Iceland moss

Cetraria islandica

infusion

A bitter lichen, soaked then cooked in milk or ground into bread in Iceland; it gels as it cools.

Origin

Iceland and Arctic regions

Where to find it

On the heaths and lava fields of Iceland and in the mountains of Scandinavia and the Alps; in Iceland, it is still sold dried, in packets, in grocery stores.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

Always soaked, water discarded, to remove its bitter acids. It concentrates air pollutants: never gather it near towns.

Molecules

Mucilages

Did you know?

It is neither a moss nor a plant: it is a partnership between a fungus and an alga.