Plucked from the ocean, Trinidad's answer to the summer milkshake is now part of a frenzied craze around the world. "I am de sea moss man. Allyuh, $10 a bag! Wat yuh want? Ah have some nice sea moss today.
.." intones a marchand (vendor) at a public market in Trinidad, one half of the twin island republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
He holds bags filled with brownish strands of seaweed. This sea moss, the most prized seaweed in the Caribbean, will likely be transformed in local households into a delicious cooling, milky, spiced drink or punch. Sea moss punch is enjoyed throughout the islands, at any time of the year.
Vitamin-rich drinks are especially vital for replenishing the body's nutrients, especially in scorching temperatures. Used by indigenous Caribs and Arawaks for centuries as a healing elixir, sea moss is inherently bland, with a faint taste of the sea. Sea moss must be carefully prepared.
First, it is dried in the sun. "Once you dry it and store it properly, it's bound to last 10, 15, 20 years," says John Lewis, who occasionally runs tours showcasing sea moss, among other treasures, in the village of Matelot, in conjunction with The National Trust of Trinidad & Tobago . When ready for use, the dried sea moss is soaked, boiled and cooled, allowing the agar, the natural thickening agent, locally referred to as "gel", to emerge.
Long ago, "punch men" sold sea moss punch across the islands, and, for as long as anyone can remember, dried sea moss has been readily available. ".