How to Buy

• Check fresh mussels for signs of life before purchasing them. The shells should be closed, unbroken and free of cracks. If the shells are open, they should close when tapped. An unresponsive mussel is likely dead and starting to spoil. If the shells are closed, shake them gently to check for dead mussels that rattle around inside the shell. As with any fresh seafood, avoid mussels that have a strong, fishy odor. Fresh seafood should smell like the ocean.

How to Store

• Seafood is highly perishable, so you must use it quickly and keep it cold. Store live mussels in an unsealed container in the refrigerator. In a closed container, the mussels will suffocate and die. For best results, keep the mussels in a single layer in a strainer set over a bowl, and cover them with ice. As the ice melts, it rinses the mussels and collects in the bowl below. Use the mussels within a couple of days.

How to Prep

• Wild mussels are often quite sandy. Coax the mussels to expel the sand inside their shells by soaking them in cold, salted water in the refrigerator for about an hour before cooking. Then, use a vegetable brush to scrub them under cold, running water. Farmed mussels are usually much cleaner and only need a good rinse under cold water. Both wild and farmed mussels have beards -- stringy growths protruding from the shells -- that you should yank off just before cooking.

How to Cook

• You can bake, sauté or steam fresh mussels. Regardless of the cooking method, the mussels are fully cooked as soon as the shell opens. For uniform cooking, stir the mussels often or cook them in a single layer in a broad, shallow pan. As they cook, the mussels release briny liquid that is commonly served as a broth or sauce. Discard any mussels that do not open during cooking, since they were likely unhealthy or already dead.