How sea cucumbers fished from the North Atlantic are making their way onto the plates of enthusiastic diners in China and North America

Sea cucumbers are broadly misunderstood by North Americans.

Some people are put off by their appearance; others think they’re vegetables. It’s not surprising. If you aren’t aware of their traditional role in Chinese cuisine or their nutritional value, it’s reasonable to make assumptions about the slimy, tubular blobs lurking around on the sea floor. If we get scientific about it, those blobs are echinoderms—part of the same family as starfish and sea urchins—and in Atlantic Canada, the cucumaria frondosa, also known as orange-footed sea cucumbers, are the dominant species.

While North America largely ignores the potential contained in these slippery creatures, many countries have celebrated them for hundreds of years. Sea cucumbers are a delicacy in several Asian countries, including Malaysia, Japan and Korea, but they’re most commonly eaten in China. There, they’re quite literally a food fit for royalty—having gained popularity during the Ming Dynasty, when they started showing up on palace tables. They’re also known for their nutritional value, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Continue reading this story: click below to login/subscribe

Login or Subscribe