Tune in tonight on PBS to see the latest episode of Hope in the Water which features the incredible work of our friends at The Cultured Abalone Farm in Santa Barbara, CA who are growing Purple Sea Urchins & Abalone!
Introducing Purple Hotchi
Purple Urchin uni, Purple Hotchi, derives its name from "hotchi-witchi," an English Romani word meaning hedgehog, or "forest urchin."
The Problem with Purple Sea Urchins
In the ocean, purple sea urchins are notorious for their insatiable appetite, consuming all the kelp and seaweeds in their path. These urchins can create vast areas known as “urchin barrens,” where the seafloor is stripped bare. Without food, these “zombie urchins” sit and wait for new growth, living without nourishment for extended periods and failing to produce roe, making them economically worthless.
The Culinary and Ecological Solution
Uni, the roe of sea urchins, is a delicacy long harvested off the California coast. While red urchins are prized for their size and yield, purple urchins have been ignored due to their inconsistency and lack of market value. This has changed thanks to a unique partnership in Santa Barbara. The Cultured Abalone Farm has teamed up with commercial urchin divers Harry Liquornik and Stephanie Mutz to tackle this ecological issue and create a novel food product. Starving purple urchins are collected from the wild and fattened on fresh, natural seaweeds at the farm. Over ten weeks, these urchins transform into Purple Hotchis—sweet, plump, and ready for your enjoyment.
Tune in to Hope in the Water Episode 3 to see how our food choices impact the world we live in. Diversifying our seafood diets helps mitigate pressure on wild stocks and aids in ocean healing.
Thank you for being part of the Seatopia community and supporting sustainable seafood practices. Together, we can make a difference!
Thank you for being part of the Seatopia community and supporting sustainable seafood practices. Together, we can make a difference!
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