As spring awakens, many in the Puget Sound region come out of their shells every year to enjoy some world-class mussels in the heart of Coupeville, on Whidbey Island, northwest of Everett.
Penn Cove Musselfest returns on March 7 to 9, bringing thousands of shellfish enjoyers who pilgrimage from Whidbey and beyond for a taste of the famous “bold, briny and blue.” And this time, they’re in for a new treat.
The festival is in fact hosting its first ever “Mussel Tussle,” giving visitors a chance to observe for free two experienced chefs from the Puget Sound region face one another in a mussel cook-off, creating their most innovative mussel dish.
The tussle will take place both days at noon, with the dishes being judged by a panel of seven judges picked from the audience, according to Michael Weeks, who will be running the culinary events at the Coupeville Recreation Hall.
Weeks has been a chef for about as long as the festival has been around – four decades. A former aerospace engineer who dreamed of the sky, his heart, stomach and talents are now devoted to the Pacific blue mussels, which he pays homage to with his cooking at Callen’s, the restaurant he co-owns by the Coupeville ferry terminal.
These mussels, also known by their fancier scientific name of “mytilus trossulus,” grow sweeter than any of their relatives thanks to Penn Cove’s nutrient-rich, cold waters. Penn Cove Shellfish, which has been raising them for 50 years, produces between a million and two million pounds of mussels each year, shipping them all around the globe and donating them to the festival.
“I think they’re actually some of the best mussels in the world,” Weeks said.
The seasoned chef will be running some of Musselfest’s most anticipated events.
At 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, up to 40 brave gluttons will put their stomachs to the test by participating in the Mussel Eating Contest, where they’ll consume three 16-ounce portions of mussels under the attentive eyes of the audience. Whoever manages to clean all the shells on their plate and keep all the mussels in their bellies before everyone else will be crowned Mussel King or Mussel Queen.
In the seven years he’s been involved with Musselfest, Weeks has seen many people celebrate their victory, only to find out they missed a mussel. Those who do earn their crown, however, tend to make sure it’s everyone’s business, proudly strutting around in their mussel robes as if they won a huge accomplishment, Weeks laughs.
Prospective contestants have until 3 p.m. the day of the event to register at the Recreation Hall.
Another familiar competition is the chowder tasting contest, where ticket holders can sample mussel chowders crafted by local chefs. Some businesses will also offer chowder to non-ticket holders.
The cooking demos will feature 12 chefs, including Weeks, who will showcase traditional and modern mussel recipes with a new free session every hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
For a taste of sea adventure or to satiate their curiosity about how mussels are grown, visitors can take a 45-minute boat tour that offers an up-close look at Penn Cove Shellfish’s mussel rafts.
Kids can have fun fishing off the pier, taking part in arts and crafts activities, or exploring Coupeville’s shops as part of a treasure hunt.
Live music will be played at the two 21+ beer gardens and on Front Street, running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The Mussel Mingle, a ticketed event featuring live music and drinks that takes place the evening of Friday, March 7, has sold out.
For more information about events and pricing, visit PennCoveMusselfest.com.
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