Take a pound of giant kelp, add a pint of bourbon, mix well in a blender. To thicken the brew use agar as required. Serve over ice and decorate with bladder wrack. A whack* might even try it.
(*whack = oddball)
When I first heard about the Kelp Lab, I had vision of serving emulsified kelp cocktails and suspended shrimp appetizers to a thirsty and hungry public. The aquarium founders were wiser. They prescribed food for thought for visitors and guides alike. And a very successful recipe it is! I would like to share the following tidbits with fellow guides.
California's Department of Fish and Game regulates the harvesting of giant kelp. Did you know that no more than 5% of the harvest can be bull kelp? This requirement provides an excellent opportunity to explain to a visitor the differences in the life cycles of these two large brown algae.
In the U.S. giant kelp was first exploited during World War I as a fertilizer substituting for German potash. The algin extraction was developed in the early 1930's and is now the most important use of Macrocystis. I found it intriguing that during World War II divers for agar (used as a growth medium in biological work) were exempted from the draft because its supply had to be assured.
"Have you found the logo yet?" while pointing to the logo on the visitor's brochure usually produces a startled "Am I supposed to?" A boy impressed his dad because he had seen the logo outside the aquarium.
"Let me show you the growing tip of giant kelp" definitely produces a positive response from a visitor. The same question also works well at the Kelp Forest exhibit, especially when growing tips are at eye level. Less direct questions like, "Would you like me to show you the logo?" may be more appropriate at times. Discover for yourself how best to interpret kelp and our logo at the Kelp Lab.
When you need information about Kelp Lab invertebrates, there's nothing better than David Shonman's notes. These bulletins provide a wealth of information to put a "wow" and a happy smile on a visitor's face.
Appeared May 1987. Added to home page : Jan. 01, 1996. HFM