It’s September, go get going…
We have always been told that we mustn’t eat shellfish except when there is an ‘R’ in the month. And whilst there are fish restaurants and airport bars that serve mollusks all the year round; there are a couple of good reasons why we should desist…
Shellfish spawn during the summer months and so the taste changes, and we need to give them a fighting chance to breed.
Also red tide (a naturally occurring phenomenon when toxins produced by algae are in abundance) levels are high – and so the shellfish tend to ingest these toxins during the summer months, and if eaten you might get a dose of PSP (paralytic shellfish poisonings).
But it’s now September and the markets are full of safe shellfish, most recognisable … but there are some very odd-looking rock shaped shellfish with a green inside that I haven’t plucked up courage to buy or even eat yet!
But next May when Europe is shut for mollusks – I can recommend going to New Zealand for their green-lipped mussels which can grow up to eight inches !