Mussel Fest!

What a great way to celebrate the almost ending shellfish season!  You can enjoy fruits de mer all year round but they are really best between September and April, especially in the Winter months.
And you really can't beat the small old fishing town charm of Coupeville where the festival takes place.  It's a simple and well organized event with the town's restaurants and mussel farm (Penn Cove Shellfish) getting together to prepare mussels in a variety of ways, one better than the other.  There's local beer, rustic bread to soak up all the flavors of the mussels, live music, sunshine and a great laid back vibe.

Of course the superstars were the super fresh and delicate mussels and the aroma of shallots + butter + wine all around you.
One place in town served them with a concasse of tomatoes and fresh basil.  Another place had an equal winner: jalapeno & green grapes. Effing good!

I know mussels are not for everyone.  As a kid I did not trust them because of their soft and weird appearance.  But one bite was all that I needed to be convinced.  It's one of those simple foods that need only a nudge of seasoning to turn into something much more complex.  Make sure they are fresh! There's nothing worst than a dead mussel.  Any mussels that are open before being cooked or that refuse to open once cooked should be tossed.  If you see a semi-open one and are not sure just smell it and you will know if it is not edible.

The festival is every year at the beginning of March in Coupeville, on the Washington coast above Seattle. It's easy to reach through a scenic detour from highway 5.
It's great.  You can buy a plate of mussels right on the street from the various restaurant stands.  I'll be back - can't wait!

TIP - Did you know that if you are in Brussels (one of the capitals of mussels) you can find outstanding moules frites right in the Grand Place? At a decent price (20 euros for 1kg mussels + fries)! In a place that is like a cave? Yes, at the Cave du Roy - http://www.caveduroy.com  The place is a bit cramped but what an effing atmosphere and mussels!  But more on Brussels later on - such a gastronomical city.