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  • Jar of Welsh Laverbread
  • spoon full of Welsh Laverbread
  • Jar of Welsh Laverbread The Beachfood Company
  • Opened jar of Welsh Laverbread

Laverbread Seaweed Puree

Regular price £4.95
Unit price per
Perishable Product! Next Day shipping required.
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Next Day shipping - under £100 - £13.50

Laverbread the culinary DNA of Wales, a food icon and one of the food wonders of the world. Versatile and nutritious, it's one of Wales's greatest treasures, with a history that goes back for centuries.

*DO NOT REFREEZE*
This product is sent frozen and may defrost in transit, so it is unsuitable for refreezing.

Pickup available at Câr-y-Môr

What is it?

Despite its name, Laverbread is not a type of bread at all, it is a puree which is made from laver seaweed that has been slowly simmered for several hours. Laverbread is the cooked version of 'laver' - Porphyra seaweed - a diaphanous red algae found abundantly along Wales's rocky coastline. This laver seaweed is hand-gathered in a sustainable manner from the UK coastline. It is then washed and cooked for several hours before being blended into a delicious puree. It is considered to be a delicacy for many and has become known as 'Welshaman's Caviar'.

What does it taste like?

Laverbread has this innate ability to make everything taste good. Maybe it's what the Japanese call "Umami” which means "essence of deliciousness" and is one of the core tastes including elements of Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Savoury and Salty.

As a standalone ingredient, it is something that has the marmite effect. It has an Olive Mariney flavour and may not be a food you will fall in love with straight away. It needs time to take in and appreciate its versatility and depth of flavour.

Walter Davies who found himself travelling through Milford Haven in 1805 has a good way of putting it:

"I never had seen it till I came into this country, and found myself, from its hue and consistency, so prejudiced against its appearance, that it was with difficulty I was prevailed on to taste it; but, my taste soon reproached, me for my squeamishness; and I have never since exposed myself to a repetition of such reproaches when I have had an opportunity of falling in with this best of all mutton sauces".

For the uninitiated out there, be more like Walter Davies and give it a try. Once you take this first tentative step you will soon be eating laverbread like an old sea dog, just toast with lots of laverbread on it!

National Laverbread Day

To celebrate laverbread we have started National Laverbread Day which takes place every year on April 14th. Visit laverbreadday.co.uk for more information.

Nutritional Benefits

Laver, the king of seaweed superfoods

"Laver seaweed contains more vitamins and minerals than any land-based vegetable".

"Gram for gram, Laver contains more protein than chicken."

"Laver contains 10x as much vitamin A as spinach and 4x times as much vitamin C as apples”.

Laverbread is rich in potassium, manganese, iron, calcium, and protein. The level of protein is the highest of all the seaweeds and said it can be between 30 - 50% protein. I found this percentage staggering and didn't quite believe it so I've been sending a sample of dried laver to the labs every month for a year to monitor protein levels and how they change according to the seasons: On average per 100g sample, dried laver holds 35% protein, which is amazing, this means, gram for gram, Laver contains more protein than chicken.

In addition, Laverbread is a powerhouse of vitamins and amino acids and has particularly high concentrations of Vitamin A, B2, B9, and C. Amino acids are essential for muscle development and strength. Vitamin A is important for the immune system and helps support bone health and eye health. Vitamin B9 is important in red blood cell formation and healthy cell growth. Vitamin C helps boost antioxidant levels, lower blood pressure and helps the body repair itself.

“Out of all the seaweeds Laver is the healthiest, it's the king of all the seaweeds”.

  • A
  • B2
  • B9
  • C
  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Potassium
  • Manganese

Ingredients

Laver seaweed, salt.

Allergens

Cannot guarantee free from crustaceans and molluscs.

Storage

Shipped frozen, arrives chilled - Keep in the fridge and use within 10 days of receipt.

*DO NOT REFREEZE*
This product is sent frozen and may defrost in transit, so it is unsuitable for refreezing.

How to use it

Traditionally laverbread was for many years and to this day eaten as part of breakfast in Wales. The laverbread is mixed with porridge oats to make patties that are then fried alongside bacon, eggs and sometimes cockles.

However, this ingredient is so versatile and packs such fantastic flavour that the only limitation to its use is your imagination. Simple recipes such as mixing laverbread with salted butter open up a world of possibilities from pan-fried lobster to bacon butties to pasta. Or try adding a spoonful to your mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs for making a protein-rich breakfast.

Sensational Laverbread recipes

Steak, Oyster, Guinness and Laverbread recipe.

Chorizo, Laverbread and Pea Soup (with vegan alternatives).

Cod with Tomato and Laverbread sauce.

More Laverbraed recipes

The story of Laverbread

No one knows precisely when people in west Wales first started eating laver, some say it was first introduced as a survival food by the Vikings, while others say it goes back to the very first inhabitants of Wales. It may have been the first coastal inhabitants who took that bold step into the unknown world of laver seaweed and put it on their plate!
In doing so it started a food culinary wonder which became the very fabric of Welsh culture and traditions. It was iconic seaweed huts at Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, which inspired Jonathan to start The Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, Cafe Mor, and Barti Ddu Rum. We believe Wales and beyond should be singing about Laverbread as loud as they can.

