As so often happens with my blog, I return to the subject of food. In Britain we call them mussels, and they are usually eaten at the seaside, covered in salt and vinegar, maybe a sprinkle of pepper and accompanied by a hunk of bread. In Belgium they are a gastronomic sensation, given the same status as...actually that's a good point, I'm not sure that there is an equivalent in Britain. In Belgium, when mosselen come into season, you will see many restaurants and cafés put up fancy posters announcing the new crop, these posters usually have a photo of a happy couple laughing as they walk along a beach somewhere, no doubt thrilled with anticipation of an evening plucking mosselen from their shells. Occasionally a child will appear on the poster, next to a happy couple, who will be just as happy, if not more so, than his good looking parents!Some restaurant owners advertise mosselen by putting a giant mossel outside their establishment. The giant mossel is as big as a Shetland Pony and I often think that if only mosselen were that big, then they would be worth eating! Or maybe someone could invent a mossel with an edible shell! The truth is that mosselen are really healthy foods, high in omega 3 and low in fat. Because of this they are genetically coded to have no taste and all healthy properties are immediately negated because people will dip them in mayonnaise! We had our once a year meal of mosselen last night. My stomach thought my throat had been cut and to compensate I had to have a big bowl of ice cream later, which again totally screwed up the healthy qualities of the mossel.
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