WEBVTT 00:00.071 --> 00:02.540 tasteMAKERS was funded in part by 00:02.940 --> 00:06.210 (gentle music) 00:06.210 --> 00:08.613 - [Announcer] What does a craftsperson look like? 00:10.114 --> 00:11.015 Is it this? 00:14.151 --> 00:14.986 Or this? 00:18.589 --> 00:19.657 Or is it this? 00:21.058 --> 00:24.328 Is it possible a craftsperson might also look like this? 00:27.465 --> 00:30.801 Edward Jones salutes the makers who share their expertise 00:30.801 --> 00:32.703 and take pride in their craft. 00:34.071 --> 00:36.707 (upbeat music) 00:38.309 --> 00:40.678 - When you hear the term seafood, you probably think of fish 00:40.678 --> 00:43.247 but sea vegetables are gaining prominence as a way 00:43.247 --> 00:46.083 to bring a bit of brine to your dining room table. 00:46.083 --> 00:48.853 In this episode of tasteMAKERS, we head to the rocky coast 00:48.853 --> 00:51.555 of Maine to meet farmers who are cultivating kelp 00:51.555 --> 00:53.991 and having a positive impact on our oceans. 00:57.628 --> 01:00.531 (upbeat music) 01:00.531 --> 01:02.867 I'm Cat Neville and for the past two decades, 01:02.867 --> 01:05.436 I've been telling the story of local food. 01:05.436 --> 01:08.572 In that time, American food culture has exploded 01:08.572 --> 01:12.143 in tiny towns and big cities from coast to coast. 01:12.143 --> 01:14.578 In tasteMAKERS, I explore the maker movement 01:14.578 --> 01:17.315 and take you along for the journey to meet the makers 01:17.315 --> 01:20.484 who define the flavor of American cuisine. 01:20.484 --> 01:25.823 (upbeat music) 01:30.661 --> 01:34.165 (waves crashing on shore) 01:38.269 --> 01:40.671 Here in Maine, lobster is king. 01:40.671 --> 01:42.773 Generations have worked these cold waters 01:42.773 --> 01:45.876 pulling bounty from the ocean but the oceans are changing 01:45.876 --> 01:48.145 and the future of fisheries are uncertain. 01:48.145 --> 01:49.547 Enter kelp. 01:49.547 --> 01:52.249 The team at Atlantic Sea Farms is working with 01:52.249 --> 01:54.819 local fishermen to help them set up kelp farms, 01:54.819 --> 01:57.221 supporting the region's economic vitality 01:57.221 --> 02:00.224 while also pulling carbon from the ocean. 02:00.224 --> 02:02.793 (gentle music) 02:06.197 --> 02:08.065 - I care deeply about the coast of Maine 02:08.065 --> 02:10.468 and right now, we're totally dependent on the lobster 02:10.468 --> 02:12.937 monoculture up and down the state. 02:12.937 --> 02:15.473 When there's not much else to do out there 02:15.473 --> 02:17.908 to make a living in these very rural areas, 02:17.908 --> 02:19.176 you can see the writing on the wall 02:19.176 --> 02:21.545 that things can be troubling in the future, 02:21.545 --> 02:24.015 especially when the Gulf of Maine is warming faster 02:24.015 --> 02:27.218 than 99% of the bodies of water in the world. 02:27.218 --> 02:30.688 So for me, aquaculture just feels like 02:30.688 --> 02:33.190 exactly what needs to happen for our state 02:33.190 --> 02:35.226 in order to help diversify the fishery, 02:35.226 --> 02:38.696 make us more sustainable as an entire coastal ecosystem 02:38.696 --> 02:40.598 and bring this really fresh wonderful 02:40.598 --> 02:43.534 kelp product to American consumers. 02:47.071 --> 02:48.706 The company has been around for nine years 02:48.706 --> 02:50.474 under the brand Atlantic Sea Farms 02:50.474 --> 02:53.878 and it was the first commercial seaweed farm in the country. 02:53.878 --> 02:56.080 We're producing about 14 times more kelp 02:56.080 --> 02:57.615 than we ever have in the past 02:57.615 --> 03:00.217 and as of very recently, we just launched this retail line 03:00.217 --> 03:02.853 because we realized that people have eaten it so much 03:02.853 --> 03:04.955 in restaurants, that they're ready to get it in their homes 03:04.955 --> 03:07.425 including three fermented products and two frozen products 03:07.425 --> 03:10.828 that are really easy to use for the home chef. 03:10.828 --> 03:13.697 I think it's taken a while for American kelp 03:13.697 --> 03:15.366 to really rise in prominence 03:15.366 --> 03:17.735 but we're now at the point where people are asking for it, 03:17.735 --> 03:19.236 which is a really nice change. 