Welshman’s caviar (bara lawr)

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 27 Feb 2023
  • 876 reads
11 comments
 

I have good memories of freshly cooked laverbread brought home by my mother from Cardiff market.

Vitamins and minerals galore –
apparently, much more
than in any land-veg, and protein rich,
Porphyra seaweed slowly simmered many hours and then sold –
looks unappealing – gloopy greeny-black splodge,
even when rolled
in oats and fried with bacon at its side
but mmmm!
the taste is gentle and delightful,
complimentary to the salty bacon:
black gold!

[IP: vegetables]

(the pictorial represetation of both bacon and laverbread are not good, but if you haven't seen or tasted you can google!)

 

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Nature
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

Black gold. Mmmmm....anything that goes with salty bacon. It all sounds so delicious. And who knew there was a Welshman's caviar?! :)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Paul!

I think some call it that, who really love it's taste, and because it has to be collected.

Some can't get used to it, maybe can't get past the unusual look?! I don't think my husband quite got used to it, and now I'd have to send for it, and probably get so little that way, and would it taste the same?? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I've never had Porphya seaweed, but I do know the Welsh have a love for it. The way you describe it in your poem makes it sounds so tasty.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. The taste is so mild, it is hard to understand those who don't seem to like it, but these things are different when you grow up with them. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I've heard of laverbread but never tried it - though I would if I saw some now you've given it a good review!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I think one mustn't assume it might taste strong and odd because of the look ! If you do ever try it, I hope you enjoy the experience. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I didn't know about it being fried with bacon. I get quite a lot of sea weed from Amazon, which is silly living by the sea, but people here say don't get stuff off the beach on this side because of sewage etc, though I always wish I could take it fresh, it looks so tempting :0) Have not tried lava bread, like you say it is expensive, have seen it on Amazon in tins. Interesting to read your poem's account of how it should be!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

What kind of seaweeds do you buy from Amazon? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Nori, Kombu and Wakame

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I heard a radio programme about it a while back - this might be it?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p025m094

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, thank you! I enjoyed watching that! Could have been my grandmother in her kitchen!

I think he should have had something else with it, not just on its own. But any new taste often takes some time, I think. I never thought of it as fishy taste, but as I said we ate it with bacon, and maybe fried eggs, bread etc But many don't realise that it is a mild taste. Rhiannon