The sun., 1908-04-26
NUSSELS BETTER KNOWN
A REAL SPRING DELICACY, But
LONG NEGLECTED HERB.


A charming French actress, interviewed
In Paris a few weeks ago, was asked to
what diet she restricted herself In order IA
preserve her daintiness Of complexion and
form. She smiled delightfully."- and said;
Il really have no fixed rule except that
eat exactly what please and do not feel
that must 90 through a course Of dishes
ct every meal. Last night, for instance.
after the theatre when my maid and |
reached home we ate between us a hundred
mussels freshly roasted and served with
lemon and butter as the only sauce
Mussels, while not listed among the
beauty making foods, are pronounced to
be better than the inteminahle meat de'
that Is the rule with 90 many American
women. Nature, or perhaps II is Neptune,
sends them at their best In May when soft
shell crabs, strawberries, shad and dan
delion salads make the heart glad.
Many people are only reminded tha'
these things are on the market stalls by
seeing their names on restaurant bills of
fare. for in a great many homes steaks
and chops are persevered In all the year
through, in July as December. Politics,
business and fashion continue 70 occupy
the attention, and potatoes taste the same
as fresh asparagus TO the person 30 en-
crossed. o..
In France the changes In the season aro
waited for because they bring new deli.
oacies TO the table and the coming Of IN,
nussel is a veritable event. This shelhgh
IL esteemed by the French as a dish oisuch
exquisite natural favor that they even servo
II with lemon juice and butter instead Of
one Of their hundred and one sauces,
In this country mussels we're never popp.
lar until recent years. They were alway'
| very cheap and we're never rated in flavor
as comparable with the osytor, though o.
recent years the latter has fallen from ia
high estate as a delicate morsel.
It is true lmussels were picked, but this
was practically the only way in which they
we're known on the American table. For
years there was a prejudice against them
/ on the ground thay they we're poisonous
when raw. As with crabs, Holsters and
some other fish there are filaments or moss
as tits callod in the mussel which must be
feInONeu lHb picoautiOh NRASh wv iHu'-
sci is unob jectionable.
The French restaurants and some OF the
older hotels, notably the Everett Hous',
made museels popular as luncheon dish
some ten or a dozen years ago. and sinC'
then they have steadily risen in favor ami
have their esteemed place on club menus
and at dinners where dishes out Of the
ordinary are sought.
Reyniere, who wrote the 'Almanach de7
Gourmands,' called them the oysters Of
the poor. In fact their oheapness is prob
ably one reason why they have never been
highly thought Of in this country,
Mussels can never be OBJ jected to on tha
ground that they are difficult TO prepare,
for while they may be elaborately gar
nished they are also very good when merely
roasted In hot ashes or. failing that, In an
ordinary oven.
The small ones are by far the most deli
cate and the washing Of the shells must be
thorough 30 that all grit and sand are re-
moved. After that there are many delicious
WAYS in which they can be cooked, form
ing a charming relief from the regular
winter menus.
At the Everett House they used to be
cooked In a manner very similar to that in
which clans are prepared when they are
named a la casino on the bill Of fare. The
mussels " ere baked in their half Shells each
fish being packed in small bits Of bacon.
chopped onions or chives. parsley pow.
dered and lemon juice. Melted butter was
added at the table, The French snai can.
not compare with the ordinary selected
American mussel done in this way and
cooked Just the proper time.
Another method, which has the merit n
being drier for those who do not like rich
dishes, il TO stew the mussels with one sliced
onion, a small bunch Of parsley and one
pint Of French white wine, seasoned with
pepper and salt.
The shells open after the pan has hoor
on the fire for few minutes. Tlen the
fish are removed from the shells and cleared
thoroughly then cut in halves. The liqu"r
is then strained free Of the shells and miAo,
with veloute sauce, then boiled until r'
duced one-hsH This sauce IS thickc' o.
with lump Of hutter and the mdssels aC1 3
with one spoonful Of chopped parsley,
Silver shells are filed with this miNta""
and covered on top with grated hrc7'
crumbs aud butter, then Drowned in O."
oven. The shells are arranged each o. -
folded napkin placed over hot dish AL
garnished with parsley or WaterCreNs.
Another way is tO steam three do2o1
Of tho shellfish in pot for about ten lninufn'
until the shells opon, Then remove hnl
the shell from each and put them in q sauce.
pan with two ounces Of fresh butter, a sma
quantity Of chives and finely ChOpreD
cheryil, a little pepper and some sI!te1
bread crumbs.
Over this half Gun OF water is pouscj
and tnen boiled for a few minutes. Tur"
tho whole into a dish aud squeeze over y
the Juice OF Il lemon Use pars!ey ands.i
lemon az a garnish.
As the supper OF tho French actress svE
gests, the mussel ia best when ser"n
as the principal dish OF a breaEf0st or lunCh.
cor with brown bread and butterand mayl,
a green salad and French dressing as w..
only accompanimentsy IL does not acCor
with other foods so gracefully rs the oystal
IL should always have lemon juice wiln ij
and a dry white wine is the best.
Fishermen as a rule despise mussels
but II they are very hungry they husiI"
them. that is roast them in hot ashes aun
eat them from tho she'll with butter II
mussels we're not so plentiful and chern
In America we would probably anxiousy
wait the coming OF the foreign steamer
that bring lis the queer foods AZ exorbit6It
prices which are not TO be compared wit
those OF oy own country
Thus spoke the chef OF n new hotel which
Is becoming famous for its innovations in
cooking, such as the broiling Of orange.
and the serving Of strawberries in half
grapefruits with French dressing. He
bewailed the national tendency TO repeal
the same dish 1855 days in the year.
'The mussel is good in n hundred vavs
he went on. 1T is perfectly and pungentlr
favored, so much so that it would nevor