Snowflake.


Actually the water there was remarkably clean. Every stream river and creek from the largest and most pristine part of the Cardamoms was the feeder system. Well away from any population centres.
Now the dams have cut the sediment and nutrient flow.
Thank you God for MN who single-handedly stopped them damming the last of the major inflows.

This massive protein production system and incredible natural wonder is being hammered from the top by the dams and was anvilled at its base by the sand mining crimes. (< now stopped - primarily by MN too)

UPDATE: 2022

Cambodia News, (Koh Kong Province): As of November 2022, the community in the Nature Reserve Zone of Koh Kong Province has started harvesting mussels to distribute and sell in local markets as well as abroad.


Mr. Vong Dara, vice-president of the Peamkrob Nature Conservation, said that generally the community can harvest mussels from November to March every year, and the Environment Ministry has encouraged more conservation communities to enter the market as the demand rises.

Mussel farming is a symbol of the sustainability of natural resources, arising from a traditional harmony between economic activity and conservation, which can improve the livlihoods and living conditions of Koh Kong villagers, without detriment to their environment.

Mussels are much sought after as dishes in big restaurants and hotels up to 5 star ratings.

Clutch Cargo wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:15 am

blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)

I wonder how the taste of these local blue ones compare with the black mussel variety?

Couple of restaurants in PP I've ordered mussels from have been the black imported ones..one sourced from the US, the other from Ireland.

They all taste like shit to me,or at best whatever they are cooked with, but evidently I'm in a minority on this

The biggest problems when eating mussels is the lack of trust I have in the cooling chain in Cambodia. Whoever ever suffered food poisoning from unfresh molluscs will know what I am talking about (those push-carts with the salted/spiced small red lipped white mussels are a horror to me). I would only eat them big black ones if I were very close to Koh Kong.

I cooked these local clams in Sihanoukville. They are about the size of a thumb. So delicious. You get a lot of fresh basil, crush plenty of garlic and a hot chili or two, throw it in a pan with a tablespoon or three of oil and a generous dash of fish sauce and a teaspoon of soya sauce. Medium high stove. As the basil, garlic and chili heat up, toss in 500 grams or a kilo of clams. They start cooking instantly if the pan is hot enough. Simply use a spatula to turn them over and mix. After they begin popping open, add a cup or two of water, heat for a minute and its done... cooking longer than 3 or 4 minutes will make them too chewy. They are so delicious if properly tender! Note, it's best to rinse them and let stand awhile in clean room temperature water, and they will open up a crack because they are still alive; and if you rinse them several times before cooking, a lot of sand and poop will filter out... (I might just move out of smokey dusty shitty reap to find them again... everyone here in s.r. either burns charcoal to cook or burns a lot of trash & leaf litter, it's so backwards...)

Clutch Cargo wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:15 am

blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)

I wonder how the taste of these local blue ones compare with the black mussel variety?

Couple of restaurants in PP I've ordered mussels from have been the black imported ones..one sourced from the US, the other from Ireland.

The economics of buying cheaper from the other side of the world than just down the road, it's a world wide problem sadly

truffledog wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 6:37 pm The biggest problems when eating mussels is the lack of trust I have in the cooling chain in Cambodia. Whoever ever suffered food poisoning from unfresh molluscs will know what I am talking about (those push-carts with the salted/spiced small red lipped white mussels are a horror to me). I would only eat them big black ones if I were very close to Koh Kong.

Those things in the push-carts are fresh-water winkles (I think) and they get sun-dried with chilli (to kill bacteria?). I've bought them for other people, and have never seen anyone die from eating them, but, no, I don't eat them myself.

I love mussels,but I've been really sick, (horrible chunder-gutzing think you will die for 24 hours), a couple of times after eating them in SEA, so I'm more careful these days.