Oyster Guy

While I also hate the idea of an American company owning a Canadian and local company, this merger is actually not altogether a bad thing either. Bill Taylor, head of Taylor Shellfish, is like the Bill Gates of the oyster world. In that he owns a huge amount of shellfish operations on this coast. In the last 2 years he has purchased 11 other farms in BC alone, both oyster and mussel farms. He has had to start a Canadian division just to handle them. He runs a good clean operation and is partly responsible for making sure that the Kumomoto oyster is still around. He is very heavily involved in keeping the waters of Puget Sound clean as well as everywhere else he has his farms and he always expands whatever operation he takes over, increasing the number of jobs and keeping the locals employed. And personally speaking, I would rather see a farm like Fanny Bay owned by Bill than to see it disappear entirely and go out of business permanently. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

I would hit Dunes in Dundrave and Dayboat in Oyster Bed Bridge. Another one to hit in Charlottetown is The Claddagh Oyster House on Sydney Street. Without doubt the best selection of fresh oysters and expertly shucked by John Bil, 3 time Canadaian and 2 time North American oyster shucking champion. I disagree on the Off Boadway having the best wine list quote as I was disappointed at their selection available. You can put anything on a wine list but do you have it? The Claddagh has a wine list of 70 wines and is well put together considering the challenges posed by having almost no selection at the government run liquor stores. The Pilot House is a definite must go as the food is incredible. The Inn at Bay Fortune, I wouldn't bother with. Worst meal I had down there. How that asshole Michael Smith ever got a cooking show is beyond me. Most of the restaurants down in PEI are staffed by papered chefs fresh out of culinary school so the food is surprisingly good from what it once was. Have fun and enjoy your trip Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Montreal-Part Deux It was great to be back in Montreal, a city, I am sorry to say that I hadn't set foot in since 1995. Way too long. I loved the old section where I had spent some time with a very special friend way back in the early 90's and it brought back some very good memories for me. I had spent a couple of Christmas holidays in Montreal and attended the midnight mass at the Notre Dame Basilica. It was a very special time for me in my life. I wandered around aimlessly, killing time before going to Joe Beef and asking if I could shuck some oysters for them that night. I've always liked Montreal's skyline. I got to wander around Atwater Market before I started at Joe Beef that night and I was amazed to see the great produce and the cheeses were incredible. The rest of my Montreal visit is recorded on the Joe Beef thread on this forum and I will be continuing my oyster tale in the Toronto forum. I really appreciate all the kind comments that I have received and it is nice to hear them as it takes quite a bit of time to upload the photos and tell the story. Thanks for making it worthwhile. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

"Leaves are falling all around, It's time that I was on my way. Still, I'm much obliged, Such a pleasant stay. Now it's time for me to go, The autumn moon lights my way." Ramble On-Led Zeppelin 2 September 20th 2006 Today, I leave Prince Edward Island, my home for the last 2 and a half months. John is kind enough to give me a ride to Moncton, New Brunswick so that I can catch my train to Montreal. The day is grey and misty and at times, the rain comes down in a torrent as we cross the immense and amazing Confederation Bridge. This is a lot faster than the ferries used to be and it is pretty cool to be crossing over the Northumberland Strait than to be sailing on it on a day like today. John had mentioned taking the train as an alternative to flying to Montreal and when I checked, I was surprised to find that taking the train was cheaper than flying and I got a 2 bedroom sleeper compartment to boot. Sold! I am somewhat sad to be leaving and at the same time, happy to be back on the road and heading back home. As we pull into Moncton, I am surprised to see that the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy had their effect on the rivers as far inland as here. A couple of the rivers were nothing but trickles where normally a 12 foot deep river ran. John dropped me off at the train station and we said goodbye and he thanked me for all the help over the summer while I thanked him for everything else. I check in and wait for the train while the rain continues to pour down without pause. The train pulls in and after much searching, I found my compartment and settled in for a 13 hour trip. I had never had a compartment before and it was really cool. My own