I was excited to find this article from SFgate.com about the different types of sea vegetables growing right here off our Northern California coast, in Mendocino, CA... and some tasty looking recipes that I can't wait to try! (You can even get products and info straight from the source at the Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company.)
As it turns out, not only are sea vegetables delicious- but they are full of vitamins and minerals, and some forms are extremely rich in calcium and other unique properties that studies have shown help protect against cancer and rid the body of radioactive toxins.
A great place to find a variety of dried sea vegetables here in San Francisco is at Rainbow Grocery (the best!) in SF. Even if you aren't in the market for seaweed salad ingredients; Rainbow is a must if you've never been. Organic, fresh, sustainable, ethical- need I say more?
Here's a partial list of sea vegetable cookbooks to really get you going, and another article about the local sea veggie industry in Mendocino.
So check into the exciting world of sea vegetables... and let's get to eating!
