Why roast mussels in an oven, rather than steam or stir fry in a stock pot?
I always just steam mussels in a stockpot — I hate cleaning my electric oven!. But this Maine restaurant serves "wood oven roasted" mussels. What's the point of roasting in a wood oven? What do you gain? Why not just steam or stir fry them in a rondeau or stock pot?
Best Answer
I've been to Fore Street, and as the menu indicates, they have a number of menu items that are all cooked in the wood oven and over their wood grill.
They have an open kitchen, and their wood oven is a prominent part of both the menu and decor.
Unlike at home, where you would need to fire up the oven to cook one dish, their wood oven is running and cooking food the entire time they're open. Popping food into that oven is no more difficult than using a pot. In fact, because of their kitchen setup, steaming mussels in a pot is the more burdensome option, and also doesn't fit the theme of the menu, which is wood roasted & grilled food.
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