Oh those green-lipped mussels...

With 14,000 km of pure coastline and refreshing cool ocean waters, no wonder New Zealand is a great place for mussels to grow. The diversity is amazing, especially when it comes to colors. And luckily for us, seafood, too... :)

Mussels in the harbour

Mussels in the harbour

Mussels by the beach

Mussels by the beach

Mussels everywhere

Mussels everywhere

Mmmm, so if you got inspired like we did, check out this amazing and superfast recipe - Drunken Mussels steamed in garlic, lemon & wine. We tried it with the green-lipped mussels and Marlborough white wine of course - and yes, I AM incredibly lucky to have a masterchef at home :D - but you can potentially try and cook "moules" as well.  

Bon'App! :)))

One of the most iconic and top quality native mussels of New Zealand are the beautiful green-lipped mussels, the Perna canaliculus. The can grow really big, reaching up to a length of even 24 cm! These special brown-green shells with a fascinating touch of jade on the edge offer not only a unique visual experience for the heart and soul but please the belly of a gourmand, too. 

The moments pass fast. Full of pure excitement. The brown-green beauties take a plunge in the pan, in a splash of exquisite Marlborough white wine and slowly begin to reveal their inner self. The shells open up gracefully, attracting all your attention to the luscious, vivid orange mussels inside. The taste and the size is absolutely one of a kind - big, tender, soft, yet much more fatty and meaty than any other mussels we have ever tasted.  Welcome to the culinary paradise.

Green-lipped mussels

Green-lipped mussels

***Got inspired? Thank you for sharing :)