Laverbread has to be one of the food wonders of the world, (note that Jonathan is Welsh and so completely biased);

It is only found in Wales

It is harvested from rocks in the wilds of West Wales which have the second largest tidal range in the world and takes the full force of the Atlantic storms

Not many other foods take several hours to cook.

No other food looks so unappealing after several hours of cooking

It is a powerhouse of nutrients, vitamins and minerals

Its versatility is only being discovered now in modern-day cooking

It tastes sublime or as the Japanese say has an "essence of deliciousness"

It is the untamed mysterious lady of the seaweed world, constantly changing its mind where it grows and when it grows. I spend my days endlessly chasing it around the coastline.

Laver has one of the strangest and most complicated life cycles where it can be both male and female, and at one stage of its life is neither. You could even call it the original non-binary life form.

Laverbread has been nicknamed 'the weed of hireath' a Welsh word which is not easily translated but more or less means: "It's a kind of longing for a person, a place or a time that you can't get back to, a kind of unattainable longing," explained Marian Brosschot, a Welsh language officer currently working in Trelew, Patagonia.

Laverbread embodies this memory, sense of time, belonging, myth, values, meaning, sense of place and belief. Maybe think of it as severe nostalgia with a dash of sadness and a sprinkle of happiness at the same time.

Shipping Policy

Shipping Charges

Our current charge for UK shipping is £9.50 with free delivery for any orders £50 and over. Our method of shipping depends on the product bought, for all perishable items, Shellfish etc, we ship via APC and all non-perishables its via Royal Mail's Tracked 48 service. These charges may be subject to change but will be clearly displayed at checkout. We also offer an express delivery option. Please see below for more details.

International Shipping

Unfortunately we are not able to ship internationally...Yet but watch this space!

Method of Delivery

We generally use APC & Royal Mail couriers to deliver our products but it may be necessary at times to use other companies/methods of delivery.

Delivery Time

We endeavour to ensure all orders are processed in a timely and prompt manner and shipped as quickly as possible. Please allow 1-3 working days from the date of order. 

Notification of Shipment

You should receive notification by email when your order has been processed and shipped.

Queries regarding Ordering and Shipping.

If your query is of an urgent nature or you are having any issues with processing your order online, then please call our contact number during office hours.

If you have a general enquiry, then please use our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Frozen Products

Our Frozen products (Butters, Pesto and Laverbread) are shipped in protective wool cool packaging so that they arrive with you chilled and are  "ready to use" . Please ensure that they are kept refrigerated and used within 10 days of opening/receipt. If ordering frozen products, please ensure you are able to receive their delivery as we may not be able to assist with the replacement of goods that have been subject to a failed delivery that is not due to an issue relating to PBFC or our courier/postal service. 

Express Delivery 

Our express delivery service which will be delivered our Courier, APC within 1-2 working days. Please note this is working days and does include Saturday's or the day of order. Please select the relevant option at checkout. Please note that it is not always possible to dispatch Frozen products on a Saturday or Sunday using our express delivery service - due to the logistics of products needing to arrive with you chilled, Orders placed on Fridays or over the weekend may be delivered on either the Monday or the Tuesday of the following week (Please refer to previous notes regarding Frozen goods and Friday ordering).

Returns Policy

We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchases. If you are unhappy with your product then please let us know as soon as possible and you will be given the option of either a refund (within 30 days) or a voucher code against a future purchase, to be confirmed by our sales team. We would not expect you to return perishable items so either we would resend your item or refund, however we would expect you to notify us on the day of delivery if there are any issues with your package contents.

We have a 30-day return policy for non perishable items, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unused and preferably unopened and it must be in its original packaging. You will also need to quote your order number/reference as proof of purchase.

To start a return please contact us at sales@carymor.wales  giving full details of your intended return and quoting your order/reference number. If your return is accepted, we’ll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.

You can always contact us for any return questions at sales@carymor.wales.

Please ensure that items are kept in the correct manner, as noted on the product label/packaging, until their return.

Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon receipt and contact us immediately if any item is defective, damaged or if you have received the wrong item.

Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of Beach Food items cannot be returned, like perishable goods such as chilled and frozen items, seafood and other certain foodstuffs. Any custom weighed and packaged products and certain special orders or personalised labelled items. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item. It may be possible to still consider a refund and we may request photographic evidence to support your refund request.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards and vouchers.

Exchanges
It may be possible for us to exchange products that do not fall under the exceptions/non-returnable items section above. The fastest way to ensure you receive an exchange is to contact us with your exchange/return details, request a refund and make a separate purchase for the new item.

Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded via your original payment method. Please remember it can take at least 5-7 days for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund back to you, once we have issued it.

 

  • ★★★★★

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