03:26.310 --> 03:29.246 So right now, if you're eating seaweed or kelp, 03:29.246 --> 03:31.482 you're probably getting it imported from Asia, 03:31.482 --> 03:33.951 like 98% of what we eat in the US 03:33.951 --> 03:36.754 is actually imported from Asia and it's dried 03:36.754 --> 03:39.557 and it tastes fishy and it tastes salty 03:39.557 --> 03:43.294 and I knew that taste of kelp but then when I came to Maine 03:43.294 --> 03:45.396 and started tasting what was bring grown here 03:45.396 --> 03:46.664 and fresh out of the water, 03:46.664 --> 03:48.699 it's like nothing you've ever had. 03:48.699 --> 03:52.503 So, think about, if you've only had like a dehydrated apple 03:52.503 --> 03:55.172 or dehydrated banana and you never had the real fruit, 03:55.172 --> 03:57.641 you know, the full juicy fruit, 03:57.641 --> 03:59.376 you'd probably say, well this is good, 03:59.376 --> 04:02.079 but it wouldn't taste at all like what we know of 04:02.079 --> 04:04.014 when you pull off an apple off the tree. 04:04.014 --> 04:07.885 Similarly with kelp, what we provide is a fresh kelp product 04:07.885 --> 04:10.621 and we take it right out of the ocean. 04:10.621 --> 04:11.722 When the kelp comes out of the water, 04:11.722 --> 04:13.324 it's this beautiful brown color, 04:13.324 --> 04:14.959 but it's not the color that we're used to seeing 04:14.959 --> 04:16.360 in the bright green seaweed salads, 04:16.360 --> 04:18.529 which are dyed with yellow five and blue one 04:18.529 --> 04:20.965 and all the stuff that you don't want in your salad. 04:20.965 --> 04:22.833 So our product, when we blanch it, 04:22.833 --> 04:24.768 it naturally turns really beautiful green, 04:24.768 --> 04:26.804 like sort of like the color of grass 04:26.804 --> 04:29.874 and it's a flavor carrier, but it's also a flavor enhancer. 04:29.874 --> 04:33.177 So it's a slight umami but really can just be used 04:33.177 --> 04:36.280 in place of any fresh vegetable or frozen vegetable 04:36.280 --> 04:38.182 that you would usually use. 04:38.182 --> 04:41.585 (gentle music) 04:41.585 --> 04:44.255 - Kelp is a plant, first and foremost. 04:44.255 --> 04:47.491 It's a photosynthesizing organism. 04:47.491 --> 04:50.694 It's a macro algae that grows in the ocean. 04:50.694 --> 04:53.197 It's very healthy for you, it's very healthy for the ocean 04:53.197 --> 04:55.366 and it's a key part of ocean ecosystems 04:55.366 --> 04:56.400 throughout the world. 04:57.601 --> 04:59.470 A really interesting thing about kelp is, 04:59.470 --> 05:02.640 for the first 24 hours of its life, it's actually a spore 05:02.640 --> 05:04.175 and it's swimming around in the water 05:04.175 --> 05:06.944 and then, after 24 hours, they settle on something, 05:06.944 --> 05:09.013 they stay there for the rest of their life. 05:10.814 --> 05:13.150 What we're doing is, instead of having that kelp 05:13.150 --> 05:15.019 attached to the bottom of the ocean, 05:15.019 --> 05:18.155 we're growing that kelp on ropes, on lines. 05:18.155 --> 05:20.958 A, it gets a lot more sunlight, so it can grow faster 05:20.958 --> 05:23.327 and then B, it's not touching the bottom, 05:23.327 --> 05:27.665 so you get a lot less organisms that wanna eat it. 05:27.665 --> 05:31.035 We plant it in October and then once the watershed 05:31.035 --> 05:33.804 warms back up in the spring, growth takes off. 05:37.208 --> 05:39.944 (waves crashing) 05:41.111 --> 05:44.215 - The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% 05:44.215 --> 05:47.251 of all of the other bodies of water on the planet 05:47.251 --> 05:50.087 and so, what does that mean for the local fishing industry? 05:50.087 --> 05:52.723 Well, while the lobster industry itself is thriving, 05:52.723 --> 05:54.892 it is critical for fisheries to diversify 05:54.892 --> 05:57.861 their income streams in order to survive. 05:57.861 --> 06:00.397 (gentle music) 06:02.700 --> 06:05.769 - Fishermen used to fish for all sorts of things in Maine, 06:05.769 --> 06:07.238 for ground fish, for scallops, 06:07.238 --> 06:09.840 for sea urchins and for lobster. 06:09.840 --> 06:12.376 Now, because of overfishing and because of climate change, 06:12.376 --> 06:14.545 a lot of those other fisheries have dried up 06:14.545 --> 06:18.515 and right now, the main fishery that really keeps 06:18.515 --> 06:21.118 a lot of our coasts thriving is the lobster fishery 06:21.118 --> 06:22.620 and that's great because a lot of fisherman 06:22.620 --> 06:25.723 are doing really well off of the lobster fishery, 06:25.723 --> 06:28.659 but that also makes them highly vulnerable to change. 06:28.659 --> 06:31.996 So a lot of fisherman are looking for other things to do 06:31.996 --> 06:34.965 and kelp is just a match made in heaven 06:34.965 --> 06:36.066 for lobster fishermen. 06:37.868 --> 06:40.304 The primary lobster fishing season here in Maine 06:40.304 --> 06:42.873 is from June through November 06:42.873 --> 06:45.676 and kelp gives many fishermen in Maine 06:45.676 --> 06:48.646 an opportunity to do something else in this off season. 