Full disclosure: I’ve probably eaten more mussels than you’ve crossed bridges. And yes, if you’re a Venetian reading this, I apologize in advance—just roll with it.

I’ve been cooking less lately, which means I’ve been scrolling through old photos instead. That’s when I realized something: my photo gallery is basically a mussel shrine. Thousands upon thousands of shells. Honestly, I could probably pave a highway with them. The Mussel Expressway, if you will—though I’d rename it the Blowout Boulevard, because you know, all those shells.

The Best Months for Mussels (Or So They Say)

Here’s a fun little tidbit I learned: Italians have this rule about eating mussels during months with no letter R. That means May (maggio), June (giugno), July (luglio), and August (agosto) are peak mussel season. If you’ve got Italian friends nearby, definitely tell them to get cracking on their cozze right now.

My Three Absolute Favorite Mussel Recipes

Since summer is here and the mussels are supposedly at their prime, I’m throwing out my three favorite ridiculously easy recipes:

Impepata di Cozze – Neapolitan black pepper mussels. Sounds fancy, tastes even better. Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor.

Zuppa di Cozze – The soup that kings allegedly loved. And honestly, after tasting a good one, I get it.

Cozze Gratinate – Crispy baked mussels with a golden topping. This is what your local fried chicken shop should be selling.

Here’s Where I Get a Little Cranky

Look, I need to vent for a second. That whole “no R in the month” rule? It was probably true once. But these last couple of years? Naples’ mussels have been seriously disappointing me. I went back to this legendary mussel soup spot that used to be the gold standard, and it was so bad I genuinely stopped at McDonald’s on the way home to eat fries and forget about it.

I have photos from just a few years ago showing mussels so plump and meaty they looked like oysters. Even the rocky ones—which are a nightmare to clean—I didn’t care. Bring me two kilos, no problem. But now? After you cook and shell them, they look so small you’d swear they were clams.

There’s Still Hope Though

A friend in Sicily told me not to give up. She says in September, I need to make a pilgrimage to Messina and try the Cozze e Vongole di Ganzirri—mussels and clams from the Ganzirri area. Apparently, those two saltwater lakes, Lago di Ganzirri and Lago di Faro, have kept the traditional shellfish farming alive, and they’re producing genuinely excellent quality mussels and vongole.

I’m already booking the trip in my head. The second I get my hands on some proper mussels, you’ll hear about it.