Mussels are one of Lt. Dan’s favorite things to eat. He could sit and eat pounds of them at a time, oohing and ahhhing like What About Bob. There is a little french bistro here in Asheville we like to frequent, called Bouchon. Bouchon feels like a casual eatery in France. The interior is a little too dark, a little too crowded, and a little too warm on a sultry summer evening… Yet that is part of why it’s utterly charming!
Aromas of warm pungent cheese, garlic-wine sauce, and yeasty bread waft through the open windows at both ends of the restaurant, and into the back alley which is also used for seating. They offer several delectable varieties of mussels accompanied by their devilish matchstick frites dipped in aioli. Choices range from the Parisian-Born Redneck, steamed in PBR beer with Dijon mustard and butter, to the Mediterranean, in a tomato-wine sauce with garlic and saffron. Bouchon is a true Asheville staple.
I have to admit, before Bouchon I wasn’t crazy about mussels. It was a textural thing. Yet, thanks to this wonderful little restaurant, I am a mussel-convert. Hooked enough to occasionally make them at home!
This simple Mussels Recipe with Blue Cheese, shallots, and bacon is a nod to one of my favorite Asheville eateries. It’s so simple to make, you’ll wonder why you never tried making mussels at home before.
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