06:49.980 --> 06:52.016 For the most part, fishermen in Maine have 06:52.016 --> 06:55.486 almost all the skills they need to succeed as a kelp farmer. 06:55.486 --> 06:57.354 They know the water better than anyone 06:57.354 --> 06:58.889 off of the coast of Maine 06:58.889 --> 07:02.726 and they also have the boats and the equipment necessary. 07:02.726 --> 07:04.728 On our first year of buying kelp 07:04.728 --> 07:05.896 and working with partner farmers, 07:05.896 --> 07:07.564 we had, I think three fishermen, 07:07.564 --> 07:10.200 that were actively working with us and selling kelp to us. 07:10.200 --> 07:12.403 This year, we had 15 partner farmers 07:12.403 --> 07:15.339 and next year, we're looking at having, probably over 25 07:15.339 --> 07:17.775 and as matter of fact, we now kind of have a waiting list 07:17.775 --> 07:19.877 of fishermen that want to sell kelp to us. 07:27.751 --> 07:29.420 - I am dressed in many layers 07:29.420 --> 07:32.656 because it is about to get really wet and really cold. 07:32.656 --> 07:34.391 We're heading out on the water with Bri 07:34.391 --> 07:36.760 and one of her farmers, Karen Cooper. 07:37.961 --> 07:47.705 (upbeat music) 07:48.572 --> 07:49.873 So, we're here in Wheelers Bay 07:49.873 --> 07:52.209 and I'm sitting here with Karen Cooper, 07:52.209 --> 07:55.579 the first lobster man and kelp farmer in the state of Maine 07:55.579 --> 07:58.949 and what attracted you to seaweed, to kelp generally? 07:58.949 --> 08:02.219 - So, my best friend Michelle got breast cancer 08:02.219 --> 08:06.590 and she decided that she was going to eat raw 08:06.590 --> 08:07.958 and nothing but raw. 08:07.958 --> 08:09.293 So, we were having lunch one day 08:09.293 --> 08:11.462 and she was eating seaweed salad, 08:11.462 --> 08:12.863 which I thought looked disgusting 08:12.863 --> 08:14.365 and probably tasted disgusting 08:14.365 --> 08:16.900 and she's like, no, it doesn't. 08:16.900 --> 08:19.269 So I tried it and I was like, you're right, 08:19.269 --> 08:20.637 (Cat laughs) it does taste good. 08:20.637 --> 08:22.840 So I looked up online about seaweed 08:22.840 --> 08:25.709 and I came across these two wonderful people 08:25.709 --> 08:28.545 who have helped me along the way and just got me started 08:28.545 --> 08:31.148 and this is my fourth year harvesting kelp. 08:31.148 --> 08:34.118 - [Cat] And what is the process of harvesting the kelp? 08:34.118 --> 08:35.953 - [Karen] You go over, you untie your lines, 08:35.953 --> 08:38.455 you put it through to your block on your holler 08:38.455 --> 08:40.457 and just cut it off as it comes up. 08:40.457 --> 08:41.258 - That's it? 08:41.258 --> 08:42.760 - Yeah, simple. 08:42.760 --> 08:45.229 - [Cat] Probably easier than fishing for lobster? 08:45.229 --> 08:47.164 - Yeah, definitely 08:47.164 --> 08:49.266 because, I mean I can put the seed in there 08:49.266 --> 08:50.367 and I know it's gonna grow. 08:50.367 --> 08:51.602 I can put a trap somewhere, 08:51.602 --> 08:53.370 it doesn't mean I'm gonna catch a lobster. 08:53.370 --> 08:54.638 (Cat laughs) 08:54.638 --> 08:55.806 I wish it worked like that. 08:55.806 --> 08:57.141 I wish it was the same. 08:58.342 --> 09:15.359 (upbeat music) 09:20.164 --> 09:21.598 - Kelp is an incredible plant. 09:21.598 --> 09:24.067 It actually grows very very quickly 09:24.067 --> 09:26.103 and it acts as a carbon sink. 09:26.103 --> 09:29.072 So, through photosynthesis, it pulls in carbon, 09:29.072 --> 09:32.042 nitrogen and phosphorus and outputs oxygen 09:32.042 --> 09:34.211 and there's a halo that's created around 09:34.211 --> 09:36.413 these kelp forests of remediated water. 09:39.817 --> 09:43.487 We just finished watching Keith and Ben 09:43.487 --> 09:45.956 and also Karen harvest all of this kelp. 09:45.956 --> 09:47.791 How much do you think you brought in today? 09:47.791 --> 09:48.992 - Probably it's gonna weigh 09:48.992 --> 09:50.894 thirteen to fifteen hundred pounds. 09:50.894 --> 09:53.163 - [Cat] So how long does it take for these guys to grow? 09:53.163 --> 09:54.298 They're huge. 09:54.298 --> 09:57.634 - We seeded this actually in mid-December 09:57.634 --> 09:59.169 and we're harvesting now. 09:59.169 --> 10:01.472 - [Cat] And right now, it's about the tail end of May. 10:01.472 --> 10:02.973 - [Keith] Right, it is. 10:02.973 --> 10:07.077 - The kelp, actually is a net positive for the oceans 10:07.077 --> 10:08.979 cause it's pulling in all that-- 10:08.979 --> 10:09.913 - Yes it is. 10:09.913 --> 10:11.248 - Carbon and all that nitrogen. 10:11.248 --> 10:12.749 - Yeah. 10:12.749 --> 10:14.017 - I mean, this is something that is really exploding. 