An article about a burly chap called Jim Wild led to an afternoon drive to Greenwell Point to visit an Oyster farm. It was my first time and it was an eye opener experience. I had never ever tasted such a fresh but definitely one of cheapest sydney rock oysters. It felt that I was on cloud 9, perhaps that is why people say that it is an aprhosiadiac
It was also a learning curve as one of the owner’s buddies was very willing to share the story about harvesting an oyster.
I wish it would make me think twice before I gulp one of those morsels when I have it again. But it is so hard to resist.
According to the expert, he said that it takes about 3 years before the sydney rock oyster will grow to a decent size to be available to the retailer market. During those 3 years, it has to be sorted, graded and dried about 13 times. That is definitely a lot of back breaking tender loving care that cultivates the oyster.
He also informed me that they grew the oysters out in the mudflats. I asked him why and his reply was so that oyster lovers like yourself won’t knick it. I guess that would be true if I knew how to shuck an oyster.
It is probably wise to say that shucking an oyster is an artform which Jim wild definitely knows a lot about. He had won the title of the worlds faster shucker a few times in the past. He has the trophies proudly displayed for any of his walk in customers to see. I also can definitely affirm that he’s a good shucker as there was none of those shell bits while my family and I were walloping them.
While we were there, we met another couple who drove 100 km just to buy oysters from him. This was their 2nd time visiting the farm.
I guess this just proves that it is one of the best
love the insides of the shells…pretty!
and so irrelevant to the post haha cos i’m not thinking of eating the oysters at all.