Show Me Your Mussels

I had never even tasted mussels until we went to New Zealand, home of the famous Green Mussels, not to be confused with the famous All Blacks. My favorite daydream/fantasy is sitting at the bar in one of those dark, intimate Parisian cafes with a glass of French wine, a plate of mussels, and, of course, plenty of crusty French bread. Sigh.

Well, OK ..... sitting by the Gulf with a mess of mussels, a glass of California wine, and fresh-baked bread.

OK. OK. In a pseudo sidewalk French cafe .......... with a mountain of mussels, a glass of over-priced French wine, and big bread - in Dallas, frickin' Texas. Hey, it is what it is, people. You gotta love the one you're with.