10:14.017 --> 10:15.319 It's creating such new opportunities 10:15.319 --> 10:16.720 - It is. - For people like you 10:16.720 --> 10:19.056 who make their living out of the ocean. 10:19.056 --> 10:22.392 - Yeah, it is for us because our lobster in season is 10:22.392 --> 10:26.597 closed down at about five months and we need something else. 10:26.597 --> 10:28.999 - And so, how does the relationship between 10:28.999 --> 10:32.603 you and the folks at Atlantic Sea Farms work? 10:32.603 --> 10:34.805 - [Keith] They basically contract us to buy it 10:34.805 --> 10:36.540 and then they send me the seed 10:36.540 --> 10:39.243 and then they buy it all from us and take it all 10:39.243 --> 10:41.945 and keep track and make sure we're doing it right. 10:41.945 --> 10:43.614 We do a lot of communication with James 10:43.614 --> 10:46.416 coming back and forth to make sure the product is right 10:46.416 --> 10:48.585 and on time and taken care of. 10:48.585 --> 10:50.354 - So, do you enjoy this? 10:50.354 --> 10:52.356 - Yes, I do, something different, something new. 10:52.356 --> 10:53.590 - Yeah. 10:53.590 --> 10:54.858 - You get tried of the lobster and then, 10:54.858 --> 10:56.793 you know, not making any money out of that, 10:56.793 --> 10:58.862 you just like an adventure 10:58.862 --> 11:00.564 (Keith and Cat laugh) once in a while. 11:00.564 --> 11:02.799 You know, you can't just sit on your laurels forever. 11:02.799 --> 11:04.902 You gotta try something different 11:04.902 --> 11:07.571 and we appreciate these guys, you know, hooking up with us 11:07.571 --> 11:09.573 and giving us a chance. 11:10.541 --> 11:17.481 (upbeat music) 11:22.252 --> 11:24.187 - So, all of the kelp that is harvested 11:24.187 --> 11:27.891 out of these cold clean Maine waters is brought back here. 11:27.891 --> 11:30.494 This is where it's processed, let's go inside. 11:30.494 --> 11:37.200 (upbeat music) 11:38.302 --> 11:41.238 So we're here in the Atlantic Sea Farms processing facility 11:41.238 --> 11:44.107 in our snazzy blue outfits. 11:44.107 --> 11:47.044 So, tell us what's going on behind us. 11:47.044 --> 11:49.012 - So, today we're working on wraps, 11:49.012 --> 11:51.181 which is a specific product for chefs. 11:51.181 --> 11:54.051 It's a product that we take very carefully off the farm 11:54.051 --> 11:56.453 of sugar kelp, a big wide leaf. 11:56.453 --> 11:59.056 Then we blanch it, which turns it a bright green 11:59.056 --> 12:00.490 and slowly wrap it. 12:00.490 --> 12:02.693 So it's a very high-end product that's for high-end chefs 12:02.693 --> 12:05.929 that are using it to wrap fish or chicken 12:05.929 --> 12:07.464 or things like that. 12:07.464 --> 12:10.133 On other days, we bring in a bunch of strap kelp 12:10.133 --> 12:11.635 which we send through the shredder, 12:11.635 --> 12:13.770 spits out a bunch of shredded kelp 12:13.770 --> 12:16.673 that kind of keeps it this really fine texture. 12:16.673 --> 12:19.710 Then we blanch it through our mechanical blanching machine 12:19.710 --> 12:21.211 and then we pack it up and ready to go, 12:21.211 --> 12:25.048 either for fermentation raw without the blanching 12:25.048 --> 12:26.783 or for our Ready Cut Kelp, 12:26.783 --> 12:30.087 which is the defrost and eat seaweed product that we have. 12:30.087 --> 12:31.488 - And so, do the two different kinds 12:31.488 --> 12:32.789 of kelp taste different? 12:32.789 --> 12:34.257 Why are you cultivating two kinds? 12:34.257 --> 12:37.327 - They actually taste no different at all, 12:37.327 --> 12:39.429 but the texture for both our seaweed salad, 12:39.429 --> 12:41.898 our Sea-Chi, our Kraut and our Ready Cut 12:41.898 --> 12:44.601 is really wonderful with that strap kelp. 12:44.601 --> 12:47.304 The sugar kelp has just a little kind of more 12:47.304 --> 12:49.640 beautiful look to it if we're using it for the whole leaf 12:49.640 --> 12:51.108 and it has more expanse too. 12:51.108 --> 12:53.043 So, if you're wrapping a large fish, 12:53.043 --> 12:54.811 you can kind of wrap it around that. 12:56.513 --> 12:59.916 - And so, what they're doing is they're taking the stem. 12:59.916 --> 13:00.851 What is the stem called? 13:00.851 --> 13:02.419 - The stem is called the stipe. 13:02.419 --> 13:05.522 - Which has this hollow area in the middle 13:05.522 --> 13:07.791 and I had a chance to taste some of this, 13:07.791 --> 13:08.959 it's just super crunchy. 13:08.959 --> 13:10.827 - It's super crunchy, it's delicious 13:10.827 --> 13:12.329 and maybe I'll grab one for you here. 13:12.329 --> 13:13.163 - Okay. 13:14.531 --> 13:16.033 - [Bri] Here is the blanched stipe. 13:16.033 --> 13:17.868 You see how it turns green when it hits the hot water. 