La moussetteThe Destination's other gastronomic jewel

La moussette

Star of spring

The moussette is in season!

When we mention moussette, you may be expecting to enjoy a small craft beer from a local brewery. Whereas that’s the name of the juvenile spider you can taste at our destination in spring. It’s a maximum of 2 years old.

The Chausey Archipelago, this rich yet fragile natural gem, is teeming with this crustacean.

La moussette

delicately flavoured spring crustaceans

The moussette has a delicate taste, a flesh that is fine and tasty. It’s already sexualized, but it hasn’t molted, which is what makes the difference in taste. It will lose its shell, which we’ll find washed up on the foreshore. In fact, to grow and become an adult, the spider must change its carapace 13 times before its terminal moult, i.e. before reaching adulthood.

“La moussette annonce le Printemps” shares Olivier from Rocavi fishmongers.

Where, when and how

Fishing for dogfish?

This little gastronomic jewel is a rare pleasure that can only be fished for a short period, from March to June, in the bay of Granville and Saint-Malo and all along the west Cotentin coast.

It has a regulatory catch size of 12 cm. On our destination, it is fished mainly in the archipel de Chausey, and on the coast. It can be found along the beaches in June. The dogfish is caught in its natural environment using casiers by professionals and a few private individuals. Amateur fishermen are allowed to fish it, using two traps per person. Some amateurs fish it by scuba diving, when it reaches the coasts around June.

At the trap, when the fisherman raises it, it’s a surprise every time. The fisherman checks that the dogfish is the right size using a pin, known as a “buche“. Malo Esnouf is the youngest professional dogfish fisherman in the Chausey archipelago.

The benefits of the moussette

For our health

Moussette is very rich in:

Vitamin E (antioxidant)
Vitamin PP (energy production)
Omega 3 (prevention of cardiovascular disease)
Magnesium (muscle and nerve function)

Recipe and tips for enjoying moussette:

To cook the moussettes, plunge them into cold water, and allow twelve minutes of cooking time after boiling.
The moussette can be eaten (still slightly warm, it’s a treat) with a homemade mayonnaise.

Thanks to Émeline Thevenin, fisherman’s wife, for her contribution to the writing of this article.

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