Make Your Shellfish Sneeze
This illustration is part of my Collective Food Wisdom series, for which I asked people across different languages and cultures to share a nugget of food wisdom or advice they’ve received that they continue to carry with them in their kitchen, garden, or life.
This charming and practical piece of wisdom comes from Claudette of Pennsylvania.
What is the most useful piece of food wisdom or advice you have ever received?
Claudette: When I was younger we ate a lot of seafood in my household. My mom is from Pennsylvania and my dad is from France so we had all sorts of traditional and unusual foods. One trick I learned was that before you cook any mussels or clams you want to clean them. In order to get rid of the sand and sediment in their shells you want to make them "sneeze." You place them in cold water and then add black pepper to the water. The shellfish will then spit out the sand because it irritates the membrane in their shells, just like it irritates the noses of humans.
Who gave it to you?
Claudette: My mom and dad.
How does it show up in your life?
Claudette: I love cooking for my fiancé and we both are huge fans of mussels. We love trying this dish at locations all over when we travel and go out to eat. Telling people that the shellfish are sneezing is a fun bit of info to use and people are always amazed when I share it with them as well.
You can count me in on the list of people who are amazed by this. I'm really enjoying hearing tips from folks of all different backgrounds. I hope you are, too. Keep 'em coming!
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