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Oyster Stout and Modern Farmer Magazine

1/9/2015

So excited my story about Patrick McMurray's Oyster Stout is featured in Modern Farmer Magazine. Here's a teaser...click link for the rest of the story!

Patrick McMurray, a.k.a. Shucker Paddy, knows a thing or two (or three) about oysters. Canadian and World oyster shucking champion, two-time Guinness oyster shucking record holder, author of Consider the Oyster: A Shucker’s Field Guide, and owner of Ceili Cottage and Pearl Diver oyster restaurants in Toronto, the energetic McMurray is a whirling dervish of oyster facts and ephemera....Keep reading...

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Extraordinary Oysters at The Ordinary

1/4/2015

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Happy Oysterlicious New Year!

If anyone happens to be visiting Charleston, S.C. this year, make sure you visit The Ordinary, a must-visit “fancy seafood/oyster hall” located in a renovated, spacious and elegant old bank building.

I loved everything about this place: the ambiance (casual and elegant); the service (friendly but not intrusive); and the simple yet creative menu featuring cold and hot small seafood plates, salads, soups and three large plates and—of course--oysters. It would not be an exaggeration to say—after tasting the grilled octopus with potato, eggplant and Meyer lemon—that I lusted for every item on the menu.

We settled in at six-seat marble oyster bar in the far end of the restaurant where, behind the shuckers, one can see into the kitchen through the doors of the former bank vault.

We ordered a cocktail, and eyed a familiar selection of bivalves from NS (Wallace Bay); PEI (Summerside); MA (Honeysuckle, Katama Bay); and ME (Pemaquid) nestled on crushed ice. We were most intrigued by two additional offerings from SC, Caper’s Blades, and Coosaw Cups.

We sampled a selection of each—all perfectly shucked—and were most surprised by the SC offerings.

The Coosaw Cups were meaty and sweet with a light brine start and long slight-iron finish.

Equally yummy—and perhaps my fave—were the Caper’s Blades. Check out these beautiful, elongated shells! Nicely salty and sweet, the finish was earthy and funky with hints of seaweed. Our first-class shucker, whose name I sadly neglected to write down, provided some background info on these tasty bivalves.

Located just northeast of Charleston, at Caper’s Inlet on the Isle of Palms, a guy named “Clammer Dave” farms clams and oysters. Nearby tidal bays and creeks add the distinctive “merrior” flavor to the meat.

From the website:

“Oysters grow in clusters in elongated shells, locally known as "Blades". Sustainable cultivation is simply removing the large ones and always leaving the small. Hand harvested, they are uniquely reduced to singles by a method of chisel and stone…in continuation of the sustainable practice dating back 300 years.”

After harvest, clams and oysters are held in floating racks in the highly oxygenated surface water to purge grit from the shell and stomach. The last step in the process involves a pressure wash before they hand graded and packed for shipping.

At some point I’d love to visit this farm and check out the operations. Until then, I’ll keep an eye out for Caper’s Coves on future oyster expeditions.

(The Ordinary, 554 King St., Charleston, SC, 843-414-7060)

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Oyster Stout and Modern Farmer Magazine

Extraordinary Oysters at The Ordinary

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