~ When you buy fresh mussels, check the smell. They should smell of the sea, and not smell 'fishy' at all. ~ Fresh live mussels should be tightly closed. If any of the mussels are open, just squeeze them gently, or tap them on the counter and they should close up. Discard any mussels that do not close as these will be dead. ~ Likewise, if any of the shells are cracked or broken, you should discard those too. ~ To clean the mussels put them in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. This will remove any sand or seaweed debris that may be clinging to them. ~ If any of the mussels have a beard you should pull it away from the shell and discard it. ~The mussels will open as they cook. Discard any mussels that do not open during cooking as they will be dead.