Mussels in white wine and butter, asparagus, potato, tomato and green onion

I had these in the refrigerator too long. I didn't eat them the day that I bought them. 

You see, I got tired.

So a few days elapsed and that's bad. Too many were opened or barely opened and wouldn't shut and that means they're dead. 

D.E.D. dead. 

And we mussel-elitists say, "non, nein, nyet, iie, no way, Jose."

Because they produce a flavor that cannot be corrected. You have to throw the whole batch out.

You have to throw out the shells right away too or else they'll stink up the whole place. 

The girl at the fish counter looked like a boy. 

She was very thorough about everything. Very professional. Hard working. She packed these in ice and she was the first person who ever did that. 

I asked her, "Have you ever cooked these?"

She said, "No."

It always surprises me how many things young people haven't yet tried. 

I told her it's easy as pie. 

Just steam them for a few minutes in some kind of loose sauce. Then when you eat them break off one side and use it as a knife-shovel to get the bit out of the other side. Surprise your friends with your musk-ell éclat. 

     "What's éclat?" 

"It means doing something brilliantly. Doing something quickly with ease and grace. Whip out a pot full of mussels in mere minutes as if you've been doing it your whole life. Then eating them like a pro. Then quickly getting rid of the evidence so it doesn't stink up your whole house."  

The idea of using a shell as a shovel appealed to her and as I continued to shop she broke away from her station and encountered me again, twice. And she said both times in passing, "I can't wait to use the shell as a shovel."

This is why I love young people so much. They're enthusiastically accepting of my ideas. And it's also why they love me.

There she was working away in the shop with no idea what to do with the things she is selling.

Incidentally, I love this white wine heated up with butter but I cannot stand one single sip of it in a glass. The whole rest of the bottle is wasted. I taste-tested it. It's good wine too. There is nothing wrong with it. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I have built-in Antabuse. 

Although I can drink beer.

Maybe next time I'll cook them in beer.