Have you ever wondered about oysters before?
Me neither.
But I got a big oyster education from oyster growers Karen Rivara and Jim Markow at Jimmy’s No. 43 in the East Village. Karen and Jim shucked over 600 Peconic Pearl and Mystic oysters for the hungry and inquisitive crowd as they explained all there is to know about oysters.
Turns out oysters are pretty interesting little buggers. Case in point: Oyster reproduction. Turn on some Barry White and dim the lights....
Oysters are protantrous hermaphrodites who fertilize externally and change from male to female and sometimes back again. In fact you can’t distinguish male from female until fertilization when females release large numbers of eggs in comparison to males which release a small amount of sperm.
Oysters vary in taste and appearance depending on where they are grown. Jim’s Mystic oysters, from Connecticut’s Mystic River, had a noticeable green hue to their shells whereas Karen’s Peconic Pearls, from Long Island’s Peconic Bay, did not.
Top and right: Notice the green hue on the Mystic oyster shells.
Karen explained it takes about 2 years to get a nice quality oyster to market. Consistency in growth and taste is a big part of the oyster business. While oysters are growing in hatcheries, its important to separate the fast growers from the slow growers. Fast growers will consume all of the nutrients around it and you want to make sure the slow growers are set aside to have a chance to catch up.
Karen and Jim grow their oysters in hatcheries so you can eat them year round, not just during months ending in the letter “R” as the adage was from the days when refrigeration was an issue.
Oysters are alive until you open them, so its best to eat oysters right away. Eating them straight up, perhaps with a little lemon, is recommended because you want to experience the freshness and taste of the oyster on its own.
Ice prolongs the death process after shucking
For those that can’t host their own shucking party at home, you can personally taste some of Karen and Jim’s oysters at Grand Central’s famous Oyster Bar or the Blue Water Grill in Union Square.
I also want to take a moment to say thanks to Jimmy Carbone, owner of Jimmy’s No. 43, for his hospitality. Though my only contact with him prior to the event was via email, it was easy to figure out who Jimmy was in person once I got into the bar. He’s the jovial guy working the room, chatting up new patrons and greeting friends with a warm hug. He knows everyone and everyone knows him. I introduced myself and was immediately welcomed into Jimmy’s world and let me tell you its a nice place to be. Thanks Jimmy!
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