Irish moss (drink)

Last updated
Jamaican Irish Moss drink - in can and over ice Jamaican Irish Moss drink - in can and over ice.jpg
Jamaican Irish Moss drink - in can and over ice

Irish moss (or sea moss) is a Jamaican beverage in which the main ingredient is the marine red algae Gracilaria spp. (itself one of several commonly referred by the name of "Irish moss", purportedly introduced to the island's coast by Irish immigrant laborers [1] [2] ), boiled in milk with sugar or honey and various spices added such as vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Depending on the recipe, other ingredients may include sweetened condensed milk and additional thickening agents such as gum arabic or isinglass (fish gelatin), as well as ingredients like rolled oats or linseed oil to add extra fat content. [2] [3] A peanut-flavored version is also widely available, [4] which is based upon another drink popular in Jamaica, peanut punch.

Carrageenan in the cell walls of the seaweed gives the drink a distinctive thick consistency and rich mouthfeel. [1] The Irish moss drink has traditionally been homemade and sold at roadside "punch man" stalls alongside peanut punch and other refreshing drinks, [1] but mass-produced commercial canned versions are now common as well. Irish moss has various health properties and is high in calories and rich in protein, making it a favorite among athletes and bodybuilders. [1] It is reputed to cure digestive problems like ulcers and a tonic for mood disorders. [1] [5] [6] The drink is widely marketed as an aphrodisiac for men. [1] [2] [5] It is often available at bars in Jamaica as a mixer for rum, whiskey [1] or even Guinness stout. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American cuisine</span> Food culture of the United States

American cuisine consists of the cooking style and traditional dishes prepared in the United States. It has been significantly influenced by Europeans, Indigenous Americans, Africans, Latin Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and many other cultures and traditions. Principal influences on American cuisine are European, Native American, soul food, regional heritages including Cajun, Louisiana Creole, Pennsylvania Dutch, Mormon foodways, Texan, Tex-Mex, New Mexican, and Tlingit, and the cuisines of immigrant groups such as Chinese American, Italian American, Jewish American, Greek American and Mexican American. The large size of America and its long history of immigration have created an especially diverse cuisine that varies by region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Malaysia

Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indonesian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Indonesia

Indonesian cuisine is a collection of various regional culinary traditions that formed in the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. There are a wide variety of recipes and cuisines in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 populated islands of the total 17,508 in the world's largest archipelago, with more than 1,300 ethnic groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punch (drink)</span> Drink containing fruit or fruit juice

The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.

Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavours and spices influenced by Amerindian, West African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island. It is also influenced by the crops introduced into the island from tropical Southeast Asia, many of which are now grown locally. A wide variety of seafood, tropical fruits and meats are available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eggnog</span> Sweetened dairy-based beverage

Eggnog, historically also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic beverages are added, is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage. It is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites. A distilled spirit such as brandy, rum, whiskey or bourbon is often a key ingredient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coconut milk</span> Liquid extracted from coconuts

Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingredient used in Southeast Asia, Oceania, South Asia, and East Africa. It is also used for cooking in the Caribbean, tropical Latin America, and West Africa, where coconuts were introduced during the colonial era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinidad and Tobago cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago has a unique history and its food is influenced by Indian-South Asian, West African, Creole, European, American, Chinese, Amerindian, and Latin American culinary styles. Trinidadian and Tobagonian food is dominated by a wide selection of dishes, most notably, doubles, roti, pelau, callaloo and curried crab and dumplings. Trinidad and Tobago is also known for its prepared provisions, such as dasheen, sweet potato, eddoes, cassava, yam, soups and stews, also known as blue food across the country. Corresponding to the Blue Food Day event held annually in Trinidad and Tobago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milo (drink)</span> Chocolate and malt powder drink produced by Nestlé

Milo is a chocolate-flavoured malted powder product produced by Nestlé, typically mixed with milk, hot water, or both, to produce a beverage. It was originally developed in Australia by Thomas Mayne (1901–1995) in 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callaloo</span> Caribbean vegetable dish

Callaloo is a plant used in popular dishes in many Caribbean countries, while for other Caribbean countries, a stew made with the plant is called callaloo. Cuisines including the plant Callaloo or dishes called callaloo varies throughout the Caribbean. In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago or Grenada, the dish itself is called callaloo, and uses taro leaves or Xanthosoma leaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filipino cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of the Philippines

