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U.S. Shucking Championships Results

10/24/2012

After a weekend of fun and frivolity (or so I’m told) at the 46th annual St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival last weekend in Leonardtown, Maryland, the stats are now in. The 2012 U.S. National Oyster Shucking Champion is…the same as the 2011 U.S. National Oyster Shucking Champion: Mike Martin of Panama Bay, Florida. In fact, this is the third straight year Martin has won the event, earning him the right to represent the U.S. in the international shucking championship in Galway, Ireland next September.

So here’s a big meaty, slurpy and salty congrats to Mike who won the final against North Carolina’s Cathy Milliken by 14 seconds, shucking 24 oysters with an adjusted time of 2:43.16.

And here’s a shout out to the men’s heat finalists in 2nd and 3rd place, Robert Daffin and Rick McCurley, and the women’s heat finalists in 2nd and 3rd place, Deborah Pratt and Clementine Macon.

Shuck on!

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Terrior and Merrior Tasting at Island Creek Oyster Bar

10/22/2012

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Wow-ee-wow. If you’re ever visiting Boston on the third Sunday of any month, make sure to snag a reservation at the wine and oyster pairing/tasting offered at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square.

Yesterday I sat at the bar with 6 other guests (they can accommodate 10) and enjoyed three flights of oysters and wine, served two pair at a time. Before the tasting, Chris Sherman (VP of Island Creek Oysters) regaled us by defining what he calls the “merrior-terroir experience.”

“Wine can give us a way to understand the experience of eating oysters. Both are a strong expression of a geographic place.”

In a nutshell (or shall I say oyster shell?): Just as soil type, climate and location of vineyards impacts the flavor of wine, so the region, water quality and temperature, surrounding sea life and harvesting methods affects the taste of oysters. Yeah, we knew that. But it’s always interesting to hear it again. And no matter how much I think I know about oysters, I always learn something new.

For example, I had no idea that European Belons grow wild in Maine. Yep. (In photo above, on left.) Apparently they were brought over from Europe decades ago, but Maine’s cold winters were too cold for intertidal harvesting. The ones that escaped, so to speak, survived in a subtidal zone, and are harvested by divers. Since they live below water and are never exposed to air, these oysters have week adductor muscles and so are banded before shipping—to insure they won’t pop open. The taste was, remarkably, pure Belon: robust and firm with a strong metallic opening note. We tasted this one last, paired with a smoky, nutty sherry: Lustau Almacenista Amontilllado. Yum.

But I’m jumping ahead of myself.

Jo Watson, assistant wine director at ICOB, chooses the wines and explains each pairing. The plan: first taste wine, then eat oyster. Worked for me.

Round One: Oyster #1 was an Island Creek grown in the high tidal waters of Duxbury, on the bottom near mud and eel grass. As expected, it had a strong salty taste up front, mossy and vegetal central flavors, and a sweet finish.

Wine pairing: NV Guy Bossard-Thaud Brut Muscadet, an acidic and citrusy sparkling wine that cut the salinity and brightened the oyster flavor. (Full disclosure: I’m parroting Jo’s observations here.)

Oyster #2 was an ICO Row 34, also an Island Creek, though this time grown off-bottom on racks, so it was a little less vegetal yet still absolutely delicious.

Wine pairing: 2009 Szigetti Brut Blanc de Blancs Burgenland, a truly yummy (my words) high quality sparkling Chardonnay from Austria (Jo’s words).

Round Two: Oyster #3 was a Moon Shoal from Barnstable, Mass.

“It’s the West Coastiest East Coast oyster that we sell,” said Chris.

Wine pairing: 2010 Vigneto Reine Mataossu Punta Crena. a “high acidic, mineral-driven” wine from the Northwest coast of Italy.

Oyster #4 was a Spring Creek, also from Barnstable, farmed near a marshy area at the mouth of a creek. This oyster had hints of vegetals and was slightly sweeter than the Oyster Creeks.

Wine pairing: 2011 Do Ferreiro “Rebisaca” Rias Baixas, a blend of Alberino and other grapes from Galicia in Spain.

Round Three: Oyster #5 hailed from the West Coast, a Hama Hama from Lillywaup, Wash. A different species than the East Coast oysters, it was—as expected—creamy and buttery, with fruity flavors of watermelon, cucumber and walnut.

“With West Coast oysters, all the flavors come at you at once,” said Chris.

Wine pairing: 2011 Gramona “Gessami” Penedes, an easy-drinking, floral and slightly acidic blend from near Barcelona.

Oyster #6, a Wild Belon from the Damariscotta River in Maine. (Described with wine pairing, above.)

And here’s a SHOUT OUT to some of my new fave oyster-eating pals who made the tasting ever-so-much fun: Faith Drennon and Mike Bruno of Boston, Kathy Pennington of Denver, and Katie Bishop of Chicago, true bivalve lovers, oyster sluppers, and half shell dreamers!

