This recipe for L'élade, Mussels cooked under pine needles, was originally cooked on the shore by fishermen from Brouage, the birthplace of Samuel de Champlain and where he grew up. Collect a bag of pine needles and let them become very dry. One hour before cooking, soak the pine board in water. Beginning at the center of the board, arrange four mussels in the form of a cross. Insert mussels one by one between each mussel in the center. Enlarge the circle until the board is covered with mussels. Take board to a safe place outdoors because you will set it afire. Cover with pine needles, about 6 to 8 inches thick. Light each corner and re-cover with more needles (4-5 inches thick) Use a fan to help flame. The shells will become nearly black. Fan the ashes off of the mussels (a board or heavy cardboard works well). Open and place on a serving plate. Serve with thick slices of buttered bread. The explorers in 1606 brought along enough wine from France to last the winter. It is most likely they made the drink Hypocras, a digestive, with the dessert course.
Ingredients
3kg6 pounds mussels
1large bag of dried pine needles
Pine board about 18 inches square
Bread and butter
Hypocras
(Hippocras)
4.5liters1 gallon full-bodied red wine
3-4cupsabout 1 liter white sugar
1stick cinnamoncoarsely ground
½teaspoonnutmeg
6black peppercorns
24cloves
2teaspoonsground ginger
250ml1 cup orange blossom water
Instructions
Pour the wine into a glass container. Mix the white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppercorns, cloves, ginger and orange blossom water with the wine. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cover and let stand one hour. Serve warm.
Notes
Adapted from "A Taste of History" by Marc Lafrance and Yvon Desloges (Quebec: Les Éditions de la Chenelière, 1989)