Oysters in the Summer?

Hey Y'all, Life got ahead of me last week and I just didn’t find a minute to sit and write to you. Remember those lazy days of summer when you were a kid? I was usually bored by mid-June; if I had any clue about how crazy life can be when you are an adult I might have treasured those long afternoons at the neighborhood pool a little bit more.

Species Spotlight: East Coast Oysters Oysters in the summer? The old rule of not eating oysters in months that don't have an R meant that summer oysters were out. So how are we selling so many oysters to people that appear to remain healthy after eating them? Refrigeration is one reason. Oysters are no longer covered in ice and transported in open train cars in hot summer weather or left piled up on a boat deck for hours while oystermen complete their work. Instead governmental health regulations require that oysters are immediately refrigerated once they are removed from the water and they stay that way all the way to my seafood case. Spawning was the other reason to avoid summertime oysters. Traditionally, because oysters spawn in warmer water, the oyster season was closed in the summer to allow them to reproduce. Spawning oysters are typically thin and watery so areas that were open to harvest produced oysters that weren't the best quality for eating. Most of the oysters we consume today are farmed which allows farmers to breed oysters that are triploids which means they are sterile, like a seedless watermelon. Many farms are located in cold waters which limits spawning. Click here to learn more about the fascinating process of oyster farming: https://www.thekitchn.com/island-creek-oysters-grower-tour-192689 So are all warm weather oysters safe to eat? You may have noticed that I do not sell oysters from the Gulf of Mexico. Water temperatures in the Gulf are so warm that the possibility of vibrio outbreaks in certain coastal regions is greater, especially in warmer brackish water where oysters thrive. Vibriosis is caused by eating raw or undercooked seafood from water that is warmer than 68 degrees. Often the symptoms of vibriosis are mild stomach upset for a few days, but sometimes it can be deadly. The CDC says this about Vibrio: https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html

What's Your Dad Getting for Father's Day?

I don't know about your dad but mine was impossible to buy for. He lived a pretty simple life - went to work, came home, worked around the house and sometimes he built things in the garage. The problem was that if my dad wanted something he went out and bought it. He was picky about his clothes. He owned golf clubs that suited him just fine because he didn't use them very often. He read books but picking one that he would like that he didn't already have was a challenge. If your dad is as well-equipped as mine was and another Home Depot gift card just seems too predictable, might I suggest a seafood meal? Clams were my dad's favorite. He loved a meal of steamed clams in a butter sauce with some good crusty bread. If your dad is a salmon man, you can't go wrong with the best-in-the-world sockeye salmon that is available right now from the Copper River! If your dad loves oysters, you could pick up a beautiful oyster serving plate and a new shucking knife from the Catch. Add a dozen fresh oysters and do the shucking for him on Father's Day. If he loves shrimp, marinate, skewer and grill some beautiful wild Georgia shrimp. For the marinade, mix together: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning or Italian seasoning 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro Marinade for 15 minutes or so (not too long or the lemon juice will start to cook the shrimp). Place on skewers that have been soaked for 30 minutes if they are wooden. No soaking is necessary for metal ones. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side just until they turn pink. Don't overcook - shrimp cook fast! Serve with crusty bread, green salad and and jasmine or Spanish rice. And one last Dad fav... GIANT lobster tails for $30.00 each. These are 14 to 16 oz. Maine tails. That's a Father's Day gift he won't forget!

A Few of the Available Fish This Weekend Swordfish $7.50/6 oz. portions. This is your Father's Day fish! Halibut Monk Mahi Copper River sockeye Black drum Brunswick shrimp Gag Grouper By Special Order (order Friday for Saturday pickup) Barrel fish Wreckfish Catch to Go Through Sunday Roasted Cod with Succotash

Next week starting Monday: Shrimp Creole

Ceviche! Available Saturday and Sunday Dreaming of the Islands Red snapper, scallops, coconut, peach, basil Your choice - spicy or sweet And Finally

"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished by how much the old man had learned in 7 years." Mark Twain Happy Father's Day.

Blessings, Kathleen