for both sexes: aphrodisiac properties for men and increased breast milk production for mothers. “For generations, its benefits… have been appreciated,” Lum says. “It is said to be good for general health.” [and] digestion. Plants are rich in iodine, which plays a crucial role in thyroid health and regulating metabolism.

The revival of healthy living among younger generations has led to new versions of drinks like sea moss punch flavoured with soursop, ginger and turmeric. Thanks to its natural thickening properties, it also has multiple uses in ice creams, desserts, custards and puddings. Lewis sometimes uses the ferns to make sea moss cakes, and it has even made its way into handmade soaps.

Similar to a milkshake, sea moss punch follows a simple recipe: mix sea moss gel, milk, sweetener, spices and ice.. The resulting taste is reminiscent of the richness and comfort of Christmas eggnog. The exact spices and their amounts are the real difference. Some prefer Angostura Butters and cinnamon. Others, like Lewis, used only grated nutmeg. “Nutmeg and sea moss go together. Give them some spice,” he says, noting that he grows about 20 nutmeg trees just for that reason.

The main ingredient in sea moss punch, sea moss, actually refers to a number of different species of red algae that grow throughout the region and have a similar taste. “While hundreds of species of edible seaweed grow naturally in the Caribbean, only about a dozen are harvested for food,” says Dr. Farahnaz Solomon, a marine biologist and research fellow at the Institute of Marine Affairs. Two species in particular, Gracilaria And Eucheumamake up the majority of the region’s marine mosses and are particularly suited to mariculture, the farming of marine mosses on long strips in the ocean. Saint Lucia began this practice in the 1980s, followed by Grenada and Dominica.

But the most valuable and prized sea moss in the Caribbean exists only in one corner of Trinidad, between the northeastern coastal villages of Toco and Matelot and all the way to Blanchisseuse. Here, a unique species of sea moss (Gelidium serrulatum) grows and must be harvested by hand. “This is the only place in the Caribbean that uses this type… superior to all the varieties used as sea moss in the region,” Lum says.

Gelidium serrulatum is considered the best marine moss in the region for several reasons. “The gel… is of better quality (thicker). The yield is also greater,” Solomon says.

This marine moss is also environmentally unique. It prefers wave action and constant exposure to the elements, making it unsuitable for cultivation, says Solomon, who has worked with the team before. Buccoo Reef Trust Attempts to develop a sea moss industry in Tobago have been unsuccessful. Wild and unruly, growing in harsh conditions, Trinidad’s unique sea moss can only be picked.

Trinidad’s northeastern coast is a potent mix of silence and ferocity. A winding road lined with rainforest slowly gives way to the tiny village of Blanchisseuse. Beach houses cling to the rugged, wave-lashed shoreline of coconut palms, and black rocks jut out into the ocean. Regularly washed away by the brutal force of tropical rains, the road is sometimes impassable. Perhaps it’s this remoteness that has allowed the sea moss to thrive.

Occasionally, jagged cliffs open up to reveal sandy beaches, and the waves moderate, at least a little. At low tide, glistening in the equatorial sun, burgundy seaweed swells on the sharp rocks. Jagged and pearly in appearance with feathery, fern-like edges, they look nothing like the dehydrated strands sold at the market.

“Sometimes[s] “It’s abundant, but we don’t have it when the seas are rough… There are a lot of dangers in collecting sea moss – you could get into trouble,” Lewis says, noting the inherent dangers of rising tides and slippery ground.

Ocean currents are strong here, except for a few months each year, during the dry season from January to May. This is when sea moss is harvested by carefully cutting just above the base of the plant to allow it to regenerate. Over time, however, wild stocks have been depleted, mainly due to inadequate harvesting, with harvesters rushing to the easiest sea moss to find and tearing it from its support, leaving the plant with no chance to regrow. The decline has also been blamed on climate change as well as the recent scourge of sargassum, an invasive brown seaweed that floats on the ocean surface and smothers beaches.

As supplies of native sea moss have dwindled, the algae has seen a resurgence in popularity. “Sea moss is now being touted as a superfood with multiple health benefits,” says Lum. Found in trendy health food stores, people around the world are becoming more familiar with an ancient Caribbean ingredient. Indeed, as the health benefits of sea moss become mainstream, a frenzied madness followed, endorsed by people like Kim Kardashian And Hailey BieberIn the United States, sea moss smoothies can be profitable up to $20although made with cold water red algae species (Chondrus crispus), also known as Irish moss.

In Trinidad, the memory of sea moss is of a simpler time. “When I was a kid, when school was out, sea moss was our thing. I couldn’t wait to get it to try and make some money so I could go back to school with some money in my pocket,” Lewis recalls of the profitable pastime.

As for the future, he is optimistic. “We know the value of sea moss. It’s really important to us. We want to promote it and there are a lot of people who want to learn.”

Adapted from a recipe provided by Ravi Sankar, owner of Karibbean Flavours

Place the dried sea moss in a colander and wash thoroughly.

2nd step

To completely rehydrate, place the washed sea moss in a pot of boiling water and cook, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Let the mixture cool to form a gel.

Step 4

Take 4 tablespoons of rehydrated sea moss gel and place in a blender with milk, honey, vanilla extract, spices and ice, and blend until smooth.

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