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!

Mussels are the worst (YABU)

hate the texture

Absolutely love them. Eaten them all over Europe, and never had tummy issues. My DD's ate them from toddlers, always a favourite at Cote, and still love them. They also love vongole. In fact my kids will eat anything!

YANBU - I bloody love them!

I like mussels but dont think they're impressive at all, they're pretty easy to cook so not really a dinner party type food.

As I said, I don't cook mussels for guests but surely the whole point of dinner party food is that it's really easy to cook so you can spend time with your guests?

To me, seafood and especially creatures like mussels, cockles, lobster and crab are akin to I'm a Celebrity Get me out of here bushtucker trial food. They're the cockroaches and witchetty grub of the sea and are therefore not to be eaten.

Surely dinner party food should be tasty and to the guests' tastes.
If it's simple or difficult to cook should be up to the person cooking it. Not everyone needs to be a Michelin star chef, or want to spend the day cooking, to have guests for dinner.

Ha ha. Very defensive comments from the “pincer” eaters.
I twirl spaghetti and use a spoon because I’m nit a heathen but you know what...actuallly it’s much easier to eat cut up. And Chinese food is easier with a knife and fork. And barbecue food easier with hands.
So I’ll stand by my comments cheers.

saw a restaurant blackboard yesterday that offered Moules marinière and also Goat curry as the chef’s signature dishes. If only it could be possible to be great at both?!

Why would it not be possible to be great at both?

If we’re rounding up, a sample of 1200+ MN individuals surveyed demonstrate a 30/70 split in favour of them being amazing. I respect that.

Allergies, past sickness experiences, bush tucker trials and texture avoidances (sorry all, truly!) included.

I feel vindicated

Will definitely ask next time it takes my fancy- as I do every time - for anything- hosting guests. (And I certainly don’t make them EVERY time!). I was just thinking of making it for a planned party next weekend.

PS nothing wanky about using pincers for eating, as the sea made them so perfectly designed for the task....,seriously less wanky than insisting on using a fork when you know better but refuse....