13:17.868 --> 13:18.802 - Yes. 13:18.802 --> 13:19.536 - Isn't that unbelievable? 13:19.536 --> 13:20.470 - It's so cool. 13:20.470 --> 13:21.405 - But this is what it looks like 13:21.405 --> 13:22.673 when it comes out of the farm 13:22.673 --> 13:24.675 and it has a little bit of a hole there, 13:24.675 --> 13:26.309 so I mean, it works great for straws, 13:26.309 --> 13:28.045 an alternative use for straws 13:28.045 --> 13:30.147 but a lot of chefs will blanch it themselves 13:30.147 --> 13:31.481 cause we actually sell it raw 13:31.481 --> 13:32.949 - Mm-hmm. 13:32.949 --> 13:34.818 - And then chop it up into a scallion type thing. 13:34.818 --> 13:36.720 So you might not even know if it's on your plate, 13:36.720 --> 13:38.055 but it's nice and crunchy. 13:38.055 --> 13:40.590 It adds a nice salty crunch flavor to it. 13:42.426 --> 13:45.562 - So, the season for kelp is really interesting. 13:45.562 --> 13:47.864 This active part really only takes place, 13:47.864 --> 13:48.999 what, three months a year? 13:48.999 --> 13:50.500 - That's right. 13:50.500 --> 13:52.269 So, we start harvesting in the beginning of April 13:52.269 --> 13:54.104 and we're done in the middle of June. 13:54.104 --> 13:55.439 So it's actually faster than that. 13:55.439 --> 13:57.774 It's long days for three months, 13:57.774 --> 13:59.743 especially for the harvesters who are out there 13:59.743 --> 14:01.344 first thing in the morning. 14:01.344 --> 14:03.513 Last year, we processed 20000 pounds of kelp, 14:03.513 --> 14:05.315 this year, 350000 pounds. 14:05.315 --> 14:07.551 So, you know, our ultimate goal is, 14:07.551 --> 14:10.187 all right, the more we can actually sell of this, 14:10.187 --> 14:11.722 the more farmers we can get in the water 14:11.722 --> 14:14.891 or the farmers we have can expand and make a viable income. 14:14.891 --> 14:17.561 - It's such a win-win because you're creating 14:17.561 --> 14:19.596 new economic opportunity here in Maine, 14:19.596 --> 14:23.366 you're diversifying what these farmers are able to do, 14:23.366 --> 14:25.535 it's environmentally beneficial 14:25.535 --> 14:27.904 and it's creating new opportunities for chefs, 14:27.904 --> 14:29.372 - That's right. - like, it's a product 14:29.372 --> 14:31.341 that they couldn't really get a hold of before. 14:31.341 --> 14:33.710 - Never, never, they're like, fresh seaweed? 14:33.710 --> 14:35.912 That's amazing, I've never worked with that. 14:35.912 --> 14:44.654 (upbeat music) 14:49.493 --> 14:54.164 (upbeat music) 14:55.599 --> 14:57.367 - Here at Legal Sea Foods in Boston, 14:57.367 --> 14:59.936 executive chef, Rich Vellante is using kelp 14:59.936 --> 15:01.838 in a number of dishes on his menu, 15:01.838 --> 15:04.040 including those full leaves of sugar kelp 15:04.040 --> 15:05.842 that we saw harvested the other day. 15:08.678 --> 15:11.214 We are going to go through some dishes. 15:11.214 --> 15:12.749 - Yes. 15:12.749 --> 15:14.551 - That features some of the Atlantic Sea Farms seaweed. 15:14.551 --> 15:16.620 - Exactly, yeah, we've been introduced to this about 15:16.620 --> 15:19.055 a year and a half ago and it's been a great story for us 15:19.055 --> 15:20.757 and so, this is one of the dishes 15:20.757 --> 15:22.459 that we do with their kelp. 15:22.459 --> 15:24.594 - This is the salmon that's wrapped 15:24.594 --> 15:27.230 in those whole leaves of sugar kelp 15:27.230 --> 15:30.066 that we saw Keith pulling out of Wheeler Bay 15:30.066 --> 15:33.136 and this is an exclusive product for you guys, right? 15:33.136 --> 15:34.371 - This is. 15:34.371 --> 15:36.106 These come to us like this, these whole kelp. 15:36.106 --> 15:38.842 We cut them into strips and we wrap them 15:38.842 --> 15:40.911 like this around the fish. 15:40.911 --> 15:43.880 We serve this with a lemongrass broth. 15:43.880 --> 15:46.783 We pair it with some shrimp and some mushrooms 15:46.783 --> 15:49.753 and bok choy, we have some rice noodles with it 15:52.489 --> 15:54.558 and a little bit of hot Thai chili peppers. 15:54.558 --> 15:55.992 - Nice. 15:55.992 --> 15:57.928 What a beautiful dish. 15:57.928 --> 16:00.197 In the ocean yesterday and now it's on the plate here 16:00.197 --> 16:01.932 at Legal Sea Foods today. - Exactly, yes. 16:01.932 --> 16:02.833 - I love that. 16:02.833 --> 16:04.100 - Beautiful. 16:04.100 --> 16:05.569 This is one of our more popular dishes actually 16:05.569 --> 16:07.704 and it's a vegan dish, vegetarian dish 16:07.704 --> 16:10.006 and we're seeing more and more people be interested in this 16:10.006 --> 16:12.509 and so, we thought it was a nice addition 16:12.509 --> 16:15.111 to offer some seaweed salad with it as well. 16:15.111 --> 16:17.280 So, here we have just brown rice 16:17.280 --> 16:19.416 and it's cooked with leeks and garlic 16:19.416 --> 16:20.851 - [Cat] Ooh, nice. 16:20.851 --> 16:23.053 - [Rich] And then, we add those shiitakes and the spinach 16:23.053 --> 16:26.890 that we heated up and fermented seaweed salad. 