Eating mussels in Leiden Holland.

On my last night in Leiden (a Friday) Emma and I went to Oliviers so that we could enjoy some mussels. Emma's partner Ronald joined us later on. The branch of Oliviers in Leiden is an atmospheric place and I was looking forward to some delicious mussels especially after seeing a steaming pot of them passing our table on the way to some lucky diner. I guess they looked a bit like these in their picture below. Moules and frites cost twenty euros. My two white biers five euros a piece.

Emma and I chatted about how much I had enjoyed my time with them, Ronald arrived but wasn't hungry and Emma and I ordered some much anticipated mussels. Of course they take some to prepare and we continued to chat away.

This is me (of course) enjoying my Olivier mussels. Unfortunately this picture also shows me at the very beginning of eating the pot of mussels. Yes, you are right. If you look in the can it is only half full and Emma's was the same. They were delicious and big and plump but ONLY half a pot full. On the plus side the frites were hot and tasty. Not wanting to spoil the evening we ate them without complaint. Emma speaks fluent Dutch so I guess we did order the right size from the menu - and paid the right price!

The other day I made some at home from mussels purchased at Tesco for £3.05 with a bottle of white wine £5.00 and garlic and parsley another couple of pounds. Guess what? I got a full pot full and with a can of chopped tomatoes and some fried M&S piri piri king prawns it made a fab mussels meal with a small baguette to mop up the juices.

Moules façon Philippe,