I spent an ab-fab evening at opening night for the 6th Annual Harvest on the Harbor, a food and wine festival in Portland, Maine (Oct 23-26). Almost 20 restaurateurs and chefs, and almost 30 beer, wine, and spirits purveyors offered delectable samples of foods celebrating the bounty of Maine. Of course, I made a beeline to the table with oysters: the Maine Aquaculture Seafood and Raw Bar. And what beauties they were!
John Hennessey—whose family farm in West Bath has been operating for more than 300 years—cracked open some premium Winter Points. Grown in ocean water in Mill Cove, on the bottom (not in bags), they were plump, crisp, briny and sweet, definitely benefiting from big tides and clean waters.
What was also remarkable was how scrubbed and clean the shells were. “If I don’t want to shuck it, I won’t sell it,” said Hennessey.
Also on shucking duty was Sebastian Belle, executive director of the Maine Aquiculture Association, an organization dedicated to sustainable seafood that represents 180 farms in the state including oysters, mussels, clams, salmon, cod and halibut. “What is unique about Maine is that we have so many different kinds of farms,” said Belle.
Belle was shucking Pemaquids from the Damariscotta River. Briny and bright, they were perfectly plump and full of flavor, and went well with a sip of Joseph Drouhin Chablis that I found at the Dreyfus Ashby & Co. table.
Belle was shucking Pemaquids from the Damariscotta River. Briny and bright, they were perfectly plump and full of flavor, and went well with a sip of Joseph Drouhin Chablis that I found at the Dreyfus Ashby & Co. table.
The Harvest on the Harbor festival is still happening—so if you’re in the area around Portland make sure to check it out.
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