30 December 2020

Paris in springtime... and mussels in winter

April in Paris... with any luck, the weather is beautiful, after the sudden downpours of cold rain (giboulées) and chilly winds of March. Imagine you are walking around the center of Paris, just enjoying the lights and the sights.



Twenty-twenty is winding down fast now. For New Year's Eve, tomorrow, we're planning to make a big pot of moules marinière for our celebratory dinner. Here's a link to a 2019 blog post about cooking moules this way. Walt will be going down to the holiday market in Saint-Aignan to buy some. [Actually, there were none to be had, so we have to postpone our mussels meal.]


Moules (à la) marinière are fresh, well-washed, and de-bearded mussels in their shells that are cooked with onions and herbs (celery, bay leaf...) in butter and white wine. Put in lots of black pepper, but there's no need for extra salt. The moules themselves are salty. They're done as soon as the shells have opened up. Lift them out of their broth with a slotted spoon so that any sand that was in them will stay in the bottom of the pot. Pour the liquid off carefully, leaving the sediment in the pot. Eat some of the liquid as soup or dip the mussels in it. Make a batch of french-fried potatoes to have with them.

13 comments:

  1. Nice slideshow, but the photos are not as dramatic as those of yesterday and two days before.

    In Normandie, they put cream in the broth. I crave moules marinières.

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    1. There's a difference between moules marinière and moules à la crème — one has cream and the other doesn't. As for the nighttime photos, I guess I should have saved the best for last.

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    2. Here's what I wrote about our lunch in Nogent-le-Rotrou: "We ordered moules et frites for lunch — CHM had moules marinière and I had moules à la crème. The mussels were plump and tasty."

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    3. I didn't know there was a difference. Next time, if there's any, I'll order moule à la crème to see the difference.

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    4. If I recall correctly, it was in a very narrow café and we were sitting in the back at a very small round table.

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    5. When I think it was only five years ago it feels almost like an eternity.

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  2. I love moules et frites! Thanks.

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    1. I do too. But disappointment! There were none to be had this morning at the market or supermarket in Saint-Aignan. We'll make do with shrimp and salmon.

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    2. Sorry there were no molues. I've had trouble responding here lately.

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    3. I'm sorry about that E. Let me know if it continues.

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  3. Great photos!
    I've never eaten a meal of moules!
    Judy

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    1. Well, it's something to look forward to, n'est-ce pas?

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  4. Neither have I, Judy and yes, Ken, I will choose the moules à marinière!

    Mary in Oregon

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