| Smokey Bay Seafood Company Ltd. Sustainable Farmed Shellfish Sales, Marketing and Distribution

Oysters More Effective Than Previously Believed In Filtering Water

Michael — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:47:41 +0000

“These oysters, they filter the water. One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, so you think of all these millions of oysters and they’re just a factory for clearing the water,” said Tom Zolper, Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

That’s a big reason millions of dollars are being spent to spread old shells containing baby oysters onto natural and artificial reefs.

What wasn’t known until now is how effective they are at filtering nitrogen out of the water.

“We found it was considerably higher than we ever thought be,” said Jeff Cornwell, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

read the whole article here. http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/04/30/oysters-more-effective-than-previously-believed-in-filtering-water/

Where do Smokey Bay Oysters come from?

Michael — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:32:55 +0000

The tiny oceanside community of Fanny Bay is situated on Baynes Sound, the sheltered narrow strait separating Vancouver Island and Denman Island. The tranquil setting of Fanny Bay overlooks the Strait of Georgia and the Gulf Islands, with the Coastal Mountains of the British Columbia mainland as the backdrop.

None of the numerous explanations for the origin of the name Fanny Bay – comical, romantic, local or historical – can be regarded without a measure of skepticism.

Fanny Bay first appeared in the 1864 edition of the Vancouver Island Pilot, based on surveys by Captain G.H. Richards of the Royal Navy, but exactly who Fanny was remains a mystery.

Modern visitors are likely to be found with white plastic pails, surveying the silty shores in search of the oysters for which Fanny Bay is so well known.

Fanny Bay is on the northern boundary of Lighthouse Country, a stretch of Highway 19A that runs along the oceanside from Qualicum Bay to Fanny Bay.

Oysters to your door in Los Angeles

Michael — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:08:50 +0000

“Fried” Guinness Stout oysters for St. Patrick’s Day

Michael — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:54:25 +0000

Photo: Matthew Mead

I saw this article on SFgate.com and Guinness fried oysters looks perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! Recipe below.

“Fried” Guinness Battered Oysters with Mustard Pickle Sauce

Start to finish:

1 hour (30 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1/2 to 3/4 cup Guinness Stout
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the oysters
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons or dill pickle
1/2 teaspoon prepared Colman Mustard (or the mustard of your choice)
3/4 cup coarsely shredded carrots
3/4 cup finely shredded cabbage (preferably savoy or Napa)
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Hefty pinch of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 oysters, shucked, reserving the bottom (curvier) shell to serve

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the Guinness, 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. The batter should have the consistency of a thick pancake batter. If it is thicker than that, add additional beer. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, cornichons or pickle and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, toss together the carrots, cabbage, vinegar, sugar and a hefty pinch of salt. In a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat the oil. Dip the oysters in the additional flour to coat them on all sides. Transfer the coated oyster to a strainer to shake gently to remove excess flour. Add the coated oysters to the beer batter. Lift them from the batter, letting the excess batter drip off, then add them to the skillet. Cook until they are golden, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them to paper towels to drain. To serve, put the oysters in the reserved shells, then top each with a bit of the mustard sauce and some of the carrot mixture.

Serve either on a platter as hors d’oeuvres, or divide between 4 serving plates. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving: 200 calories; 60 calories from fat (30 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 5 g protein; 430 mg sodium.

Read the entire article.: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fried-oysters-that-spare-you-from-deep-frying-4326508.php#ixzz2McayWBWb

Oysters and Bubbly Tasting in San Pedro!

Michael — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:46:51 +0000

Oysters and Bubbly!!!

March 8th from 6p to 8p

Prepaid reservations are a MUST for this event as we are limiting the tasting to 30 guests ONLY. Since this will be such a small group there will be NO refunds at any time after you make your reservation and NO reservations will be taken without payment.

Call Off The Vine to save your spot!! (310) 831-1551

491 W. 6th St. #103, San Pedro, Ca 90731

Cheese plates are available for our vegetarian friends!!

$27 / $22 OTV Members
Reservations required!!!
ONLY 30 SEATS AVAILABLE!

We will pour six (6) different bubblies to pair with six (6) oysters. The above price is for 6 wines and 6 oysters.

ALSO!! Each guest will also receive their very own

Smokey Bay Oyster knife!!

We’ll serve all Pacific Oysters grown 3 different ways, in 3 different areas:

Sinku Oysters: Tray grown suspended from long lines in the deep cold waters off Sykes Island in Jervis Inlet. “Sinku” (which means clear running water in Coast Salish, a native language of our coast) oysters are a connoisseurs delight. Grown at a depth of 15 feet or more these oysters feed off zooplankton rather than the phytoplankton nutrient found closer to the surface. The result is a very crisp melon taste, salty with a very clean finish – delicate meat covered in clear cold liquor.

Pearl Bay: Tray grown suspended from long lines in the deep cold waters off Sykes Island in Jervis Inlet. This is the pioneer brand of tray culture in Canada. Pearl Bays have a delicate meat and shell. Flavor is cucumber, crisp brine, with sweet finish. Shell colour – purple, gold, ivory.

Mac’s Brand from Fanny Bay: A standard at most oyster bars, smooth flavor, slight salt, reliable full meats. Shell is green/grey with some barnacles. Petits have a very good meat to shell ratio.

Why oysters are environmentally sustainable…

Michael — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:34:21 +0000

Oyster farming is, by definition, green and sustainable. Oysters cannot tolerate the discharge of sewage or other toxins; the presence of oyster farming, therefore, often results in increased awareness and monitoring of coastal waters.

In addition to being important modulators of nutrient cycles in ecological systems, farmed oysters help to reduce greenhouse gases by removing carbon dioxide from the ocean for shell formation.

Oyster farming is endorsed by environmental groups such as the Audubon Society, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and Eco-Fish.

Read more4 about Canadian Oyster Farming here : http://www.aquaculture.ca/files/species-oysters.php

Slurp Oysters and get a tax credit? Not in California yet.

Michael — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:19:08 +0000

“Those that participate in the program now are doing it because of farm-to-table, being environmentally sensitive and aware, and they want to do a good thing,” said Stephan Abel, ORP’s director. “This could be another incentive for them.” Recycling reduces the amount of shells the state has to buy for restoration projects. The state discontinued dredging for fossilized oyster shells several years ago and needs about 300,000 shells a year for its restoration programs.

A Shucker’s Guide to Oysters

Michael — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:34:09 +0000

“The same oyster will taste completely different depending on where it grows, tidal flow, water salinity, and food source,”

Read more: http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/a-shuckers-guide-to-oysters-20130211#ixzz2Kzvizihr

3 reasons to eat oysters

Michael — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:06:47 +0000

3 Reasons to Eat Oysters | A Little Bit Better With Keri Glassman

Time-lapse: Oysters Filtering Water

Michael — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:59:48 +0000

Oysters provide much-needed filtration of Chesapeake Bay waters, habitat for other aquatic life, and a modest commercial harvest. CBF estimates the oyster population to be as low as 4 percent of historic levels. Restoring the Chesapeake native oyster population is key to bringing back the Bay’s health.

Excerpt from The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s documentary “Common Ground”