Oyster Odyssey 2013
My first oyster experience was rather nasty and forced upon me by my oyster loving parents. They have fond memories of traveling to New Orleans and dining upon trays and trays of oysters on the half shell.
My first oyster experience was rather nasty and forced upon me by my oyster loving parents. They have fond memories of traveling to New Orleans and dining upon trays and trays of oysters on the half shell.
However, as a born and raised Michigander, my oyster experience was limited to a pint of greyish, slimy, wads of ….. oyster.
It wasn't until a couple of years ago I ate a real oyster. The Monger and I were at Elliot's Oyster House, on Pier 56, in Seattle. I'm pretty sure it's a law that you can't go to an oyster house and not eat oysters, so we ordered a sample platter and prepared to slurp our first oysters.
And they were amazing. Fresh. Salty. Interesting.
When we opened the Fish Market, we knew that shellfish would be part of our holiday selection. We wanted to apply the same quality standards we use for our whitefish to seafood. That meant carrying live shellfish--- and a crash course in shucking for us!
Starting Wednesday, November 13th we'll have live oysters, clams and mussels in the showcase. For the first round of oysters we'll have Bluepoint, Raspberry Point, Quonset Point and Canada Cup oysters. These were our most popular sellers last December.
Over the next six weeks we'll rotate the oyster and clam selection. Also, be prepared for more oyster information to come your way--- I'm reading A Geography of Oysters: A Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America by Rowan Jacobson and I'll need to download some of that information and Fish Folk would make the best audience!
So many oysters, so little time.... Below is a brief description of the shellfish we'll have this week.
CT Bluepoint
So many oysters, so little time.... Below is a brief description of the shellfish we'll have this week.
CT Bluepoint
One of the most recognized oysters in the US, Bluepoints are 3 to 4 inch large choice oysters. They are mildly salty with mouthwatering meats.
Raspberry Point
Harvested from the chilly waters of Prince Edward Island these oysters take 6-7 years to reach market size of 3 to 3 ½ inches. They have a wonderful salty taste, clean flavor with a delightful sweet finish.
Quonset Point
Distinctly managed shapes and deep oyster cups, 3 to 3 ½ inch, this is Rhode Island's "Number One" oyster. The taste is quickly salty yet finishes mild.
Canada Cup
The consistent size, 3 to 3 1/2 inch, and well-formed cups define this oyster. A mild to strong salinity is followed by a mild creamy flavor.
No comments:
Post a Comment