Why we should use our muscles on the mussel ...

Ok. Here is a quick quiz for all you wine aficionados out there. We all know what AOC means when it applied to our favourite beverage. What else does it apply to?

Well, I bet you didn’t know that Appellation d’origine contrôllée is granted by the French Government to more than 300 food and drink products.

It’s an assurance that what ever you have purchased has come from a specified geographical area. Well done the French – it’s an idea that I think should be employed globally. How many times have you seen a mouth-watering pizza advert on the TV (which incidentally, having bought the product looks nothing like it does on the box), only to discover that it is made by a corporate conglomerate in Germany!

Appellations now cover olive oils, foie gras and even the humble potato. And Mussels! It dates back to the 15th century when the production of Roquefort cheese was strictly controlled. You are wondering why I am wittering on about shell food...

There is an extremely good reason. The Sunday Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk/news reports that “bogus” mussels are invading our shores (no, not literally). Don’t panic, they are not genetically engineered or a new mutant mollusc life form. They are quite simply inferior, cheap and nasty versions masquerading as the superior and delectable variety.

Why should we care? You can taste the difference. You go out to a good restaurant. You pay for something that you do not normally get at home (isn’t that one of the reasons why we go out and shell out – excuse the pun – for an expensive meal?). And you get....pale, flaccid, floppy things that taste nothing like the taste sensation you thought you were going to get. Just like wine. You happily open a bottle of promising whatever it is and end up with a disappointing bottle of yuck that has either been corked or has been sold to the restaurant with false pretences. The entire evening is spoiled a) because those nearest and dearest to you are let down and b) you are tamping mad at being sold out for a sucker.

I remember the first time I took my children to France. We were staying at a renovated farmhouse in the Dordogne. Stupidly we had taken the overnight ferry from Southampton to Le Havre, thinking it would be fun. 7 Hours later we were sea sick and knackered before one hell of a drive. As a luxury, and to aid a) the driver’s fragile nerves b) the wife’s headache and c) the children’s inevitable “are we there yet?” we stopped overnight at a small gite. Totally unplanned. Totally off the cuff. This was the first time I could show the family about French food. Much to my proud paternal ego the children boldly chose “Moules Mariniere”. It was a tense moment, but in the small candle lit dining room a miracle happened. They loved it. It was superb. A hit! Fond memories ensued... the relief of over-hyped parents being one of them, and the wonderful silence that a good dinner bestows on grateful diners being another.

I can hear the echoes of why should we care reverberating in my ears. I’ll tell you why. In these days of mass produced, mass engineered food we too are being manipulated into mass consumers. I love my individuality. I love my right to choose. And I hate being fooled.

And so the meagre mussel teaches us all a lesson. Don’t be taken in by it! Use your muscle!

Moules Mariniere
(from Sue)

This is a no-nonsense recipe as I believe the simpler the dish the better the flavour when it comes to seafood.

We have collected mussels from the Welsh coast for years now and cooked them as follows. This can be risky so if you want to play safe buy them instead. Most good fishmongers and fish counters in supermarkets will tell you where they came from if you ask.

All the major stores have their own web sites which are very informative: www.tesco.com, www.morrisons.co.uk, www.sainsburys.co.uk, www.asda.co.uk and www.waitrose.com. You can check up on their goods on line.

• 1kg/2.2lbs fresh mussels
• 115g/4oz butter
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 200ml/7fl oz dry white wine

Clean the mussels by pulling away the hair-like strands (beard) around the shell and scrub with a stiff brush under cold running water. Heat 50g/2oz of the unsalted butter in a large saucepan. When hot and foaming add the garlic, shallots, wine. Cook over a medium heat until the shallots are soft and translucent. Bring the shallots and wine mixture to the boil. Add the mussels, cover the saucepan, gently shake the pan and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking or are shrivelled. Strain the mussels over a large saucepan using a colander and set aside. Place the mussels into a large bowl. Retain the mussel liquor in the pan and return to the heat.

We usually buy some good bread to mop up the juice as it is so more-ish you can not resist licking the bowl!

Served with a nice dry white wine like Muscadet, Chablis or Saint Thibeaud this becomes a delicious meal - enjoy!