Papillon’s mussels arrived in Aruba again!
The mussels that are served in the weekends of July and August at Papillon restaurant in The Village are bursting with taste, fleshy and sumptuous.
Flown in from Zeeland in the south of Holland, they are still dripping sea water, so to speak. Early last month the first mussel crop was allowed to be picked and the verdict from the experts was that it was of excellent quality, even though the temperature of the water has not been as favorable as other years. The mussels are not overly big, but very tasty indeed. “Mother Nature has truly surprised us,’’ said one of the mussel growers after the first batch was caught.
For the past 150 years, mussels have been gathered in breeding grounds in the Oosterschelde and in the Waddenzee in an area of 6,000 hectares. These grounds produce an average of 57 million kilos. Mussel lovers are looking forward to the traditional black pots filled with the shells containing the delicacy; there are many recipes that do justice to the subtle taste of the flesh.
Chef Michael van Dorst of Papillon Restaurant has chosen to go natural this year: he wants `his’ mussels to shine in simplicity. Therefore he has chosen the classic mussel recipe: let the mussels cook for just a few minutes in water with a delicate ragout of herbs and vegetables, among them parsley, garlic, onions and leeks. Served with French fries and a sauce it is a meal fit for kings and queens.
Mussels are only available in the weekends of July and August, so do not hesitate to make your reservations at Papillon for your 2014 mussel treat.
