Starring role for Mull mussels

A TV crew was shown around the farm on Loch Spelve by Inverlussa director Douglas Wilson and manager Cameron Maclean, who explained the environmentally friendly manner of the cultivation of Scottish mussels as well as their excellent taste and nutritional properties.

The mussels are grown on ropes suspended from buoys in the sea and feed naturally off plankton in the rich tidal flows to ensure the growth of succulent and sweet tasting shellfish. Inverlussa is a member of the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group, a co-operative of mussel and oyster farmers based on the Scottish west coast and Shetland.

Following the tour, the Inverlussa team served a tasty meal of sweet and sour mussels cooked up by nine-year-old Charlie Knight, the grandson of Douglas Wilson.

Douglas said: “It was great to welcome the Home Comforts team to Inverlussa and for us to be able to show how we grow our quality mussels. They really are the most superb tasting shellfish and their popularity with consumers is growing all the time.”

Nicola Kingscote, Series Producer, said: “We were thrilled to film on the Isle of Mull with a local firm catching such wonderful mussels. We were also treated to a special cook up outside by the loch, with a tasty mussel recipe courtesy of nine year old Charlie Knight. Some of the most beautiful shots and flavours of the series were captured on Loch Spelve in the company of Cameron and Douglas and their families.”

The programme will be aired on BBC1 on 23 January.