Mytilus Edulis is the Latin name for mussels, it is a real delicacy in Belgium and you can only eat it a couple of months a year, well you could it the whole year trough but it isn’t the same. Mussels seasons starts beginning of July and probably by the end of August beginning of September the best Mussels are served.

The biggest mussel centre is based in Yerseke (the Netherlands), here you can find the only mussel auction in the world.

Mussels seed forms the base of the mussel growth. It is only a couple of years allowed to fish out the mussel seed. After that the mussels seed is sown in marked out parcels, here it will grow until a length of 4 to 5 centimetres. After that the mussels are fished out again and sown out in parcels that are rich of vegetable plankton. These parcels are shallow, here the mussels are purified by nature.

Zeeland mussels are not just from Yerseke, if the mussels have been processed in the parcels from Yerseke they receive the etiquette, mussels from Germany, Spain,"go through the same cleansing process in the parcels of Yerseke.

The mussels can be put into categories, 5 different and depending how many mussels per kilo. The biggest is Goudmerk, less then 43 mussels per kilo, after in line are the Jumbo, Imperial, Super and last Extra, of more then 70 mussels per kilo.

There are a lot of varieties to prepare mussels, you can add wine, cream, garlic, but the best way to prepare mussels is the most simple way: with a mixture of vegetables (celery, onion, parsley, carrots) which are fried and steamed together with the mussels in a mussel pot, served with French fries or bread and mussel sauce. To drink a glass of cold beer or a white wine.

In the spring and summer time you can loaf about the streets of Brussels and Antwerp, unless you want to eat fast food you can’t find any restaurant that doesn’t serve mussels. De Peerdestal, Appelmans, De Roden Hoed, Comme Chez Soit, and many more restaurants. The average family in Belgium prepares the mussels also at home, gathered around the table after a beautiful sunny day, nothing can beat this marvellous dish.

tags: Mussels, Belgium Delicacy, food beverages