Insane. I think a sheet pan is about 5 dozen, so 5 pans in an hour is only about 5 oysters per minute… bush league!
I really like Malpeque oysters from Prince Edward Island – also Blue Points. The Kumamotos I’ve had here in NJ have not impressed me, small, kinda salty, nothing special about the flavor. I think Japanese oyster types probably “show” better on the west coast.
I had Belon at restaurant Daniel.
Many of these names, e.g., Pemaquid, Quonset Point, Beausoleil, Malpeque and Martha’s Vineyard…(and maybe most of them) are brand names rather than a specific kind of oyster used to seed those place’s operation…the e.g. list are all from New England or Nova Scotia (Beausoleil/Malpeque). Essentially, a variety of oyster is used to seed the beds…and, from there…the product takes on the name of the locale/brand name/operation.
Belon itself is more of a brand name/regional description. The variety of actual oyster is not “Belon”…Maine Belon Oysters - Browne Trading Species Definition
I am pretty familiar with the New England/Nova Scotia varities and, from time to time, order a carton of something overnight from a good source in Maine…which actually owns several of the Nova Scotia operations , in addition to distributing them…and many many other varieties…Having a need/desire for a case (usually 100 oysters) is not frequent enough for me…so…I don’t get them as often as I would like.
Interesting stuff… there are good books on explaining more about oyster varieties…
but…i’ve been thinking about a shipment all this week, inronically…
Belons are to Maine as Chablis is to California. You are right in that Belons are the same European flat oysters grown elsewhere, but true Belons are from the Belon river estuary. Terroir (acquoir?) matters
Yeah…I think the variety is the same…the mystique in Maine is lacking…so, good analosgy…Burgundy to CA…same pinot noir/chardonnay…but way different…and, though I have no real idea, the mystique of the original can’t be replicated. (And, I think there was some litigation over the use of the name, Belon, if I remember correctly…or some issue that almost resulted in that.
Several dozen North American oyster appellations (place-names) are described in this website (from the author of the book Bob recommended above):
Note that the only designated appellation for Gulf Coast Oysters is Apalachicola; locally others are recognized (e.g., Cedar Key); apparently in the past these less-familiar Gulf appellations were in more general use ( http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate/2011/02/oyster_appellations_return_to.php ).
Oysters in North America are primarily of two different varieties. One for each coast. They are named from there habitat as it’s believed properly I believe that they take on the characteristics of said environment. Before anyone else chimes in yes there are exceptions but this is primarily the way the industry works here.
Two of the species commonly harvested in North American waters today are native: Crassostrea virginica, up and down the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and Ostreola conchaphila, the Olympia oyster in Washington (native to the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexcio, but overharvested/extirpated in most places). The majority of the oysters harvested on the Pacific coast are Crassostrea gigas, introduced from the Pacific coast of Asia.
+1 on Shigokus. They have outpaced even Kumos for me. Really fresh Olympias are also excellent.
Thanks for that link, David. Lots of good stuff there.
I just had a night of oyster debauchery this past Monday; trendy Hollywood spot offered a “oysters at cost” special and my group went through 14 dozen along with some other small bites.
Kumamoto, Malpeque, Beau Soleil, Misty Point, and Marin Miyagi; all were absolutely fresh and briny, but the standouts were the Kumamotos and the Miyagis.
Crassostrea virginica are our locals
We’re throwing a bunch in a paella pan on the grill tonight
That looks horrible, like someone threw up spinach on them.
Oysters don’t need all that shit on them, just a squeeze of lemon or fresh ground black pepper. All that nonsense is for folks who don’t like oysters, there could be anything under there.