16:26.890 --> 16:29.292 - Being able to keep the seaweed salad, it still keeps 16:29.292 --> 16:32.028 the sea in this vegan dish. - Exactly. 16:32.028 --> 16:34.164 - It's a vegetable but it still is absolutely 16:34.164 --> 16:35.365 coming from the sea, it is seafood. 16:35.365 --> 16:37.667 - It's a great point and that's exactly what 16:37.667 --> 16:39.803 inspired us to do this was, 16:39.803 --> 16:41.805 it still connects with the ocean. 16:43.006 --> 16:44.507 We have a little bit of kimchi 16:45.675 --> 16:47.744 and we'll finish this off with some tofu. 16:47.744 --> 16:51.181 This tofu is from Maine as well, it's a local family 16:51.181 --> 16:53.416 that makes the tofu for us - Oh, that's great. 16:53.416 --> 16:55.886 - And we'll top that off with some sesame, 16:55.886 --> 16:58.388 our sesame chili vinaigrette 16:58.388 --> 17:00.857 and then we'll serve this with some gochujang. 17:00.857 --> 17:02.792 Gochujang is just a Korean chili 17:02.792 --> 17:05.829 mixed with different types of soy and other items 17:05.829 --> 17:07.397 and so, you mix that all together 17:07.397 --> 17:09.566 and you just get a great flavor and a great dish. 17:09.566 --> 17:11.067 - That's awesome. 17:11.067 --> 17:13.336 It's just a wonderful, kind of example of the versatility 17:13.336 --> 17:14.971 - Exactly. - Of this sea vegetable. 17:14.971 --> 17:16.373 - It shows the different applications. 17:16.373 --> 17:18.241 When people hear it, they go, oh seaweed, 17:18.241 --> 17:19.409 what am I going to do with that? 17:19.409 --> 17:20.744 That's the thing that sticks to my leg 17:20.744 --> 17:22.279 when I'm in the ocean, right? (Cat laughs) 17:22.279 --> 17:24.114 And we're trying to help to show 17:24.114 --> 17:27.617 that it can be part of a nutritious meal, 17:27.617 --> 17:30.453 give you different dimensions of flavor and texture. 17:30.453 --> 17:31.288 - Fantastic. - Yeah. 17:31.288 --> 17:32.422 - Thank you so much. 17:32.422 --> 17:33.556 - My pleasure, thanks for having me. 17:33.556 --> 17:34.391 - Absolutely. 17:40.697 --> 17:42.933 Here at Mami in Downtown Portland, 17:42.933 --> 17:45.802 Austin Miller is incorporating fresh local seaweed 17:45.802 --> 17:48.238 into his Japanese style, Izakaya menu. 17:48.238 --> 17:50.040 Let's go in and check it out. 17:50.040 --> 17:52.609 (upbeat music) 17:54.044 --> 17:57.047 - Mami is Izakaya Japanese style pub food. 17:57.047 --> 17:59.182 Super simple, delicious. 17:59.182 --> 18:01.551 Seaweed's an integral part of Japanese cuisine. 18:01.551 --> 18:02.619 We've been kind of searching for 18:02.619 --> 18:04.154 local seaweed for a long time. 18:04.154 --> 18:05.689 I mean obviously it's right there, 18:05.689 --> 18:07.524 but we don't have the time to go out 18:07.524 --> 18:08.925 and harvest it ourselves. 18:08.925 --> 18:10.727 With Atlantic Sea Farms and Bri 18:10.727 --> 18:12.862 and all the folks that work really hard over there, 18:12.862 --> 18:16.599 it's been awesome and lends itself super well to our food. 18:16.599 --> 18:19.402 Fresh seaweed, it's really good vessel for many things. 18:19.402 --> 18:20.937 It really takes on whatever flavors 18:20.937 --> 18:22.639 and textures you want it to. 18:24.307 --> 18:26.409 Supporting what's in our environment is really important. 18:26.409 --> 18:28.345 It's just small, baby steps that 18:28.345 --> 18:29.612 we need people to take in the country, 18:29.612 --> 18:31.648 you know, to really like push us forward 18:31.648 --> 18:32.916 in our food sensibility and like, 18:32.916 --> 18:34.884 where we're getting food and buying food. 18:34.884 --> 18:36.219 I think just everyone working together, 18:36.219 --> 18:38.588 all the chefs, all the restaurateurs, 18:38.588 --> 18:40.156 we're all working towards the same goal 18:40.156 --> 18:42.826 of utilizing what's in Maine and what's around us. 18:42.826 --> 18:44.160 There's farms for everything, you know, 18:44.160 --> 18:45.996 and I think it's important we use it. 18:49.199 --> 18:52.869 (waves crashing onto shore) 18:55.472 --> 18:57.140 - A quarter of the carbon that we're pumping 18:57.140 --> 18:59.476 into the atmosphere ends up in our oceans 18:59.476 --> 19:01.411 and here at Bigelow Laboratory, 19:01.411 --> 19:05.148 Nichole Price is using kelp to help solve that problem. 