Mussels, How to Prepare

Obtain four quarts of medium sized mussels; tear off the grass, scrape them well, and wash them several times, changing the water constantly. Put them when clean into a saucepan with half a pint of water or white wine, a few springs of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf; set the saucepan over a brisk fire, cover it well, and open the mussels by tossing them frequently, then take them out with a skimmer to transfer them into another saucepan. Strain the broth, leaving all sediment at the bottom, pouring it off gently not to disturb the sand; take out all the empty shells, cut off the foot (the black appendage) from the mussels with a pair of scissors, and put them back on their half shells into their own broth.