Comments on: (Low) Tech Cooking: Foraging for Uni

By: Dave A

Dave A — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:36:29 +0000

JohnnyD
Wow. I love the information. Thanks.

By: johnnyd

johnnyd — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:55:18 +0000

Hi Dave,
I do believe they are coming from deeper water. When we collected urchins, the color of the roe set the market price. Bright, orange color fetch the highest price. We discovered early that the best color were harvested from shallow waters. Urchins collected below 50 feet had less desirable color because there was less quality-feed available. More kelp grew at the surf- zone where better light promoted growth. We always thought that once the shallow areas were clear of urchins, their brethren in deeper waters could crawl up and take their place. Seems that is exactly what’s happened. The fact they took several years to do it is no surprise – they don’t exactly run away from you.

By: Dave A

Dave A — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:41:10 +0000

Hi Johnny D.
I like that term –honey hole. I still can’t believe it. The both of us just burst out laughing when we found it. We had to be careful not to step on them (we didn’t want to damage any we weren’t going to eat). There were several other spots like it in the area, but another spot less than a quarter mile away that we had used in previous years was at normal levels. Go figure. Do you really think they are coming from deeper water?
Dave

By: johnnyd

johnnyd — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:34:34 +0000

When I dove for sea urchins years ago, we would call that kind of collection a “honey hole”. I see by your picture that it’s clear, as we predicted, that urchins from deeper waters have crawled up to feed at the surf-zone.

By: foodplayer

foodplayer — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:09:08 +0000

20(or so) years ago… Halibut Point, Rockport, Massachusetts (when it was just a quarry)… sitting on the edge of the Atlantic… crystalline day, seeing clear to Kennebunkport… watching the tide go out… tidal pools teeming with starfish and sea urchin… breaking them open with sharp stones… scooping out the gonads with pierced, bleeding fingers… first taste of uni, like nectar from the sea… unforgettable.

Thanks for the memory Dave.

By: kwak

kwak — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:03:32 +0000

jealous. did the kids eat the uni, too?

By: sarahsbooks

sarahsbooks — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:28:15 +0000

I’m a painter and I’m lucky enough to visit Bear Island in late June (I stay at Birch Lodge). Next year I’ll be on the lookout for the wild greens you mentioned…

By: Dave A

Dave A — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:56:53 +0000

Thanks for the kind words Ben.

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:32:29 +0000

Dave, I already love the blog, but I can’t tell you how excited I was to read this post in particular. I moved from Brooklyn back to Maine (my home state) last October. Over the winter I started collecting foraging books, including Euell’s. You are right on point, looking for and finding wild things to eat really is a thrill. Thanks for putting Maine and foraging in Cooking Issues.. keep up the great work

By: Sean S

Sean S — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Did you know:

Uni’s “mouth parts,” also called Aristotle’s Lantern, is the second most complex biomechanical structure in existence.

Number 1? The human hand.

Just for fun.