Emerald Cove Silver Grade Kombu (Dried Seaweed), 35-Ounce Bag

I was taken aback when I opened the door and had a box from Amazon that measures 3'2" x 11.5" x 3.5"!! I had no idea how much kombu you get in 35 ounces (1 kg), until I saw this package. The actual package from Emerald Cove is 17" x 6.5" x 3" of 100% kombu. It will last for years if packaged correctly away from moisture. This package has 250 servings using a 1" x 4" piece. I am very happy because I pay almost $7 for a small 2.5 ounce package at my local natural foods store. I use kombu as a flavor additive in soups and stews, and for its rich sea mineral content of potassium, iodine and calcium -- unlike any other food. It does contain MSG naturally found in the sea, which enhances any food. Cooking with kombu doesn't add a fishy or seafood taste in the food - at all. It's surprising. The quality looks good for how I use it (which isn't for kelp salad). I'm very pleased with this purchase.

There is nothing wrong with the quality of this kombu, which is a product of South Korea. Meanwhile, Emerald Cove's wakame is a product of China (because it is farmed near the Shandong Peninsula of China). Emerald Cove also sells an expensive seaweed medley product from Japan, which must be ordered directly from their website. Yes, wakame and nori are more popular than kombu because they are easier to use and somewhat more deliicious than kombu. However, the seaweed soup from both kombu and wakame are extremely delicious. Simply add boiling hot water to strips of dried kombu in a 16-ounce cup. Next, discard the seaweed soup, which is too salty. Next, add boiling hot water again to the rehydrated kombu. Finally, enjoy the delicious seaweed soup. Unfortunately, sea salt is not good for our health because it causes high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, and osteoporosis. However, the biological nutrients in the kombu are extremely good for our health.

This is my second time ordering this product. I didn't really know what to do with these big pieces of kombu the first time, except put a piece in a pot of beans, rice or soup. Some of the pieces are on the thick side, but not all. With my second order I ground up a bunch of it using a nutri bullet to make a powdered seasoning. I sprinkled some of it on a bowl of brown jasmine rice and gave it a minute to hydrate. It has a wonderful oceanic flavor. As someone who loves the ocean, yet happens to live in a dry climate far from the ocean I couldn't be happier. My main complaint is that the packaging is not ideal. It comes in a large plastic bag that isn't resealable. Due to the long, large size of the product, there are no zip-lock bags that it could be transferred into. I cut the first 4-5 inches off all of the pieces to grind them up, leaving enough extra plastic to hold a rubber band, which solved this dilemma. I have not found a better deal for kombu elsewhere online, although maybe there are good prices at asian grocery stores. I'm a fan of blue zone/longevity diets and the Okinawan people, who are known for their longevity eat a lot of kombu. Japanese people in general seems to incorporate it into their diet a good amount and Japan has the longest average lifespan out of all the other countries researched. I don't know how much of that is thanks to the kombu, but it is interesting that all the blue zone/longevity communities are coastal. With kombu being a sea food, there does seem to be a correlation.

This seaweed doesn't taste great, and it's very hard to eat raw (I think you're supposed to cook it to eat it). But it's very high in iodine which is why I bought it, and a serving size is very small so it will last a long time. Great deal.

I have been eating this GES Kombu for years. I like this seaweed taste very much and trust the GES quality.

Great lamaria seaweed product. This seaweed can be cooked with dried beans and it gives the enzymes needed to digest the beans without the usual problem many people have. It's great in any dish too.

It is delightful to be able to purchase this item in such huge quantity! I make miso soup daily, and I just break off a few pieces of this each time and it lasts literally forever.

I use a lot of this stuff because that's how I like my dashi. This is a staple food for my family. My 93- year -old father expects miso soup every morning. The whole family loves it. I've used other kombu. This has really good flavor. One package lasts me about a year. For the first dashi I bring it just to a boil. Then I take it out and freeze it. For the second dashi I take the used kombu and simmer it for a while. I also use it to cook beans.