Please note that this event was complimentary. However, I was not obliged to post and the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Oysters are an interesting seafood: you either love them or hate them. Raw (naked), fried, poached or grilled, there are so many ways to cook them. Large, medium, or small, they can taste sweet, salty, briny or buttery as well as be firm, chewy, gooey or soft to the palate. In a nutshell, they are very diverse. Know that oysters are a great source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, A & B & E vitamins, selenium, and zinc (to consume with moderation).
Michael-Ann Rowe
I admit that I do not remember when I had my first oyster. I ate all sorts of things at a young age, thanks to my French upbringing, and the only thing I remember is that oysters used to be a delicacy that we would only eat for the Holidays, my dad opening them sometimes with our fear that his hand would not make it…
So, when I got an invite at Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill, a popular seafood restaurant few blocks from Grand Central Station for a Merroir Masterclass to introduce the Merasheen Bay oysters to New York, I was really excited. You are probably wondering, as I was, what Merroir is: it is the contraction of “Mer” (sea) and “Terroir” (a long-accepted term for the way environmental factors affect a crop, commonly used in tandem with wine - you would often hear about La cuisine du terroir when traveling through France). and in this case, Merroir is the corollary term as to how the sea affects seafood.
The event was presented by Michael-Ann Rowe, a TV host (Led the food & travel PBS series, Off the Beaten Palate, which won her an Emmy Award) and seafood specialist (creator of the Lobster MasterClasses, with Dr. Bob Bayer), born in Canada, who has been living in the US for more than 20 years and showed a true passion not just for the restaurant industry, but also for all seafood on earth (and sea).
We first has a bunch of appetizers, prepared by Chef Freda Sugarman. Besides a fantastic Gulf shrimp with spicy aioli and a juicy slider, I got to try an oyster clam chowder. Interesting, no? Well, what was surprising was that it had a raw oyster in it, giving not just some texture, but also a different temperature to the hot soup.
Gulf shrimp with spicy aioli at Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill
Slider at Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill
Oyster chowder at Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill
After a quick presentation of the area in Newfoundland where the Merasheen Bay are farmed and harvested after 4 or 5 years, we got to try our first Merasheen Bay oyster, paired with Cava (Casa Del Mar, Spain). Now, please pay attention to the 4 steps you should follow when eating oysters per Michael-Ann Rowe, using 4 of your 5 senses (if you hear something coming from the oyster…Run!!!): take one in your hand and then look at it, smell it, and then slurp it, but no the kind of slurp where it goes directly in your throat, without even chewing it and tasting it. When you are done, put the shell back on the tray, but with the exterior of the shell up so you can have a look at its characteristics. And by the way, we got a little demo on the shucking of some oysters, showing not just how to do it, but also how easy these oysters are to open.
First I should mention that the Merahseen Bay oyster is small with a teardrop shape. The taste is sweet and briny and you get that finish that transports you to the ocean for a second. Delicious!
Merasheen Bay oyster
Merasheen Bay oyster
Merasheen Bay oyster
It was also paired with a white wine (a Melon de Bourgogne) and some Hakutsuru sake that was one of my favorite pairings of the evening. The last pairing was with a dressed oyster, served with a champagne mignonette with cucumber granita. Refreshing, this was paired with a Liquid Escape Sour Beer.
Cava, Casa Del Mar, Spain
Melon de Bourgogne
Hakutsuru sake
Liquid Escape Sour Beer
Well, all this pairing had one message to tell: enjoy your oyster with any drink you like! That was an interesting event, educational and fun, with a delicious tasting. Needless to say that I left with my belly full of these delicious Canadian jewels! And if you wonder where to try these oysters, go to Docks: the address is below…
Enjoy (I did)!
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Docks Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill - 633 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017