Irish moss

Chondrus crispus · Seaweed

40 pairings

Irish moss, or carrageen, is an edible red seaweed (Chondrus crispus) gathered from the cold rocky shores of the North Atlantic. Boiled in milk it releases a natural gelling polysaccharide that sets into a soft pudding, and it is the original commercial source of carrageenan, the seaweed gum (E407) used to thicken and stabilise ice cream, dairy drinks and countless processed foods.

Picking a good onedrag

Bleached, brittle, near-scentlessDamp, rubbery, musty

Cupboard dryAny set pudding or jelly, and fining a brew.Everyday best

Colour of the tangleStraw, with a few purple-red fronds left

The frond in the handFirm, bends a little, then snaps

Fronds and holdfastsMostly whole, a few snapped branches

Open the bag and smellMild salt-marine, a little dusty

What to look for, from bleached, brittle, near-scentless to damp, rubbery, musty.

Preparing