Mussels

[hhuie]

What wine will be good for the broth that I cook my mussels in? Thanks

[Innkeeper]

Hi Hhuie, and welcome to the Wine Board. Dry Vermouth.

[hhuie]

Thanks, forgot to add this question in. Would would be a good wine to drink with the Mussels. Planning a surprise for my wife. Thank.

[Bucko]

A nice Sancerre or Vouvray works well. Of course it also depends on the preparation. I've had a mussel dish with black bean sauce that was a killer, but would also kill the above wines.

[Thomas]

Instead of Vermouth why not use the Sancerre in the broth and then have it with the mussels.

[Innkeeper]

Why not throw pearls to swine?

[Thomas]

Not at all--cooking with good wine is good cooking.

[winoweenie]

I'm with the Foodster on this'un. I always use the wine I'm 'agonna drink as the cooking sauce. WW

[Innkeeper]

There is nothing in the world of food preparation more distant from delicate dishes than steaming mussels, believe me. It is more horrific that steaming clams or lobsters by a long shot. Mussels have one of the strongest tastes in the food world. No table wine will stand up to the process. If you don't want to find even a trace of your good wine in the broth, then go ahead and use it. Otherwise use the dry vermouth.

[Thomas]

Cannot agree there. I have been preparing mussels for years with a garlic/herb wine sauce, and I have used Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc: never lost any of them in the sauce.

[joeyz6]

I hear Muscadet goes very well with mussels.

[chittychattykathy]

A Picpoul de Pinet works great for both cooking and drinking w/mussels.

[Bucko]

A classic match for sure.

[mrdutton]

Steam 'em in beer, serve 'em with a tomato based salsa with a hint of mild chilli peppers.

Drink a Aussie Shiraz while eatin' 'em.

Tastes good to me.

Kinda have to agree with IK. There is nothing delicate about mussels. However I have found that source can make a difference in how strong the mussels taste. Seems the ones from New Zealand are the mildest and the ones from the East Coast USA are the harshest in flavor. They are what they eat.

[Drew]

We hand pick mussels from the Assawoman Bay in Ocean City, Maryland and they are very strong in flavor. Very strong grassy and herbal notes! We pair them with a nice Sancere or SB with similar notes and they're GREAT!

DREW

[mrdutton]

Drew you done said a mouthfull and I fear I won't touch that one........

What bay did you say??????????????

(All kidding aside, that body of water used to provide me with the best blue crabs that any string with a chicken head could ever provide. Man them wuz the dayz!)

[Bucko]

Okay, here's one for you. Mussels cooked with a rhubarb wine. Doesn't sound like a match but it works well, along with the wine from Hoodsport. Goes well with oysters also.

[Thomas]

Some people can be taught and some cannot: Bucko, you cannot produce wine from rhubarb. Words have meanings--I've told you that before. Now go put on your pointed cap, sit in the corner and repeat a thousand times, "only grapes can be made into wine..."

Calling fermented rhubarb wine is like calling ampicillin penicillin--I know I must have mispelled those two...



[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 09-23-2001).]

[Botafogo]

Foodie, did you ever have a chance to taste the late, lamented Paul Thomas Rhubarb Rose? It was declared "Grand Champion White Zinfandel" at many a tasting in the eighties. And, the Dry Bartlett Pear from the same winery was the BEST wine for spicy seafood ever: an organic chemist friend of mine says that pears contain a component lacking in grapes that nuetralizes capicin (spelling?) the active ingredient in hot peppers. We used to sell it in New Orleans like gangbusters...

Roberto

PS: I agree with you re termonology but that stuff was GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 09-23-2001).]

[winoweenie]

May Bacchus Forgive you! WW