FREE FEED: Neptune’s Pearls
NEPTUNE’S PEARLS aka Neptune’s necklace
Hormosira Banksii
Ahhh, if you know Aussie beaches, then you’ve almost certainly come into contact with Neptune’s Pearls. It’s as if Neptune, the Roman God of the Sea, has generously sprinkled this brown algae across the Southern Coast of Australia for our pleasure. I don’t know about you, but Neptune’s Pearls always evokes a child-like joy in me when I come across it. It’s a real sensory delight - a fun plant to observe, to hold, play with and of course, eat!
Seaweed is an incredibly nutrient-dense and sustainable food source, provided it is foraged ethically (check your local council regulations - in NSW we use the FishSmart app). It is said that generally all seaweed is edible,it’s just that some varieties more palatable and lend themselves more favourably to culinary use.
I remember when the idea of eating seaweed seemed a bit too much of a stretch. Which one’s can we eat? What do we do with them? What do they taste like? Neptune’s Pearls was one of the first seaweeds we got on our plates and it certainly was the perfect seaweed to start us off on our aquatic foraging journey. It’s fresh, salty, crunchy texture lends its to a variety of uses in the kitchen and it requires zero preparation - just grab ‘n go.
These little beauties can be found all along the coast of Yuin country and they make a delicious snack when meandering along the beach, peering into rock pools. There is something particularly satisfying about popping a feel pearls into my gob as I’m going along. Engaging the sense of taste, literally tasting the environment as I’m going along, gives me a deeper connection to place. It adds another layer of connection to the land and brings me consciously into my body.
They’re incredibly easy to identify and grow prolifically along rock shelves and intertidal zones - low tide is best but be sure not to forage after storms when pollution run-off is high. Go for the plumpest, most vibrant green ones - I always grab the ones that look the freshest and haven’t been exposed to too much sun. You want to cut them like you would if you’re trimming a herb - never pull the whole plant out at the stipe or holdfast (the stem or where it’s connected to the rock/ground). Usually if they’re covered by water, even at low tide, they will stay fresh and be the best eating. Grabbing a bowl of these to take home and add to freshen up our nightly salads is a favourite way to use them. I just keep them in an airtight container with a bit of water and they’ll last up to a week in the fridge. Otherwise they can be pickled.
This is a great activity to do as a family - our kids have a blast ID’ing different seaweeds and it’s so empowering to take them out to forage and give them a connection to food and place.
Happy foraging and be sure to tag us when you’re out and about!
Andy @ the Nourished Sovereign
Instagram @thenourishedsovereign
