MUSSELS This delicious and nutritious source of protein was abundant throughout Tsalagi lands. There are today, 60 species to be found in the fresh waters of North Carolina. Here was a meat source available for little more than picking it up.   Unlike oysters, mussels are not usually eaten raw. I know of several ways to prepare them and present here the most common recipe. It is easy, fast, and very good. There are several varieties commercially available fresh and frozen and all are inexpensive year round. I have come to prefer the common black farm raised ones from New England as they seem the most tender. These are so well cleaned right out of the package that there is little to do other than rinse them in cool water. Before the pre cleaned ones were available, scrubbing them and cutting off the fibrous material known as the beard was a task. Now a simple rinse is all that is needed and I cook them much more often. You must still inspect each and every one to see that the shell is firmly closed. If it is open, it is not safe to eat and must be discarded. MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE Finely mince some fresh garlic and coarsely chop a yellow cooking onion. Put these in the bottom of a deep pan with a lid and add some butter. cook slowly over low heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add a generous glass of dry white wine, turn up the heat, and bring the liquid to a boil. Add all the mussels at once with a handful of chopped fresh parsley and put the lid tightly on the pan. It takes only minutes for them to open and be ready to eat. Like all shellfish, the more you cook it the more tough and rubbery it becomes. be certain not to overcook the mussels. They are ready the minute they open and a firm bite of meat can be seen. Any which do not open should be discarded. I always serve a green garden salad before serving mussels and accompany the dish with warm bread sticks. There are many more ways of cooking mussels, but this is the simplest and most features the natural taste of the mussel.