Consolidated "Oysters - where to buy? Your favorites? Etc." thread
Sep 28, 2010, 3:04 pm
#32
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I've tried oysters from all over the country and I think it has to do with what you grew up eating. I grew up in Houston where Gulf oysters from the Anahuac/Smith Point are the most prevalent bar food. A pitcher of Saint Arnold and a dozen medium size oysters with a lemon wedge and a little hot sauce is the best icehouse barfood out there. Also I used to rake them myself with my grandfather and father out there too, and fresh out of the cold gulf water is the best ones!
And as a side note, all this hype over Gulf Seafood being so adversely affected by the BP spill is blown waaaay out of proportion. Misinformation by media and sensationalism is the biggest reason fisherman are out of business, far more than anything BP did. There were only a few of the many fishing beds closed or even affected. The vast majority of the Gulf Of Mexico was untouched by the oil spill, not to mention the even far greater amounts of oil that are naturally seeped in oceans around the world.
And as a side note, all this hype over Gulf Seafood being so adversely affected by the BP spill is blown waaaay out of proportion. Misinformation by media and sensationalism is the biggest reason fisherman are out of business, far more than anything BP did. There were only a few of the many fishing beds closed or even affected. The vast majority of the Gulf Of Mexico was untouched by the oil spill, not to mention the even far greater amounts of oil that are naturally seeped in oceans around the world.
Sep 28, 2010, 3:12 pm
#33
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I have tried oysters all over the US, and have yet to find one that beats the Appalachicola oyster, fresh off a boat. A lot of times at parties we'll have a bushel or two for everyone to crack open and enjoy. Yummy.
Sep 28, 2010, 3:46 pm
#34
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The sense I'm getting, with some exceptions, is that folks are partial to their home town oysters.
I'm no different. I'm a Blue Point, Watch Hill or Matunuk oyster guy (Matunucks being harvested from the pond on which my parents have their summer home).
I'm no different. I'm a Blue Point, Watch Hill or Matunuk oyster guy (Matunucks being harvested from the pond on which my parents have their summer home).
Sep 28, 2010, 8:28 pm
#35
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I've never really been in to oysters. The only time I tried one was a Kumamoto in Seattle recently, and I liked it! Any recommendations for local oysters in Chicago? I don't think such a thing exists, sadly.
Sep 28, 2010, 11:46 pm
#36
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I like 'em best fried with cocktail sauce.
Sep 29, 2010, 6:46 am
#37
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Oysters doused/dipped in Cocktail Sauce? Horrors! Anything more than a bit of lemon juice and a drop or two of Tabasco is rank heresy. Sucking'em from the shells eliminates the need for cutlery.
Sep 29, 2010, 2:51 pm
#38
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Oct 9, 2010, 8:45 am
#39
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Last month we visited Brittany (truth be told, in Tony Bourdain's footsteps) and had a grand afternoon of oyster-slurping in the Port de Belon, home of the Belon bivalves. They also served (locally-grown) Pacific oysters (which looked like our local ones.) While I thought the Belons were fine, I actually preferred the Pacific ones in the side-by-side "testing." 
Photos:
Trip report on Fodors.
More photos.
Photos:
The kitchen
The menu
The dining room (not us)
The menu
The dining room (not us)
Trip report on Fodors.
More photos.
Oct 10, 2010, 7:19 pm
#41
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I had some oysters last night, but I can't remember what kind they were. It started with "K" but wasn't kumamoto or kushi. I had them at Naha in Chicago. Their online menu shows a different kind of oyster, but the preparation was the same.
In all, I was glad for the pernod and creme fraiche sorbet. The oysters tasted overwhelmingly fishy to me. Not mild and tasty like the kumamoto I had in Seattle earlier this year.
In all, I was glad for the pernod and creme fraiche sorbet. The oysters tasted overwhelmingly fishy to me. Not mild and tasty like the kumamoto I had in Seattle earlier this year.
Oct 11, 2010, 12:52 am
#42
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Oysters are not native to Alaska, our water is apparently too cold for them to grow from an egg... however- our farms ship up seed from the lower 48 and grow them in the cold waters of Katchemak Bay (South of Homer) and they are amazing- Always have to have a dozen or so at the Alaska State Fair (as some other FTers recently did at the Cabbage DO 
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Dec 16, 2010, 8:36 pm
#43
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Dec 16, 2010, 8:48 pm
#44
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I've eaten oysters all over the world but the Bagaduce Oysters from the Bagaduce River in Castine, Maine kick serious butt IMO.
