Bluff Oysters, Dozen Live
Twelve oysters still in the shell, lifted from Foveaux Strait and packed the day they land, so the liquor inside each one is still the water they came out of.
What It Is
The Bluff oyster (Tiostrea chilensis), whole and live in the shell, a dozen to the box. The shell is dark, flat and irregular; the meat is small, pale and dense, with a mineral finish that comes from cold, fast water rather than from size.
Where It Comes From
Dredged from the beds of Foveaux Strait off the south of Rakiura (Stewart Island) and landed at Bluff. The fleet works a narrow season and a narrow ground: the Strait is shallow, tide-rushed and cold, and the oysters that grow in it are slow, which is why they taste of more than salt.
Specifications
| Species | Bluff oyster, Tiostrea chilensis |
| Form | Live, in the shell, closed |
| Count | 12 per box |
| Size | Standard grade, about 60 to 80 g each |
| Packing | Layered on damp cloth, chilled, not frozen |
State on Arrival
Chilled, never frozen, and still alive: the shells must be closed and heavy, and there should be no gap at the lip. A shell that stays open when tapped is dead and should be discarded, not eaten.
Storage and Opening
Keep at 2 to 4 C in a single layer, covered with a damp cloth, never in a sealed bag and never in fresh water. Eat within 48 hours of arrival. Open with a stout short-bladed knife through the hinge, cut the adductor from the top shell, and loosen the meat from the bottom shell without spilling the liquor.
Shelf Life and Delivery
Best eaten within 48 hours. Shipped overnight in an insulated box with gel packs and arrives cold, not frozen. Refrigerate on arrival; do not let melting ice run into the shells.
How to Serve It
Nothing needs doing to a Bluff oyster beyond opening it. If you want to dress it, keep the dressing sharp enough to cut the fat and light enough not to cover the meat.
- Natural straight from the shell, chilled hard, with nothing but the liquor it came in.
- Mignonette red wine vinegar, finely diced shallot and cracked pepper, a teaspoon per oyster, no more.
- Lemon one drop per shell; more than that and you are tasting lemon.
- Kilpatrick bacon dice and a dash of Worcestershire, grilled until the bacon crisps, about 90 seconds.
Allergen Information
Contains molluscs. Opened and packed in a facility that also handles fish and crustaceans. Not suitable for anyone avoiding shellfish, and raw shellfish is not recommended for pregnant people or anyone with a compromised immune system.