“If I die I want to go by oyster,” said Katie. Can’t argue with that.

Deets: Land Meets Sea: Terrior and Merrior Tasting. Every third Sunday of the month. 617-532-5300 for reservations. 2:00pm-3:00pm; $35 per person includes 6 oyster varieties plus wine pairings.

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O is for Oysters in October

10/19/2012

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There’s so much oyster activity going on this month that I can barely keep track of it all. After the off-the-charts success of the Wellfleet OysterFest, there are TWO events this weekend worth mentioning. I wish I could be at one or the other but—alas—I can’t.

First, if anyone is in the Baltimore/DC area I suggest you make a beeline down to Leonardtown, Maryland for the 46th annual St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival. I visited in 2007—the year William “Chopper” Young of Wellfleet won first place and catapulted onto the international stage. (Where he won in Galway in 2008, though that’s another story.)

It’s a fun event, kind of like an old fashioned country fair (with rides, games, and tractor displays) combined with all things oysters, including an oyster cooking competition and the national shucking competition. I’m not 100% sure of the roster of competitors this year, though I’m guessing the crew from Dusty’s in Panama City, Florida will be there (Mike Martin, Scotty O’Lear) and of course Robert Daffin and Mama, plus a Baltimore contingent including George “Hannibal” Hastings and his brother Robert. Women are strong contenders too. If Deborah Pratt of Virginia shows up these guys had better sharpen their knives.

Deets: This year's festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 20th and 21st at the Fairgrounds on Route 5 just south of Leonardtown. The gates open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, no charge for children 12 and under and there is plenty of free parking. The festival events continue, rain or shine, since adequate buildings and tents are provided on the grounds. Proceeds from the Oyster Festival go to local charities.

To read my complete story on the festival in American Way magazine, click the link:

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Second, here’s a shout out to pals attending the Danish Oyster Cup and World Oyster Cup taking place on Frederiksberg Runddel in Copenhagen on October 20th.

The participants will shuck 30 Danish oysters from Limfjorden, which I’m told are pretty demanding to open because of the thick shells they grow in the cold waters of Denmark and the large size of the actual oyster-meat in the shell.

Good luck to Danish competitors Jonas and Simon Tønsager who I met in Galway. The first and second place winners of the Danish Cup will go on to compete with Heini Petersen (Norway), Daniel Notkin (Canada), William "Chopper" Young (USA), Frederik Lindfors (England), Lars Karlsson (Sweden), Angus Vajk (Scotland), Johan Malm (Sweden), Michael Moran (Ireland), Stephen Nolan (Ireland), Xavier Caille (France), Martin Söderström (Finland), Antii Lepik (Estland) and Urs Müller (Germany).

Apologies to anyone I may have forgotten or missed.

Good luck to all. Shuck off and shuck on!

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3-2-1 Shuck! OysterFest Recap

10/14/2012

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Is it my imagination or do the crowds in Wellfleet have an even better time when it's rainy than when it's sunny at OysterFest? Because even though the crowds had thinned the teensiest bit, spirits were high as we headed into the shucking competition finals.

Before the shucking started, shellfisherman Bob Lapointe won first place in the largest-oyster-growing competition. Take a look at this thing! Weighing in at 1.02 pounds it took 4.5 years to grow.

Then it was 3-2-1 SHUCK! The 10 finalists were required to shuck 24 oysters as quickly and cleanly as possible. Clint Austin raised his arms as he finished and the crowd roared its approval.

Oysters were carefully carried to the tent where each tray was judged anonymously and penalties were added for such shucking no-nos such as cut oysters, grit or sand in the oysters, bloody oysters, or broken shells. This years judges were Mike May and Alex Hay of Wellfleet, and John Baby from Toronto.

On stage, the shells were flying. Between rounds, MCs Mac Hay and Eric Williams kept the banter lively. "When you eat an oyster it's like jumping in the ocean," said Williams.

The tension mounted as we waited for results, with the first ever tie for 4th place resulting in an extra shuck-off round to see who would compete in the top 3 final final round. James Gray, above, won the $1K first place prize with an adjusted time of 2 minutes 24 seconds, a full 18 seconds ahead of 2nd place winner Keith Rose and 26 seconds ahead of 3rd place winner Jon Nordahl.

Of course it wouldn't be the Wellfleet OysterFest without an ending kick-ass concert, this time provided by Chandler Travis' Incredible Casuals.

This empty shell oyster tower pretty much summed up the festival. As we say here in Massachusetts, it was wicked awesome. Thanks you Wellfleet. See you next year!

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Good Morning Wellfleet!

10/13/2012

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The day started bright and early here at the Wellfleet OysterFest, with the Taste the Terroir event. Almost 50 hearty souls stopped by at 9 a.m. for an informal oyster-clam tasting moderated by...me. First to speak was Bob Prescott, director of the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Prescott wooed the crows with tales of oysters so thick in the bay that boats couldn't navigate the harbor back in the 17th-century. By the 18th-century the stocks were depleted, and seeds were brought in from the Chesapeake. Prescott also described the way the health and taste of oysters are determined by their location.

