Inasmuch as oysters are in season, this post focuses on the current state of the NC oyster business. In the good ‘ol days, you were told to only eat oysters in the eight months of the year that contain the letter “R” in the name, which means September through April. The other four months of the year — May through August — were off limits. This advice was actually wise when oysters were harvested exclusively from the wild rather than farmed as many are, today for three reasons. First, oysters spawn in warm waters in summer, from May through August. In preparation for spawning, they convert glycogen stores to gamete (sperm and eggs). As a result, oysters get soft and rank. They are flimsy and not very tasty in summer. Second, pre-refrigeration, it wasn’t safe to eat a raw animal that had been baking on the docks in wooden barrels all day long. Third, higher concentrations of an algae, red tide, that is toxic to humans occurs in summer and bacteria is also more prevalent in warmer waters.
Do we still need to follow this old advice? Not exactly. Modern-day oyster farming and strict environmental rules have changed the landscape of oyster eating. So it’s now safe to eat oysters year-round, for two reasons. First, most farmed raised oysters are grown in cold waters. Second, most warm water farms grow sterile or triploid oysters which do not spawn.
Now that we know it’s safe to buy and eat oysters year-round, are there still times of year when they taste better? Most oysters still taste much better in fall and winter than they do in summer. That's because, wild or farm raised, oysters taste best out of cold water, so I say to follow the frost line — southern oysters in late winter and early spring, northern oysters in fall, and everybody around the holidays. Which brings me back around to our local oyster farms. One is the oyster gardens of Bekah's Bay. Located near Cape Lookout, Bekah’s Bay oysters are traditional tidal oysters, not down-river oysters. The great ocean tides and lack of large industry or farm runoff makes Bekah’s Bay the ideal place for growing oysters and gives them their signature salty and sweet flavor and creamy texture. Self proclaimed as the Napa Valley of Oysters, Bekah’s Bay grows a sterile oyster which does not spawn and, thus, is able to be harvested year-round. Bekah's Bay Oyster Company sells two different sizes of oysters, one being a “petite”, measuring 2.5 to 3 inches, and the other designated as “choice” which are larger than 3 inches. You can order online. Locals can pick up their oysters at Southern Salt Seafood Company and Waterfront Restaurant in Morehead City. For a small fee, Bekah’s Bay will deliver oysters to residents in Carteret and Craven counties. Too much trouble? Then visit Southern Salt Seafood or Catch 109 in MHC or Moonraker’s in Beaufort or Table 9 in Atlantic Beach to sample Bekah’s Bay oysters.
To learn more about oysters, how they're raised and how to enjoy them along the Crystal Coast, go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com.
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