Samphire


Samphire is a name given to a number of succulent salt-tolerant plants that tend to be associated with water bodies.
Originally "sampiere", a corruption of the French "Saint Pierre", samphire was named after the patron saint of fishermen because all of the original plants with its name grow in rocky salt-sprayed regions along the sea coast of northern Europe or in its coastal marsh areas. It is sometimes called rock samphire or seafennel. In North Wales, especially along the River Dee's marshes, it has always been known as sampkin.
Also in Italy, along the Adriatic coast, there is a great heritage about rock samphire in local dishes.
Following the construction of the Channel Tunnel, the nature reserve created on new land near Folkestone made from excavated rock was named "Samphire Hoe".

Uses

ashes were used to make soap and glass as it was a source of sodium carbonate, also known as soda ash. In the 14th century glassmakers located their workshops near regions where this plant grew, since it was so closely linked to their trade.
Many samphires are edible. In England the leaves were gathered early in the year and pickled or eaten in salads with oil and vinegar.
Marsh samphire was investigated as a potential biodiesel source that can be grown in coastal areas where conventional crops cannot be grown.
Rock Samphire is another kind of samphire, also called Seafennel. It is mentioned by Shakespeare in King Lear:
This refers to the dangers involved in collecting rock samphire on sea cliffs.
Also Aboriginal Australians have long used samphire as bush tucker, due to its abundance, flavour and nutritional value. It is high in Vitamin A and a good source of calcium and iron. Other Australians have recently discovered the potential of the species as a food plant and it has begun to appear on restaurant menus across the country.
There is a very well known kind of rock samphire even in Italy along the Adriatic coast. It's named and this is a very typical product used in local recipes such as a mortadella and paccasasso sandwich, pasta with mussels and paccasassi, or in fresh salad.