Anne Hickey, age 9, of York Co., N.B., Canada for her question:

What is Irish moss?

Irish moss is not a member of the plant family of true mosses. Nor does it grow in Ireland, at least not upon the dry land of Ireland. It may, however, be found in the salty waters of the seas around Ireland, in seawater around England and North America. For Irish moss is a seaweed. Its color may be muddy green, purple, or rusty red. Its ragged foliage is thick, and the ends of its trailing streamers may be shaped like wavy fans.

This ragged jagged seaweed is gathered for the market. It is carefully washed and dried in the sun, and its rich sea colors become bleached to white. It is made into powdery substances and used to thicken soups and pudding mixtures.