Mussels

[PossiblyPFB]

Fairly trivial but....

We love Mussels and chips (specifically Moules marienère style) in our house and I find them a great dinner party option as an easy but impressive main dish for a crowd, with skinny chips, salad, and French bread to sop up the sauce.

I always check whether anyone has any dietary requirements or particular dislikes to avoid before hosting. Now I find myself having to ask, and so, what’s your view on molluscs, as some people who ‘are easy’ will say actually, yeah, no mussels thanks when I double check.

It’s become apparent to me that mussels (in general, not mine- which are delicious!) .....are very marmite.

So I’m interested in the MN vote......

Mussels are amazing (YANBU)
Mussels are the worst (YABU)
If they are the worst- WHY??? Help me understand!

Thank you in advance!

They are a very bad allergen.

I’ve never tried them as a main meal, only ever on the seafront in a little pot from a kiosk!

I love mussels and chips and my family also YNBU.

They’re like eating little rubbery vulvas. Anything can taste nice if you cover it in enough garlic, butter and wine. Why choose seafood?! Same with snails - the only way they taste even vaguely edible is if you cover them in garlic butter. I’d rather have chicken, steak, or even just veg with garlic and butter etc

Plus the chance of hideous food poisoning every time you eat them. Nah thanks.

Yes- I know about the allergen thing which is why I always ask- but this is from people who have said they have no dietary requirements- it seems to be more a dislike if you see what I mean!

Love them. Maybe you can offer a brothy fish soup to the guests who don’t like mussels?

Totally depends on where they are from.

Fresh from the ropes here locally in the river estuaries of Cornwall - yes.

From a fishmonger inland or supermarket - no.

I love them, DH wouldn’t touch them if he were starving.

Your dinner party food sounds like heaven to me!! Yum, yum, yum 😋

I’d eat a couple in a seafood risotto but not more than that. DH properly loves them though!

yanbu

I love them! My DH on the other hand would rather chop his own arm off rather than eat them

YANBU.

They're delicious. And no more likely to give you food poisoning than chicken, or a bunch of other foodstuffs.

I was fine with mussels until one day I had them and immediately threw up. I don’t think it’s an allergy because I’d had them on several occasions before with no issue. But I’d never risk eating them again and now feel quite repulsed by them

I love them and wouldn't be impressed by people claiming to be 'easy' about food and then turning their nose up about something as normal as mussels.

OH and I love mussels and always buy fresh from the fishmarkets 100 of times. Haven't had them in 3mths though after our last experience. They were fresh, smelt and looked fine before cooking, but when cooked, just didnt look right. Still tasted fine, but some didnt open fully (only partially) were rubbery and just something not right.
The next morning we awoke with what I assume to be norovirus- TMI but projectile both ends at once is an understatement!!!

I will eat them again, but have just been put off them lately and feel more cautious.

Delish! But I wouldn't cook them for other people without checking they liked them first

Love them, but was brought up with having them at home a lot, I think that makes a difference. Although my DSis hates them, and will go "ewwww, fishy" and make gagging noises at so much as a tuna sandwich, so I don't know if that actually does make much of a difference after all .

I love them. I haven't found a seafood I don't like yet though.

DH is allergic to them, so not in this house!

Although I’m not too bothered as I don’t like them much.

RUSU maybe you need to question the company you keep....

Make me so ill. My DH loves them though.

I had Moules Frite for lunch today in Brussels and they were divine!The problem I have with cooking them at home is they are so frigging expensive, our fishmonger sells them for £6.60 per kilo and we eat a kilo each!

But, I know more people who don't like them than do. Most of the people I know who say they don't like them wont even try them because of the way they look.

Totally depends on where they are from.

Fresh from the ropes here locally in the river estuaries of Cornwall - yes.

From a fishmonger inland or supermarket - no.

This - mussels are lovely, but best when super-fresh.

It’s that salty , ozone, sea flavour. Makes me gag.
Have never understood how people can tolerate that flavour, particularly of things that look like female genitalia.
Yes, it’s me, not you.

@mrskoala I am so jealous. Lived in Brussels and France for a time and dream of the Moule Frites I had there!