When you're about to try something new, it helps to surround yourself with caring and supportive people.

If everyone you know who fits that description is working, out of the country or otherwise indisposed, you work with who you've got.

I was lucky. When I hovered apprehensively over a plate of mussels and kelp for the first time, I had compassionate colleagues at the ready. And I mean "compassionate" in a "heart-felt mockery" kind of way. Such coworkers play into my shellfish fears and then tell me to stop being so dramatic and just eat the damn things.

Gentle, cushiony support doesn't grow well in my office. Must be the lack of light down here in the basement.

At any rate, we headed to Brian Boru on Monday evening for "Meet your Maker - Your Beer Maker." The tasting was one of the final events in the 10-day RestaurantWeekME, which ended yesterday.

At Boru, the folks from Bangs Island Mussels were dishing out plates of mussels alongside Ocean Approved kelp noodles.

Shipyard's Brewmaster Alan Pugsley was pouring his personally crafted Imperial Porter as well as a couple of the more permanent Shipyard brews.

It was an evening of first-time tastings: me with the mussels and everyone else with the porter. Though I don't think any of them panicked with their first sip of beer.


I admittedly had a rough go with the first mussel. My mistake: looking at it. I mean really looking at it. I should have just eaten it, but I procrastinated by pulling it apart and analyzing the thing. "What is that in there? A kidney bean?" For all I knew it was an actual kidney. A once-functioning miniature shellfish organ. There might be a whole slew of parts in there, like a pea-sized pancreas or a rib cage.

The notion is absurd, of course, but you see how the thought train can veer dramatically off-rail.

But in a moment of strength I lifted the mussel from its shell cradle and ate it. Chewed it, even, which doesn't often happen with new food. And shock - it wasn't altogether frightening. It tasted to me like ravioli stuffed with beans - not at all like that saltwater jolt of an oyster. That's what we call "a learning."

I also learned that months with an "r" in their name (September to April) are considered the "in" season for mussels.

Monday marked one more small step toward seafood triumph. And I'd earned my Imperial Porter.


The porter is the creation of Shipyard's Alan Puglsey for the aptly named Pugsley's Signature Series. The Imperial Porter and a Barley Wine Style Ale have been available since November in 22-ounce bottles at liquor stores such as RSVP. Alan told me that the Barley Wine will be phased out to make room for a new introduction and eventually the porter will say adieu for yet another. Response from all ye beer drinkers will determine if any of the signature beers make a return.

The group at Brian Boru's on Monday seemed to approve of both the porter and the Bangs Island mussels (as evidence by the folks who returned for seconds and thirds and who also said, "I approve!").

I decided two mussels was my limit for now. One can't rush headlong into bivalve consumption.

They're fickle things, those victual aversions.