Congratulations to Otolith's CSS Oyster shareholders for your courage to face these live, local and sustainable oysters head on! You have embarked on an amazing journey that not only includes access and consumption of the freshest tasting most wonderful oysters in the world and also includes a increased awareness of origin, handling and environment of your oysters and many of the other CSS species available through Otolith Sustainable Seafood that you have enjoyed as well.
Otolith's CSS 2011 Fall Oysters were harvested from Great Bay, NJ on 11/16/11 by John Maxwell, Maxwell Shellfish.
Live oysters should be kept under refrigeration until ready to eat or cook. If properly handled these oysters may be eaten raw until 11/23/11. Proper handling includes: 1) Maintain 34-40 degree temperature control using refrigeration or ice, 2) keep oysters alive by providing adequate ventilation - do not store in an air-tight container and throw away any dead oysters whose shells have popped open before cooking indicating that they are no longer alive, 3) keep live oysters moist by covering them with wet food safe paper - use the brown bag they came in to wet and cover while refrigerated and 4) store oysters carefully with the bowl side down and their flat side up so as to reduce their anxiety and maintain their health - keeping them nestled in their own juices will reduce stress and maintain healthy and safe oysters.
Otolith received our CSS Oysters from Maxwell Shellfish today, 11/18/11, and has carefully stored each oyster bowl side down, covered with wet paper, and stored under refrigeration to maintain their health and the safety of your fresh live local oysters. It is important that you protect your hand while shucking any oyster to prevent injury. Please read the Shucking Tip below before shucking your wonderful oysters. Otherwise, a fabulous alternative to shucking is to clean and bake at 400 degrees the live oysters and eat them hot and ready with a dash of lemon or choice tapenade. My favorite tapenade is chopped sauteed spinach and garlic tossed with freshly grated hard white cheese and a bit of lemon juice served on hot cooked oysters and eaten with a small fork. Caution oysters will be hot if cooked at 400degrees and they will only take about 10 minutes to cook and pop open.
Shucking Directions
Otolith will distribute CSS Oysters at Headhouse Farm Market on Sunday, 11/20/11.
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