What is it?
Agar was first discovered in the mid-17th century by Mino Tarozaemon, a Japanese innkeeper, when the seaweed was left outside his inn overnight and froze. With repeated thawing, pressing and freezing, a pure, dry, papery product was obtained, which the Japanese call kanten. Kanten, means “cold weather.” Agar is a perfect vegetarian substitute for animal based gelatin in any food based application. It can also serve as an excellent thickener for soups, jellies, ice cream, and more dishes.
