Eclade de moules in Epargnes

ECLADE DE MOULES IN EPARGNES - A BIG SUCCESS - 330 KILOS OF MUSSELS EATEN IN ONE NIGHT!!!

On Saturday 21st July Epargnes was the home of a yearly event " Eclade and Papillotes de moules" ( two methods of cooking mussels). Epargnes is situated in the heart of Saintonge region lying close from the beaches of Meschers ( Atlantic coast ). It is mainly an agricultural and wine-growing land. Epargnes is also a dynamic village thanks to some of its members who are involved in various associations providing festivals like the "Foire au Pineau" in August which attracts crowds of people and the Eclade in July.

It was about 8.45 when we arrived in Epargnes and most of the tables were already taken by people who had come much earlier. So we had to find room in the barn. After a while we came across a free table with six chairs so we asked the people next to our table to keep an eye on it while a part of our group was in the queue to get some chips, salads, cheese , cakes and wine. The others were in charge of preparing the mussels.The mussels were FREE but for the Eclade which is a regional speciality we had to place them on a piece of wood . The aim is to create a large rosette and the hardest part of the work is to stand the mussels on the board stacked tightly together with the pointed part of the shell facing upwards. There are four nails in the centre of the board to hold the first mussels upright ( and it facilitates the construction of the rosette!)When the board is covered with mussels which takes some time and lots of fun, they are ready to be cooked. Now we must cover them with pine needles ( about 30 cm) Forests in Charente Maritime abound with pine needles) and then set fire to the mussels!It is lovely to look at especially at night and it is delicious because the mussels cook in their shell and their juice.Then we left them to burn for a few minutes until the flames died down and we blew the ashes off the mussels. As they were placed opening edge facing down, they were protected from falling ash.To accompany this meal we had some slices of buttered bread and a local "vin Charentais"

Eclade is the simplest dish imaginable!

We also had some "papillotes" for dinner , it is very easy to prepare. The mussels are placed in a sheet of foil with a leaf of laurel and thyme over them and before cooking them we make a sort of bag. It was delightful to eat! And mussels in charente Maritime are the best and the fattest because the water is warmer than in Brittany and Normandy.

We also had a chat with the people next to us who were from Meurthe et Moselle ( East of France) and were staying in a camping site nearby. They also enjoyed " the mussels party" The majority of people who came had fun eating with their fingers and talking to people they never met before. For the " Eclade" appropriate clothes are necessary, don't wear white t-shirts or shirts!!!

Last Saturday 330kilos of mussels were eaten in one night and there were not any left for those who arrived too late. What a pity!!

But this kind of event is becoming more and more popular. We really enjoyed ourselves and I'm sure we were not the only ones. I've received a nice e-mail from Lyn who thanked me for recommending this kind of village parties which are good places to leave the world behind and chill out for a while!