"When you eat an oyster, you're eating the water of Wellfeet Harbor," said Prescott.

After that I had the great privilege to introduce and interview the shellfish farmers on the panel: Andrew Cummings, Richard Blakeley, Becca Taylor, Pat Woodbury, and Bob LaPointe, who all enlightened and entertained the audience about the realities and challenges of farming these wonderful bivalves.

"Oysters will break your heart," said Blakeley.

After that we got down to the tasting, rating the shellfish in terms of flavor (salty, fruity, buttery, earthy, mild, sharp, clean, muddy, metallic, etc.) and texture (soft, firm, plump, fleshy, etc.) All in all I'd describe them as YUMMY.
There's nothing I like better than oysters for breakfast...unless it's oysters with a side of littleneck clams.

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Countdown to Wellfleet OysterFest

10/12/2012

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The oyster feasting will soon begin here on this sandy outpost on the Outer Cape where as many as 10,000 visitors are expected to arrive for all-day events on Saturday and Sunday.

Of course I couldn’t wait to start my oyster-eating adventures, and made a detour through Hyannis yesterday to Pain D’Avignon, a bakery and café that not only have a mind-boggling array of breads and pastries (they bake 175 different kinds of items every day) but also offers French-Mediterranean bistro-type dining with—surprise!—oysters.

Though I usually prefer my oysters nekkid, as the bohemian chef and artist Howard Mitcham used to say, with just a squeeze of lemon and—occasionally—the tiniest squirt of Tabasco, I just had to try Huitres au Four, Pain D’Avignon’s dreamy baked oysters made with locally grown organic leeks, house-smoked bacon, a touch of Pernod and a sprinkle of Parmesan. (That’s them in the photo.) The oysters are offered at dinner only, though if you stop by for lunch the sandwiches, stone-hearth oven pizzas, and salads are yummy too.

But today I’m in Wellfleet where the festivities begin tonight at the Third Annual OysterFest Party 'Find A Place At The Table'. (An elegant evening of wine, art, music and food.)

Check out the rest of the online schedule for information about the 5K road race, street festival, entertainment, cooking demos, oyster flat tours and the shucking competition. Yours truly will be MCing Taste the Terroir on Saturday morning, 9:00 a.m. And I’m so exited to watch the film By The Waters, by Marnie Crawford Samuelson, which documents a year on the Indian Neck flats in Wellfleet, revolving around mother and son shellfishermen, Barbara and Clint Austin.

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Gearing Up for the Wellfleet OysterFest

10/9/2012

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So excited to be gearing up for the Wellfleet OysterFest!
October 13 - 14, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

It’s the 12th year for this two-day event that’s part street party (food! music!), part arts and crafts festival (28 vendors!) part educational and recreational (nature walks, reef tours, a road race, and skateboard competition!), and ALL about oysters.

Wellfleet oysters. My personal unbiased faves.

Oh yeah, and for kids there’s one of those bouncy-moon things, face painting, and clowns. There’s also cooking demonstrations, lectures, and a documentary film. Okay I’ll stop now. You can check it all out on the website.

Yours truly will be leading the Taste the Terroir event, at 9:00 a.m. at Preservation Hall. (Oysters for breakfast? Yes, please.) This ticketed event sells out quickly so I recommend getting there early.

And then there’s the shucking competition. Stand back as the shells fly and contestants compete for the top three prizes: $1,000, $500, and $250. More on this later. Just want to say that if you don’t have plans this weekend, come on down to the ‘fleet. And if you do have plans…you might want to change them. Just sayin.

The photo? That’s my sis on the left, Melon Regis-Civetta, the “Mayor of Newcomb’s Hollow” and the host of the unofficial opening night party. And me, on the right, looking ever-so-stylish with the windswept hair.

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Ta-da! Presenting the Half Shell, an oyster-loving blog

10/8/2012

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Greetings fellow bivalve lovers, oyster shuckers and sluppers, and half shell dreamers! All ostreaphiles are welcome here!

So much has already been written about oysters—from Rowan Jacobsen’s A Geography of Oysters, to Mark Kurlansky’s The Big Oyster, to Patrick McMurray’s Consider The Oyster—who could possibly want to write anything more?

Well, me.

So—insert drum roll here—I present to you the Half Shell, a blog on the adventures of tasting, eating, farming, shucking, slurping, cooking, and generally enjoying oysters. Thanks for visiting!

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U.S. Shucking Championships Results

Terrior and Merrior Tasting at Island Creek Oyster Bar

O is for Oysters in October

3-2-1 Shuck! OysterFest Recap

Good Morning Wellfleet!

Countdown to Wellfleet OysterFest

Gearing Up for the Wellfleet OysterFest

Ta-da! Presenting the Half Shell, an oyster-loving blog

Necee Regis

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