BY THE SEA
The Cornish Arms Beer and Mussel Festival 16TH AND 17TH MARCH 2013
The Cornish Arms in St Merryn, run by Rick and Jill Stein, will be hosting their second annual Beer & Mussel Festival this March. Celebrating the arrival of spring, the festival offers the chance to sample some of the finest Cornish and British beers, as well as enjoying a variety of mussel dishes. Freshly cooked Cornish mussels will be in ready supply with recipes chosen to complement the beers such as moules marinière, La mouclade and mussels with beer and bacon. The festival weekend kicks off with a cookery demonstration from Rick’s son Jack, joined by St Austell Brewery’s Head Brewer Roger Ryman, who will talk about the great selection of beers on offer. Roger has selected some of his very favorite cask ales to match Rick’s fantastic selection of mussel dishes. “Great food, great beer, great pub; the festival has all the ingredients of a fantastic weekend,” enthuses Roger.
Rick himself will make a visit during the festival and will be signing copies of his books. “March is the best month in the year for mussels; any time is good for proper beer brewed by people who love what they do,” says Rick. “A big marquee next to our lovely pub with a selection of 30 beers and some of my favourite mussel dishes – what could be a better combination on a weekend by the coast in Cornwall?”
For more information visit
www.rickstein.com
MOULES MARINIÈRE WITH CREAM, GARLIC AND PARSLEY
serves 4
1.75kg (4lb) live mussels, cleaned 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 shallots, finely chopped 15g (½oz) butter A bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves
100ml ( 3½fl oz) dry white wine 120ml ( 4floz) double cream A handful of parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Soften the garlic and shallots in the butter with the bouquet garni , in a large pan big enough to take all the mussels – it should only be half full. 2 Add the mussels and wine, turn up the heat, then cover and steam them open in their own juices for 3 – 4 minutes, giving
12 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
the pan a good shake every now and then. 3 Remove the bouquet garni , add the cream and parsley and remove from the heat. 4 Spoon into 4 large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread.
Preparing your mussels Wash the mussels under plenty of cold running water. Discard any open ones that won’t close when lightly squeezed or given a sharp tap. Pull out the tough fibrous beards protruding from between the tightly closed shells and then knock off any barnacles with a large knife and give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell.
© BBC Books. Rick Stein Coast to Coast 2008
PHOTOGRAPH © JAMES MURPHY
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