bathroom and 2 pull down beds and roomy enough for me as I wouldn't be sharing it. I had a rather surprising good salmon dinner in the dining car washed down by an Ontario Chardonnay. What a real Canadian dinner. I had the company of the sister of the leuitenant governer of Nova Scotia for a dinner companion. It was quite civilized compared with my dining experiences that I have had flying. I had a couple more glasses of wine and retired to my compartment to lie down and read my book a little and relax as the miles rolled by. Looking out the window, it was great to see the fall colours of the trees which is something that I haven't seen in 10 years. Everything is green all year round in Whistler and I miss them every fall. I fall asleep quickly thanks to wine, the rocking of the train and the exhaustion of the last few days at the Festival. I wake up and the train is somewhere between Quebec City and Montreal and the day promises to be spectacular. The trains rolls into Montreal shortly before 8:30 a.m. and the day is beautiful. Clear blue skies without a cloud in sight. Just right for a walk around the city. I quickly find myself a cheap hotel room on Saint Hubert and stowing my bag in my room, I set off to see Montreal again after over 10 years. I have always loved Montreal. The city just has such a great vibe and flavour to it and in all my travels, I have never found another place like it. I love all the old buildings and the European style to the city. I walked along St. Catherine over to one of my favourite streets in Montreal, St. Laurent. I wanted to check out Globe and Maestro S.V.P., a couple of oyster places that I knew of in the city but at that early hour they were closed and I had to content myself with checking out their specials and menus instead. I was in town to shuck some oysters at Joe Beef where John Bil had worked during their first months of life the year before but I wanted to see what these other places were up to. I was starving and the only breakfast they offered on the train was toast and coffee and that is hardly enough for an active oyster shucker to run on. I wandered over to Prince Arthur just off St. Laurent and found a little place offering a breakfast special. I sat down and ordered the "Les Quebecois" breakfast and this is what they brought me. After breakfast, I strolled back along Ste. Catherine, checking out the sights and sounds of the city. Rue Ste. Catherine is my favourite street in Canada for a number of reasons. It is quite a mixture of stores, restaurants and other services. I really miss the old buildings because where I live, I am older than most of the town. and it is really nice to see the workmanship that went into building them. I strolled down to Old Montreal and I got lost in the warren of narrow, cobblestone streets and I loved every minute of it! I wandered over to Notre Dame Ouest and walked along admiring the scenery. I have to go out now but more on Montreal later. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Competition Day starts off friendly but there is an underlying tension in the air that is perceptible to everyone. Today is the main event and the reason why all of us travelled so many miles. The partying and craziness of the night before is quickly forgotten as the shuckers start to get moving and preparing themselves for the day's battle. This is serious business for us, all joking and kidding aside. The ride to the contest is quiet as we are all lost in our thoughts and in our own pre-contest space. Some are practicing their shucking moves and others are listening to their favourite tunes on their I-pods but no-one is talking. A huge difference from the last two days when none of us would shut the hell up. We arrive at the tent and are quickly shuffled to the backstage area to a pre-contest meeting with the judges. John Baby, one of the judges, explains to us what mistakes they were seeing in the P.E.I. Championships that were held the day before. John Bil had won that with an impressive 54 seconds flat time. We were told the main mistake was in not completely severing the oyster from the bottom of the shell. Absorbing the information, we hung out backstage awaiting our turn on stage. The air was electric and the tension was so thick in the air that one of the musicians hanging out backstage commented on it. Before the contest some of us took the chance to sneak in a little more practice, especially the Europeans. The reason is that this is not the oyster they would normally open back home which gave the North Americans a bit of an edge. The European shuckers usually open the European Flat or Plate oyster (Ostrea edulis) which is native to their part of the world and much different to open than the American or Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) being used for the contest. Here Per is giving Sussi (European Women's Champion) some advice while Bobo is practicing his own