Friday, October 1, 2010

Eating Local: Chatham Oysters!

Boy and I got our shellfishing permit this summer.  We started out clueless amateurs, and are quickly becoming, well, savvy amateurs.  Give us two hours at a beautiful low tide and we will bring back more clams than you can eat.  We've done it.

There are lots of things in this world I love.  A recent addition to that category that happened about 2 years ago is my intense love for oysters.  I would like to think it is because my palette is so sophisticated and complex, but I have a feeling it is more likely attributed to the fact they are salty and taste like the ocean. (If it was socially acceptable to have a salt lick in my living room I would.)

September 1 marks the beginning of oyster season. We were out clamming shortly after the beginning of open season and were hellbent on catching a couple. Now, when it comes to oysters, the word "catch" should be used loosely.  You "catch" fish or you "catch" the runner ahead of you, but you do not "catch" oysters.  There is no effort involved.  You step on oysters because they are just sitting there on the sand in about twelve inches of water.  It's amazing.  Because they are so easy to find there were not many to be had.  We ended up finding two.  (Check that baby out! Well, and all the clams underneath - that's right, we caught them all!)
At our seafood store here in the city, the two most common oysters we get are Blue Points (Long Island) and Wellfleets (Cape Cod).  I had never had a "Chatham" before, but it blew the rest of them out of the water.  Now, I understand there is a certain sense of accomplishment that comes with pulling an oyster out of the bay, shucking it yourself, and throwing it down the hatch that might make me slightly biased toward the oysters we caught, but whoa. You will have to take my word for it though, because you won't get any of your own if you come oystering with me.  Sorry!

**A note on preparing clams: Obviously oysters are eaten raw.  I suppose there are people in this world that steam or fry them, but they are not company I choose to keep.  As for clams - yummm - I do enjoy a raw clam on the half shell, but, I prefer to grill mine. That's right. Straight from the basket to the grates of the grill. Wait just long enough for them to open and then enjoy! I find they taste best when eaten right off the grill with a fork, but that is just my opinion.

No comments:

Post a Comment