Mussels are all the rage now, with U.S. imports increasing nearly sixfold since 1990. The delicious taste and excellent nutritional value of these little bivalves has made the popular with both health-conscious consumers and taste-driven gourmands.

Americans now eat about 9,000 tons of greenlip mussels each year. New Zealand is the world’s largest producer of greenlips, harvesting over 50,000 tons each year. About 30% larger than blue mussels, greenlips are often steamed or even smoked.

You may notice that some mussel meat is orange and some white. The orange meat denotes a female mussel, the white a male. Regardless of color, the flavor is exactly the same.

Source
New Zealand.

Availability
Greenlip mussels are available year-round, but meat yields and harvests decline following the winter spawning season.

Cooking Tips

• Steam and serve with crusty bread for a nice appetizer.
• Excellent addition to pastas and seafood stews.
• Mussels handle bold flavors extremely well, including spicy Asian sauces and garlic mixtures.