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The mussel has a smooth, bluish black shell, which is elongated and
somewhat pear-shaped. The inside of the shell is pearly violet or white,
and quite beautiful. Projecting out from between the shells on one side
is a bundle of tough, brown fibers called the byssal threads or byssus,
more commonly known as the beard. Mussels use these fibers to anchor to
rocks, pilings, and other mussels. This species may grow to 4 inches long
and can often be found living with barnacles and seaweed on rocks and
pilings in brackish waters. Blue mussels are distributed worldwide in most polar and temperate waters. Off North America, they occur from Canada to North Carolina. As demand increases, wild populations must be supplemented by aquaculture so that depletion of national beds does not occur. Demand surpassed supply in Europe a long time ago, and their mussel culture has been going on for 300 years. Mussel popularity and the need for aquaculture are more in the U.S.; however, successful commercial farms already exist in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Washington. Mussels are cultured by three basic methods, rope culture (plastic ropes or mesh tubes hanging from rafts), bouchot culture (using posts instead of ropes), and beach culture (bottom culture). Mussels are the most efficient feeders compared to other shellfish. They have a third more protein than oysters. A mussel will filter 10-15 gallons of water a day, consuming virtually everything in it. Like clams, mussels are monitored for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). In 1987, 107 Canadians became ill after consuming cultured blue mussels harvested off Prince Edward Island. The illness was called amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) since some of the severely ill patients experienced persistent short-term memory loss. The mussels that caused the outbreak were found to contain demonic acid, a toxin not previously found in shellfish. As a result, mussels are monitored to assure their safety. Why do some mussels have orange meat and others have white meat? Seafood Leader states "The orange-tinted meats are mature females, while the ivory meats are males and immature females. While some aficionados maintain that mature females taste better, there's no scientific evidence to back this up. Culinary Description The main mussel product forms are live, frozen meats; marinated; and smoked meats. The best way to cook mussels is to steam them. Steaming them with clams is a heavenly combination. Wild mussels are good, but not as consistent as cultured, which will have a slightly shorter shelf life. Clean and remove the byssal threads just before cooking, also making sure they are alive (shells tightly closed). You'll meet with resistance if you slide the shells apart between your fingers. Always store in open containers that allow for draining and never store in direct contact with melted ice or water. Steam in a covered pot with 1/2 cup of water or wine for five-seven minutes or until mussels open wide. Steam in your microwave on HIGH for five-seven minutes with fresh garlic and olive oil and you'll have a wonderful treat. |
