Market Classic · Northern France

Moules-Frites

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At Lille's giant Braderie street fair, diners stack their empty mussel shells into towers on the table — the tallest pile wins bragging rights.

Mussels are steamed quickly in white wine, butter, shallots, and herbs, then served with a paper cone of crisp fries on the side. A fixture of market stalls, street fairs, and café terraces across northern France.

Why it's made this way: The pairing grew out of the North Sea coast's abundant mussel harvests meeting the Flemish-influenced frites culture of the region.