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Yerseke · Steamed Mussels

Zeeuwse Mosselen

Zeeuwse Mosselen — street food from Zeeland, Netherlands
📷 Closely related photo — Photo: Hortensja Bukietowa / Wikimedia Commons · CC0

The small town of Yerseke handles such a large share of the country's mussel trade that it's informally known as the mussel capital of the Netherlands.

Mussels farmed in Zeeland's tidal waters are steamed in a pot with celery, onion and white wine until they pop open, then served straight in the cooking pot with fries and mayonnaise on the side. Market stalls and harbourside stands around Yerseke and the Zeeland coast sell them fresh by the kilo in season.

Why it's made this way: Zeeland's shallow, nutrient-rich tidal waters have supported mussel farming for centuries, and the province built its food identity heavily around the trade.
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Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries. Something wrong here? Tell us in the comments below. Photo credits.