shucking. Using a different oyster did not mean that these shuckers were still going to be easy to beat. They had beaten the North Americans in the 1st Oyster relay race the day before and that was no easy feat. In a contest like this, the worst thing you can do is underestimate your opponents. Even the North Americans were getting the last minute practice in before it all went down. William "Chopper" Young, owner and operator of the Wellfleet Oyster Company took this chance to sneak in some practice. We were pacing like caged lions backstage in the mintues before the contest. No-one wished anyone good luck as luck at this point had nothing to do with it. It had all come down to years of practice and skill levels. The worst part for most shuckers is the waiting. You always hope to be the first to go on stage and get it over with rather than having to watch everyone else and seeing their times. When that happens, the internal pressure you put on yourself is immense. My hands were shaking like crazy as I watched shucker after shucker mount the stairs to the stage and compete in the 3 person heats. Was it the triple espresso, the moonshine or just my nerves? I decided it was all three and stopped thinking about it as I concentrated on what I had to do. There had been some qualification heats to qualify the day before and here are some shots from it. This is Duane Mosher from Halifax, "tapping out" or signalling to the timer that he has finished shucking the plate. Duane used to work as an oyster shucker but is now what he described as a "computer geek" and still loves to turn the knife. Paul Petcoff, general manager of Oyster Boy in Toronto shows us his shucking style. Simeron Novak from Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto finishes his plate and stands back. You can be disqualified if you touch your plate after you tap out. And Simeron in action. This is guy is a very quick, clean shucker. ( and a really nice guy too.) Only when the shuckers were done competing did they start to socialize with each other again. Eamonn Clark from Rodney's, Ian Peck from Pure Spirits and Patrick McMurray from Starfish compare notes after their turns. I watch the other shuckers and their styles as they compete in their heats and admire some of them for their flair. Oyster Bob Skinner from Joe Forte's finished his heat by tapping the handle of his knife gently on the table, then tossed the knife about 20 feet in the air and caught it in his hand and spun the knife while placing it in his back pocket. The crowd loved it and cheered loudly for his antics! Walking off the stage, Bob commented to me, "You always got give something back to the crowd." Spoken like a true rock star! And that is what oyster shuckers are when it comes to the shellfish industry. I am roused from my concentration when I hear my name being annouced for the next heat. My heart starts to race and my pulse quickens. I turn the knife over and over in my hand as I wait by the stage stairs for them to call my name and it seems to take an eternity for me. I listen to who I have in my heat and it is not going to an easy one for me. I draw Robert Daffin, 2 time Florida State Champ and Xavier Caille, European Speed Shucking Champion. I seem to recall nightmares like this. They announce my name and I mount the stage, careful not to look out at the crowd. I wave to acknowledge the cheering but keep my eyes on the shucking table and the oysters. It is one thing to shuck oysters in front of 50-100-300 people at a bar or party but 2500 people in a tent and television cameras watching every oyster you shuck is another thing altogether. I have seen many shuckers get the "deer in the headlights" look when they have looked at the crowd. I dump the box and grade out the 12 oysters I will shuck and my 2 discards which are the ones I least want to shuck and are there in case you get a bad one or dead one. My hands are still shaking and I can hear my pulse thundering in my ears as I arrange my oysters so they are in easy reach and the presentation plate is on my left hand, also within close reach. My judge, Liam Dolan, asks if I am ready and I reply that I was born that way and I raise myvisibly shaking hands above my shoulders. The annoucer checks with each of us to see if we are ready and all of us signal that we are. I close my eyes and take 3 deep breaths and clear my mind of everything but my knife and the oysters and I wait. The announcer says "3, 2, 1, Shuck!" and we are off! I grab the first oyster and I open it quickly, discarding the shell onto the floor beside me and severing the adductor muscle and place it on the tray. The next 2 are the same as the first and this is a good sign as I always take the first 3 slower to see how they are opening and then I ramp up my speed. I am trying to make sure the muscles are severed on all of the oysters as I don't want to incurr any penalties that way. The announcer is yelling