Misstropolis

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Belly Up to the Bar

by Andrea Pyenson

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It’s always a good time to visit Wellfleet on the outer Cape, home to some of the most breathtaking beaches on the East Coast, and a respectable number of notable art galleries as well. But in October, when the summer people have all gone home, the town really struts its stuff. At the Wellfleet Oyster Festival, which takes place during the second weekend of the month, the locals are front and center, demonstrating what this community has been about for generations.

With a seafaring tradition that dates back to the early 1600s, Wellfleet is the flagship of New England’s oyster industry. In fact, aquaculture as it is known today began when Wellfleet shellfishermen imported young oysters from southern waters, flavored and fattened them locally, then harvested them to sell in the Boston market.

More than 100,000 oysters were consumed this year at the seventh annual oyster festival, a two-day celebration of the town’s oysters, clams and shellfishing traditions. It felt like a big outdoor party in the town’s center. Main Street was closed to traffic. Instead of cars, the street and parking lots were filled with raw bars set up by local shellfishing professionals; booths featuring oyster stew, fried and grilled oysters, stuffed clams, chowder and other specialties from area restaurants; a crafts show; and educational exhibits and activities highlighting the local marine environment. By the main stage and food tent, happy people roamed with beers, cups of chowder and plates piled high with oysters in every form imaginable. Enormous garbage cans overflowed with empty oyster shells.

The two-day oyster shucking competition was, as always, a festival highlight. Barbara Austin, a Wellfleet shellfisherwoman who owns the Ebb “N” Flow Shellfish Company, won the competition for the second year in a row with a time of 2:51.

Cat Silirie, wine director of No. 9 Park and B&G Oysters in Boston, led a “taste-the-terroir” seminar. Participants sampled four types of oysters and two types of clams from six different sections of Wellfleet Harbor, and Silirie facilitated a discussion exploring the differences among them, encouraging people to “think beyond salty.” She and the group tried to pick the oyster that had the most “Wellfleetness,” which she describes as “salty, briny, meaty – really oceany.”

The environment in which oysters grow has everything to do with how they taste, much as the characteristics of wine are largely determined by the soil in which their grapes are cultivated and the prevailing climate. Oysters are affected by water temperature (the lower the temperature, the firmer the meat), salinity (higher salinity creates a cleaner, sharper flavor) and the vegetation on which they feed. And they can have a different taste and texture at different times of year.

Many experts say the best time to eat oysters is during months ending in ‘r.’ During colder months, oysters stop growing and build up glycogen, a carbohydrate that sustains them through the cold weather and gives them their sweet taste. Oysters reproduce in the warmer months, which changes their physiology and, in turn, their flavor. During the spring, the oysters are building their sperm and eggs. The change in temperature from cold to warm triggers them to let go, and they have to eat for at least a month to regain their meat.

There’s really not a bad time to eat oysters. But this just may be the best. So whether you like to slurp yours right off the shell, or prefer them lightly battered and fried, baked or simmered in a stew, make sure you enjoy the local bounty.

Baked Oysters Bienville
Serves about 12 for appetizers
Recipe can easily be cut in half for a smaller group

This is a very popular appetizer at Finely J.P.’s in Wellfleet. It is a variation on a recipe that originated in New Orleans. Chef-owner John Pontius (J.P.) wanted to feature a baked Wellfleet oyster on his menu but didn’t want to do the usual Rockefeller dish. You can make the sauce ahead of time.

1 ounce butter
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
6 scallions, thinly sliced
10 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 ounces white wine
1 ounce brandy
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup clam juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
3 dozen Wellfleet oysters, shucked on the half shell
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top
Breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat, and sauté garlic, scallions and mushrooms until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add white wine and brandy, and cook until hardly any liquid remains. Add flour and stir, cooking for another few minutes. Add clam juice, heavy cream, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce, and let cook for about five minutes.
3. Place the oysters on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mushroom mixture on top of each oyster. Dust with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Bake for 10-12 minutes, longer if sauce is cold. Serve immediately.

Adapted from John Pontius