19:05.148 --> 19:07.717 (gentle music) 19:09.285 --> 19:12.222 - Ocean acidification is a process by which 19:12.222 --> 19:15.692 the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, about 25% of it 19:15.692 --> 19:18.728 gets absorbed in the surface waters of the oceans. 19:18.728 --> 19:20.964 It spurs a series of chemical reactions 19:20.964 --> 19:24.601 that make seawater relatively more acidic. 19:24.601 --> 19:26.536 The problem is, when seawater becomes 19:26.536 --> 19:29.706 even slightly more acidic, it becomes corrosive 19:29.706 --> 19:32.308 to shellfish who want to form their shells. 19:32.308 --> 19:34.744 So, imagine trying grow your body without bones. 19:34.744 --> 19:38.014 This is the fate that some of these shellfish are suffering 19:38.014 --> 19:39.649 in a future more acidic ocean. 19:40.784 --> 19:42.786 The Gulf of Maine is particularly vulnerable 19:42.786 --> 19:46.723 to both ocean acidification problems and to global warming 19:46.723 --> 19:49.459 because of the unique bathymetry of our area 19:49.459 --> 19:51.861 and the fact that our seawater has 19:51.861 --> 19:54.831 an extraordinarily low buffering capacity. 19:54.831 --> 19:56.833 So it means that, the Gulf of Maine 19:56.833 --> 20:00.203 is warming faster than just about anywhere in the globe 20:00.203 --> 20:03.073 and our waters are becoming more and more acidic. 20:04.274 --> 20:07.343 This means for a state whose economy 20:07.343 --> 20:09.979 is almost entirely dependent on the working waterfront, 20:09.979 --> 20:12.782 that we're in a pretty vulnerable and tenuous situation. 20:17.587 --> 20:20.557 We are right now most excited about aquaculture 20:20.557 --> 20:23.593 as a sustainable viable solution moving forward 20:23.593 --> 20:26.062 and when you're thinking about kelp aquaculture, 20:26.062 --> 20:27.664 they can tend to have an actually 20:27.664 --> 20:30.033 therapeutic property for the ocean 20:30.033 --> 20:34.404 by absorbing carbon dioxide, nitrogen and phosphorus 20:34.404 --> 20:37.307 and their waste material is oxygen to the ocean. 20:37.307 --> 20:40.577 So, these kinds of things create beneficial water 20:40.577 --> 20:43.847 quality impacts when you're growing kelp in the water. 20:43.847 --> 20:46.382 (gentle music) 20:48.751 --> 20:50.553 - Coastal communities have always been 20:50.553 --> 20:53.056 something that I valued, something I grew up in 20:53.056 --> 20:55.492 and something that I want to keep sustainable 20:55.492 --> 20:57.160 long into the future. 20:57.160 --> 20:59.996 I also know that, with so many changes happening 20:59.996 --> 21:03.166 in the world today, we got to look to 21:03.166 --> 21:04.934 other options than just the fisheries 21:04.934 --> 21:06.536 that we've been fishing for so long 21:06.536 --> 21:08.738 and we have to, you know, be a little bit more attentive 21:08.738 --> 21:10.874 about the ways that we continue to make a living 21:10.874 --> 21:12.742 on the world's coasts. 21:14.344 --> 21:16.446 - Lobsters gonna be with us for a long time, 21:16.446 --> 21:17.614 but it's not going to be with us 21:17.614 --> 21:19.716 in the way it is today forever. 21:19.716 --> 21:21.718 So for me, that's super exciting to think about 21:21.718 --> 21:25.788 preventing disaster or helping to absorb 21:25.788 --> 21:28.391 some of the shock of that vulnerability. 21:29.526 --> 21:31.361 Our company is a first mover in a product 21:31.361 --> 21:33.997 that has never been done here in the United States before. 21:33.997 --> 21:37.167 Americans have never had fresh kelp ever 21:37.167 --> 21:39.602 and it's super exciting to have the opportunity 21:39.602 --> 21:42.238 to show someone this new product and also, 21:42.238 --> 21:44.140 have these product forms that make it taste 21:44.140 --> 21:45.175 really really good. 21:45.175 --> 21:46.843 So, it's really easy to use 21:46.843 --> 21:48.311 and people can be educated about it 21:48.311 --> 21:49.846 and eat something that they feel good about, 21:49.846 --> 21:52.815 that they know is not only doing well for them, 21:52.815 --> 21:54.450 but also that it's good for the ocean 21:54.450 --> 21:56.119 and good for coastal economies. 21:58.221 --> 22:01.191 There's so much to feel good about in eating this product. 22:01.191 --> 22:03.860 Being able to add to that, that it's tasty, 22:03.860 --> 22:06.129 is something that really drives me. 22:06.129 --> 22:09.365 (upbeat music) 22:09.365 --> 22:12.702 (dramatic upbeat music) 22:28.651 --> 22:31.721 - We're going to wrap the episode up here in Bri's kitchen. 