Kombu, also called dashima or haidai, is an edible brown seaweed that belongs to the Laminariaceae family. It is popular as a cooking ingredient in East Asia, especially among the Japanese, who use it to make dashi, a stock soup. Kombu is mainly harvested along the shores of Japan and Korea, and it is usually sold dried or pickled in vinegar. It is also used to make “kombucha,” a seaweed tea renowned for its rejuvenating…
Bee pollen, also called bee bread, is a small granule of pollen (mixed with other ingredients such as nectar and bee saliva) created by worker bees to help feed the hive. The exact chemical composition of these granules depends on the types of plants from which the worker bees gather the pollen, but they always consists of large quantities of carbohydrates, proteins, and nutrients. For this reason, bee pollen has been harvested by people for…
Pumpkin seeds, popularly known by their Spanish name, “pepita,” are edible, white seeds that have a greenish inside. They are often pressed for their oil, although they can also be consumed as a snack either when raw or lightly roasted. They can also be used in various meat dishes, salads, and even pastas. Like many vegetable seeds, pumpkin seeds are renowned for their health benefits. Indeed, the nutritional value of these seeds far exceeds their…
Depending on how one looks at it, parsley can be considered either a herb, spice, or vegetable. It is, however, most commonly known as a herb that can add a unique flavor or seasoning to any dish to which it is added. Indeed, it is extremely popular as a garnish, and many of the best chefs often add freshly chopped parsley atop their signature dishes before declaring them finished. Despite parley’s reputation as a serviceable…
Chia is a species of flowering plant that bears oval-shaped, multicolored seeds. These seeds, which have a neutral taste and crunchy texture, have been cultivated for centuries as a survival food in their native Mexico and Guatemala. Chia seeds had only just begun to enjoy recognition in the United States, however, when the eccentric Californian gadget company, Joseph Enterprises, began to market them in the 1980s as “Chia Pets,” which are terracotta figurines that sprouted…