And an oyster kicking butt is pretty unique.
And an oyster kicking butt is pretty unique.
Bagaduce
[From J.P.'s Shellfish]
I always like to introduce a new product to our stable…One of our more recent additions is the Bagaduce oyster (Crassotrea virginica). This premium oyster is sourced through the brackish waters of the reversing falls of Bagaduce River (N 44.38/W 68.82), which is located in mid-coast Maine. So what makes the Bagaduce oysters so remarkable? I’m glad you asked! Our Bagaduce oysters are grown out in floating ADPI bags which place the oysters in the direct rays of the sun for the entire grow-out process, thereby thickening and strengthening the shell of the oyster…As an aside…You’ll be hard pressed to find a more aesthetically pleasing oyster…The shells of the Bagaduce oysters are the color of alabaster, and are virtually free of any bio-fouling. The wash of the tides keeps the oysters in constant motion, and a natural manicuring process takes place, where the thin new shell growth is chipped away, thereby promoting greater cup definition. You’ll find our Bagaduce River oysters to possess an exceptional level of congruity, especially for an oyster of this size. Producing a small (cocktail) oyster that is cookie-cutter consistent is impressive…But producing a large choice oyster with such terrific consistency is really quite a trick. As an oyster grows, so do the odds that there will be a greater degree of variance in size, shape, and cup definition….Especially if the oysters in question aren’t manicured by hand. By utilizing the aforementioned ADPI bags, gentle friction is created as the other oysters chafe against each other, as well as the hard-plastic mesh that houses them. Kind of like a rock tumbler, only not nearly as abrasive. After two-and a half to three years, the resulting three to four inch oysters are some of the finest you’ll find anywhere. Meats are full, and don’t get lost inside the large shells. Check the salinity, it don’t change; Stays 28 (ppt), come shine or rain! That’s right. 12 months a year. The many levels of consistency associated with this oyster are truly amazing. Did I mention that our partners at the Bagaduce River Oyster Company haven’t missed fishing an open harvest day in eight years? What more can I say to encourage you to try these oysters???
Oh yeah…The Bagaduce oysters have recently been featured at a couple of dinners at The James Beard House, and are reputed to be a favorite of Thomas Keller. I’m not typically one to drop names…But in this case…I simply can’t resist. How’s that for instant credibility?
[From J.P.'s Shellfish]
I always like to introduce a new product to our stable…One of our more recent additions is the Bagaduce oyster (Crassotrea virginica). This premium oyster is sourced through the brackish waters of the reversing falls of Bagaduce River (N 44.38/W 68.82), which is located in mid-coast Maine. So what makes the Bagaduce oysters so remarkable? I’m glad you asked! Our Bagaduce oysters are grown out in floating ADPI bags which place the oysters in the direct rays of the sun for the entire grow-out process, thereby thickening and strengthening the shell of the oyster…As an aside…You’ll be hard pressed to find a more aesthetically pleasing oyster…The shells of the Bagaduce oysters are the color of alabaster, and are virtually free of any bio-fouling. The wash of the tides keeps the oysters in constant motion, and a natural manicuring process takes place, where the thin new shell growth is chipped away, thereby promoting greater cup definition. You’ll find our Bagaduce River oysters to possess an exceptional level of congruity, especially for an oyster of this size. Producing a small (cocktail) oyster that is cookie-cutter consistent is impressive…But producing a large choice oyster with such terrific consistency is really quite a trick. As an oyster grows, so do the odds that there will be a greater degree of variance in size, shape, and cup definition….Especially if the oysters in question aren’t manicured by hand. By utilizing the aforementioned ADPI bags, gentle friction is created as the other oysters chafe against each other, as well as the hard-plastic mesh that houses them. Kind of like a rock tumbler, only not nearly as abrasive. After two-and a half to three years, the resulting three to four inch oysters are some of the finest you’ll find anywhere. Meats are full, and don’t get lost inside the large shells. Check the salinity, it don’t change; Stays 28 (ppt), come shine or rain! That’s right. 12 months a year. The many levels of consistency associated with this oyster are truly amazing. Did I mention that our partners at the Bagaduce River Oyster Company haven’t missed fishing an open harvest day in eight years? What more can I say to encourage you to try these oysters???
Oh yeah…The Bagaduce oysters have recently been featured at a couple of dinners at The James Beard House, and are reputed to be a favorite of Thomas Keller. I’m not typically one to drop names…But in this case…I simply can’t resist. How’s that for instant credibility?