Filipino cuisine is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Filipino cuisine are from the food traditions of various ethnolinguistic groups and tribes of the archipelago, including the Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano, Visayan, Chavacano, and Maranao ethnolinguistic groups. The dishes associated with these groups evolved over the centuries from a largely indigenous base shared with maritime Southeast Asia with varied influences from Chinese, Spanish, and American cuisines, in line with the major waves of influence that had enriched the cultures of the archipelago, and adapted using indigenous ingredients to meet local preferences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liqueur coffee</span> Coffee-based cocktail

A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a shot of liqueur, mixed with coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in different fashions and can be found throughout many countries. One of the most popular liqueur coffee beverage is commonly known as Irish coffee. Liqueur coffee beverages are largely classified as cocktails as well as digestifs which are aimed at aiding the digestive process typically after a meal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baingan bharta</span> Indian dish, bearing a resemblance to baba ghanoush

Baigan bharta, also spelled bainganbharta or baigan chokha is an Indian dish prepared by mashing or mincing grilled eggplant (baigan) with tomato, onion, herbs and spices, with variations being common from chef to chef. Traditionally, cooking the eggplants over charcoals, inside of a tandoor, barbecue grill or oven, or even directly applying flame to the outside of the fruit infuses the dish with a smoky flavour; the blackened skin is then easily peeled and the eggplant may be further prepared.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fijian cuisine</span> Food culture of the Fijian Islands

Fijian cuisine has long consisted of primarily foraged and farm-grown food. Although rice, wheat, and tea all became staples during Fiji's colonial era, native Fijians still eat primarily tubers and coconuts. The cuisine of Fiji is known for its seafood and various green vegetables, including ''ota'', a young forest fern, and ''bele'', a plant that resembles spinach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peanut punch</span> Drink

Peanut punch is a beverage that is popular in the Caribbean. The main ingredients of the drink include peanuts/peanut butter, milk and sugar. However, variations occur whereby regular milk is often replaced or added to a mixture including condensed milk, spices, corn flakes, Angostura bitters, glucose powder and quite often granola mix. The drink is often regarded by some to be an aphrodisiac due to its high fat, protein and overall energy content.

Ohn no khao swè is a Burmese dish consisting of wheat noodles in a curried chicken and coconut milk broth thickened with gram flour. It features wheat noodles in a rich broth made with curried chicken and coconut milk, thickened with gram flour. Crispy fried bean fritters, hard-boiled eggs, sliced raw onions, chili peppers, and crispy noodles are added to the dish. Fish sauce and lime or lemon juice are then drizzled over everything.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chadian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Chad

Chadian cuisine is the cooking traditions, practices, foods and dishes associated with the Republic of Chad. Chadians use a medium variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and meats. Commonly consumed grains include millet, sorghum, and rice as staple foods. Commonly eaten vegetables include okra and cassava. A variety of fruits are also eaten. Meats include mutton, chicken, pork, goat, fish, lamb and beef. The day's main meal is typically consumed in the evening on a large communal plate, with men and women usually eating in separate areas. This meal is typically served on the ground upon a mat, with people sitting and eating around it.

Stew peas is a Jamaican stew prepared using coconut milk, beans and salted meat. It is a common dish in Jamaica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samalamig</span> Filipino sweet-chilled beverages

Samalamig, also known as palamig, is a collective term for various Filipino sweet chilled beverages that usually include jelly-like ingredients. They come in various flavors, and are commonly sold by street vendors as refreshments. Typical ingredients of the drinks include gulaman (agar), sago pearls, kaong, tapioca pearls, nata de coco, and coconut. They are usually anglicized as pearl coolers or pearl and jelly coolers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 cecilyannwong. "Jamaica's Gooey Aphrodisiac". Atlas Obscura.
  2. 1 2 3 Murphy, Winsome (September 20, 2010). "The Irish Moss is a seaweed that was original found near Ireland hence the name. [..]". Jamaicans.com.
  3. 1 2 ChefSian (February 7, 2017). "Chef Sian's Irish Moss Drink Recipe".
  4. Sam Hughes (May 2013). "Have You Ever Tried These Jamaican Irish Moss Drinks?". Serious Eats. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  5. 1 2 Bennett, Steve (February 14, 2011). "Taste of the Caribbean: Sea Moss, the Caribbean's Potent Sex Potion | Caribbean |". Uncommon Caribbean.
  6. Stoloff, L. (1949). "Irish Moss: From an Art to an Industry". Economic Botany. 3 (4): 428–435. doi:10.1007/BF02859174. JSTOR   4251956. S2CID   19580271.