Celebrating the Chesapeake Bay Oyster
During my years living on the coast of Virginia, I visited many current and abandoned oyster docks. I gained an enormous respect for the men and (a few) women who brave the punishing elements and backbreaking work who deserve to be called "Oystermen."
A thank you. To the Rappahannock Oyster Company and others like them who harvest the bounty of the sea.
My Christmas order of clams and oysters arrived on December 23, shipped overnight from Topping, Virginia. Four pints of "fresh" oysters, one bag of clams, one bag of live oysters, and a pair of shucking gloves. Previously I used a towel, but gloves make the process much easier - and safer !
You cannot get them any fresher than this. Harvested on December 21 (locally) and delivered on December 23. Notice the circled dates and location.
There is one exception: The only fresher shell fish I ever ate I harvested myself on a diving trip off the coast of Virginia. We dove around a light house, harvested the clams from the pilings, brought them to the deck and the mates "immediately" threw them on the grill.
jpegtripadvisor.co.uk
Coming soon: My favorite recipes for oysters: half shell, steamed, sauteed.
Until next time,
Michael