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WORDS Cúán Greene bread with plankton paste, to i
mpart a feint flavour of the sea and striking green colour inside. We served it alongside a condiment that looked like butter, but was, in fact, a spreadable soft cheese using Icelandic cream, milk, salt and a little lemon juice. Gisli asked me to say a few words prior to the dinner, and the story of this bread was the perfect opportunity to highlight our age-old baking traditions in Ireland, and indeed a new product like phytoplankton. Health benefits It’s not all that surprising to learn that phytoplankton are packed with vital vitamins, sea minerals, amino acids, and bioavailable omegas. After all, small fish feed almost exclusively on this species, and we are all aware of the benefits of eating fish! Phytoplankton contain the highest levels of B12 vitamins of any other vegetable-based ingredient. B12, is typically sourced through animal proteins, and it is a common issue amongst people with vegetarian and vegan diets to be B12 deficient. Plankton is known to protect the skin from UV, reduce the chances of oxidative stress, and reduce premature skin aging Warming of the ocean “A warming ocean creates conditions similar to growing food on barren land, meaning productivity would be extremely low.” - Harshid Podder There are a billion billion billion phytoplankton on this planet. Each measuring one micron (1000th of a mm). However, their number is dramatically decreasing. If they were to disappear, the whole marine ecosystem would disappear. The result? Our very own disappearance. No plankton means no fish, no local trade and economic collapse. As the climate warms, phytoplankton (which all favour cold water) are at grave risk of collapse. According to NASA, a warming ocean reduces the mixing between surface water and deeper, nutrient-rich water in the oceans. This reduces the nutrients available near the surface. Cúán Greene is a chef and author of the Ómós Digest Newsletter which expounds upon topics relevant to food culture, sharing insights, positing questions and meeting people who are adding to the collective pot. Each month, we share an edited highlights from recent posts. To sign up for a more comprehensive deep-dive, visit omos.co You might be thinking that if phytoplankton are so important to our survival, why suggest eating them? Although wild species can be foraged and harvested, this is not advised. Specific species of phytoplankton are also cultured at labs like Fitoplancton Marino in El Puerto de Santa María. As reported by Fast Company, “It’s not like you can go to the oceans and go, ‘Let’s harvest it and eat it’ ”, says Carlos Unamunzaga, the lab’s general manager. “Even if it was possible to harvest from the wild, you don’t want to deplete the ocean or a marsh.” The company inoculates and raises phytoplankton in a closed system that’s been designed to replicate the natural environment. Unlike the aquaculture industry, which feeds their farmed fish with wild fish (something that makes no sense at all), the only ingredients used at Fitoplancton Marino are CO2, seawater and sunlight. To source my plankton for Iceland, I had to get in touch directly with Plancton Marino. Food for thought: Phytoplankton don’t taste like fish. Because the food for fish is sourced entirely from these microorganisms, instead, fish taste like phytoplankton. Orwell Road A new local restaurant in Rathgar Now open at 8 Orwell Road is the latest restaurant creation by Marc and Conor Bereen. Together with Chef Dan Hannigan, they have created a modern Irish restaurant, offering casual fine dining, with one aim – everything must be delicious. Orwell Road aspires to use as many local, Irish producers and ingredients as possible. Only sourcing from further afield when an Irish alternative is not available. Conor Bereen designed Orwell Road as a contemporary local restaurant. As with sister restaurant Charlotte Quay, the result is a bright, crisp, fresh space with lots of comfort and warmth. The glass panelled frontage inspired various design elements throughout the interior with the sea green Venetian plastered walls adding depth and texture . This is a space that lends itself well to convivial eating, and while stylish and elegant, the focus is on what’s important – the food! Orwell Road 8 Orwell Road, Dublin 6, DO6 H2Y5 www.orwellroad.com • E:info@orwellroad.com +353 1 621 3524 • instagram.com/orwellroad/ Opening Hours: Monday/Tuesday - Closed Wednesday/Thursday/Friday & Sunday - 5pm–10pm Saturday 12pm–3pm 35