Latest news with #mussels
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Shellfish You Shouldn't Order At A Restaurant, According To Anthony Bourdain
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Anthony Bourdain was hardly reluctant to share his recommendations and laments about the food and hospitality industries. Whether barraging the concept of awards ceremonies or raving about local hot dog stands, Bourdain was vocal about his opinions, including advising curious gourmands how to best travel, eat well, and experience all that life has to offer. In his book "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly," Bourdain set out a list of instructions to help restaurant goers improve their meals with smart orders and thoughtful decisions. In addition to advising customers to stay away from ordering fish on Mondays from establishments in which the freshness might be questioned, Bourdain also veered away from plates of mussels. "I don't eat mussels in restaurants unless I know the chef, or have seen, with my own eyes, how they store and hold their mussels for service," he wrote. "I love mussels. But, in my experience, most cooks are less than scrupulous in their handling of them." For a man who had seen his share of kitchen inner workings, this kind of advice holds considerable weight. Read more: Anthony Bourdain's 12 Favorite Spots To Eat And Drink At In The South Taking Calculated Culinary Risks Though mussels might be one of the things to avoid ordering at a restaurant, putting together recipes at home is certainly not off the table. Bowls of creamy garlic mussels or coconut curry mussels can target cravings for this dish, all while you are certain of the level of sanitary handling and quality of product. As Bourdain recognized, if just one mussel is off in a bowl of the mollusks, it could cause seriously unpleasant consequences for those digging into the meal. "It takes only a single bad mussel, one treacherous little guy hidden among an otherwise impeccable group," he penned, before adding that if the urge to sample a mussel might strike, Bourdain would not shy away from plucking the best-looking mussels off the plate of a friend. In addition to questioning servings of mussels, Bourdain was also skeptical of hollandaise sauce as he said it was unlikely to be made to order and could be a breeding ground for bacteria. He also avoided any kind of special offering that might be made up of kitchen scraps: Shepherd's pie and chili, for example, for similar reasons. Though ultimately the call is yours, it is worth considering the reputation of the restaurant and the cleanliness of the establishment before placing your order. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Scientists seek new ways to save mussel power in Cornwall
Scientists from the Environment Agency are exploring new ways to monitor water following a decline in mussels. Daymer Bay, at the mouth of the Camel estuary in Cornwall, is one of 20 sites around the country where Atlantic Blue mussels play a role in measuring coastal pollution. Annually, in early spring, mussels are collected and samples response to a decline in these shellfish, the Environment Agency is working with other organisations to explore alternatives. Paul Elsmere, from the Cornwall analysis and reporting team, said mussels are "brilliant" because " they're filtering up to 25 litres a day... they bioaccumulate or concentrate those chemicals and substances in their flesh. "The other important thing is... they don't break down those chemicals so what you see in the environment is what you see in the mussel flesh as well." A decline in the numbers of mussels has been seen throughout the north east Atlantic. He said factors that impacted this could be climate change, over fishing, predation and chemicals in the water. Mussels from Daymer Bay make their way to a Bodmin lab where they are cleaned, measured and have their flesh removed to be sent to other labs to be are exploring a new technique called passive monitoring which uses thin film membranes to absorb chemicals and pollutants present in the water. If successful these may replace the need for using mussels. Mr Elsmere said passive monitoring techniques being trialled in Hampshire were a "promising development". The Environment Agency said the effectiveness of passive sampling devices was being compared to other methods. It said it was working with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, and if successful it could transform its approach to monitoring chemicals in coastal trials are planned to start in the Plymouth Sound area at the end of this year.
