Preparation Place mussels in cold water and scrub them clean. "Beard" them by taking off the tuft of fibers projecting from the shell (if there are any—many farm-raised mussels are "beardless"). Discard any mussels that are broken or do not close when touched. Place 1 cup of water and all ingredients except the mussels into a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the mussels and reduce the heat so that the mussels cook at a simmer. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, for 10 minutes or until all of the mussels have opened fully. Keep an eye on the mussels—if cooked too long, they can be chewy. To serve, pour the mussels and broth into bowls, setting another empty bowl on the table for discarded shells. Reprinted with permission from Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver, and Plimoth Plantation. © 2005 Clarkson Potter Buy the full book from Amazon.