My Top 10 Dishes of 2017 #1

 

 No. 1 Killary Mussels on the banks of the fjord  

 

The farm-raised mussels of Killary Fjord are extraordinarily fat and sweet thanks to the waters they grow in. The unique merroir of the Connemara fjord is a result of the abundant nutrients provided by the freshwater run-off from the surrounding watershed mixing with the constant influx of seawater. The mussels grow on long ropes held up by floats, it takes two to three years for them to reach maturity.  

 

If you love mussels, plan to attend The Connemara Mussel Festival, an annual celebration of these exceptional bivalves.

 

The pot of steamed mussels we ate was served with lemon wedges and fresh brown bread and butter at a food trailer called the Misunderstood Heron which was parked on the banks of the fjord. The trailer had only opened for business a few days before. When we ordered, we asked where the shellfish came from. The cook pointed down the bank of the fjord, where we were standing, to the brightly colored bobbers that marked the lines of the mussel farm immediately below us.

 

Now that’s what I call local!

 

You’ll find Killary mussels in restaurants and seafood markets or you can order them online. For information on where and when the Misunderstood Heron food trailer will open again, consult their Facebook page.