22:31.721 --> 22:34.157 She's going to share some family-friendly recipes 22:34.157 --> 22:37.026 are going to get you cooking with seaweed at home. 22:37.026 --> 22:39.295 (gentle music) 22:39.295 --> 22:42.031 So, this right here is just the Ready Cut. 22:42.031 --> 22:43.666 - This is the Ready Cut Kelp. 22:43.666 --> 22:45.068 Today actually, part of that is in 22:45.068 --> 22:47.036 our soba noodle salad here. 22:47.036 --> 22:49.772 This is before it's blanched and before it's prepared. 22:49.772 --> 22:51.774 Once we blanch it, - It turns that bright green. 22:51.774 --> 22:53.543 - [Bri] It turns this bright green color. 22:53.543 --> 22:55.578 - You have three fermented products. 22:55.578 --> 22:59.148 We also know about the value of fermentation 22:59.148 --> 23:00.083 - That's right. - For our health, 23:00.083 --> 23:01.651 all along with building flavor. 23:01.651 --> 23:03.419 - This is seaweed kraut. - Mm-hmm. 23:03.419 --> 23:05.355 - This is Sea-Chi - Uh-huh. 23:05.355 --> 23:07.991 - And this is fermented seaweed salad. 23:07.991 --> 23:10.126 It's very alive, it bubbles. 23:10.126 --> 23:12.595 It's very much naturally fermented. 23:12.595 --> 23:15.198 - What about the nutritional value of kelp? 23:15.198 --> 23:17.667 - So it's got more calcium than milk per ounce. 23:17.667 --> 23:19.269 - Oh, wow. - Which is amazing, right? 23:19.269 --> 23:22.071 It's also got a ton of potassium, a bunch of Omega threes 23:22.071 --> 23:26.142 and it also has vitamin D, Vitamin B and iodine. 23:26.142 --> 23:28.011 - [Cat] Bri has cooked a few things for us here. 23:28.011 --> 23:29.245 - We have. 23:29.245 --> 23:31.881 So, these are kelp cubes and these can be used 23:31.881 --> 23:33.116 for just about anything. 23:33.116 --> 23:35.318 It's basically that product but pureed 23:35.318 --> 23:36.986 and into simple serving size. 23:36.986 --> 23:39.222 So, we sell them as smoothie cubes 23:39.222 --> 23:41.157 and I made some here with mango and peach 23:41.157 --> 23:44.394 and oat milk and cinnamon, it's delicious. 23:44.394 --> 23:47.297 This is just regular buckwheat soba noodles, 23:47.297 --> 23:52.302 and I have some sesame tahini soy sauce and shallots on it 23:53.736 --> 23:57.173 and then I mixed it with our Ready Cut Kelp and our Sea-Chi 23:57.173 --> 23:59.942 and some cilantro, it's very simple. 23:59.942 --> 24:02.412 This is fresh made haddock - Nice. 24:02.412 --> 24:04.547 - With seaweed butter and kraut. 24:06.949 --> 24:11.454 - The haddock is flaky and really really mild 24:11.454 --> 24:14.123 and it plays so beautifully against that butter 24:14.123 --> 24:16.959 with just that hint of the seaweed flavor. 24:16.959 --> 24:18.361 I mean, it's just delicious. 24:19.629 --> 24:22.065 All of this marries together so beautifully. 24:22.065 --> 24:23.066 - [Bri] Yeah. 24:23.066 --> 24:24.000 - That's so good. 24:26.569 --> 24:29.138 So, Bri went to grab her little one, Lachlan. 24:29.138 --> 24:34.143 He's a big fan of all these wonderful seaweed flavors. 24:35.011 --> 24:37.013 - Would you like some smoothie? 24:37.013 --> 24:37.880 Yeah. 24:39.315 --> 24:41.551 Moms, they say like, how do I get my kids to eat seaweed? 24:41.551 --> 24:44.120 I'm like well, it's pretty easy, put some fruit with it 24:44.120 --> 24:45.555 (Cat laughs) you got it 24:45.555 --> 24:46.989 and the seaweed salad, I've certainly seen him eat 24:46.989 --> 24:48.624 like a quarter of a jar before. 24:49.926 --> 24:51.427 - For the recipe for this smoothie 24:51.427 --> 24:53.529 along with all the other dishes that you see here, 24:53.529 --> 24:56.099 just head to WeAreTasteMakers.com. 24:56.099 --> 24:59.168 You'll find tons of information on Atlantic Sea Farms 24:59.168 --> 25:02.271 along with the other makers we're featuring in this season. 25:02.271 --> 25:03.973 Thank you for joining me here in Maine 25:03.973 --> 25:06.943 and thank you Bri and thank you Lachlan. 25:06.943 --> 25:08.010 We'll see you next time. 25:08.010 --> 25:08.945 - [Bri] Say bye bye. 25:08.945 --> 25:10.313 - Can you say bye-bye? 25:10.313 --> 25:11.514 (Cat gasps) Bye-bye. 25:11.514 --> 25:15.118 (Bri and Cat laugh) 25:15.118 --> 25:18.521 Connect with us online at WeAreTasteMakers.com 25:18.521 --> 25:21.090 or through social media on these handles. 25:22.225 --> 25:59.695 (upbeat music) 26:04.434 --> 26:06.769 - [Announcer] tasteMAKERS was funded in part by 26:10.239 --> 26:12.642 - [Announcer] What does a craftsperson look like? 26:14.143 --> 26:15.044 Is it this? 26:18.181 --> 26:19.015 Or this? 26:22.618 --> 26:23.686 Or is it this? 26:25.087 --> 26:28.357 Is it possible a craftsperson might also look like this? 26:31.494 --> 26:34.831 Edward Jones salutes the makers who share their expertise 26:34.831 --> 26:37.300 and take pride in their craft.