and announcing every oyster as it hits our plates so that we are all aware how our competition is doing and how I am faring. Robert finishes first, followed closely by Xavier and then me right after him. The feeling of relief is immediate and welcome after the tension buildup. I clean up my shells and get off the stage so that I can get a beer or a Ceasar and see how I did. I run into Simeron and he compliments me on my style and the cleanliness of my plate. John Bil also compliments me on the clean plate and I am feeling good when guys like them say you did well. I make my way to the bar and I order a double Ceasar and knock it back quickly and I start to feel better immediately. My hands that were shaking violently on stage just a minute ago are as steady as a rock now. I watch as the other shuckers do their heats and hope that I make the top 3 cut. William "Chopper" Young was incredibly fast that day and he was on a streak having won the last 3 contests he had been in. It came down to 3 guys and I wasn't one of them. Oh, well, can't always get what you want! In the final heat, it was John Bil, Pat McMurray and Chopper. Chopper ended up winning, Pat took 2nd and John took 3rd place and everyone was happy with their placing considering the competition in the event. You can check everyone's time and placing on the website www.peishellfish.com We all gathered on stage for the presentations and a group photo. I wish to thank some people as my story departs from P.E.I. and heads west across Canada. First and foremost, I want to thank John Bil, without whom none of this could have happened. If you get down to Charlottetown, you have to go and visit him at The Claddagh Oyster House. It is certainly worth the trip! The P.E.I shellfish Festival is a can't miss event and I humbly suggest that if that if this sort of good time, music and people appeal to you that you go. I'd like to thank Liam Dolan, Kim, Mark, Ian, Leslie, Duncan, Stanley, Erin, Ryan, Soupy, Doreen, Aimee, Sarah J., Brett, and all the rest at The Olde Dublin Pub and The Claddagh. My love and kudos and total props go out to you all! Photo credits to Mamma and Robert Daffin. Next: Off to Montreal! Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Just a few more from the craziness One of the highlights of the Festival weekend was defintely Mamma's gumbo. We were up all night cooking and prepping this delicious dish and Mamma swore me to secrecy about all her ingredients but we did use a lot of seafood. Robert Daffin with some of the "guests" joining us for dinner and the gumbo. While they were awaiting their turn to join the other seafood in the gumbo, we decided to play with our food a little bit. We put on lobster races and the winner was the first into the pool! Mamma, of course, told us not to play with our food and gave the winner a nice hot bath prior to it joining her gumbo. All this time, the party was going on around us. We all tended to gather in the kitchen. Go figure........ The gumbo was fantastic! It was worth the trip down to P.E.I. alone and didn't last very long! After eating, some of got into the spirit of things. Duane shaking his groove thang! This is one of me and my "homies" hanging out and causing trouble. (like usual) And, of course, I had to get a shot of me and Mamma! Competition Day next.................. All photo credits to Mamma on this one. Thanx! Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

It is amazing how political food has become these days. It seems everything you put in your mouth is taken as a political statement of some type. What kind of coffee you drink, where you eat lunch, what kind of bread you eat has now all fallen into the realm of political correctness. Plain and simple, if the fish is caught wild, it is not a sustainable fishery not matter what some do-goody organization says. Period! End of story. You are depleting the wild stock and how is that sustainable? It simply isn't. The Northern Cod was once thought to be sustainable as well and we all know what has happened with that. After that, it simply becomes a case of whether you are going to be part of the problem or part of the solution. And that is the individual's choice. If Lorna is going to write about everything she eats, she's realistically has to expect to take some shit once in awhile for her culinary choices. Just my 2 cents Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

More of the Ball........................................... One of the many things that I love about being in oyster shucking competitions is the sense of camaradarie that just naturally happens between oyster shuckers. It doesn't matter where we are from, what language we speak, we all share a (un)common passion and a deep devotion to our craft. We all get along very well together. (With the help of a little social lubrication) These are 2 of my "homies" from Toronto. Ian Peck, who shucks at Pure Spirits and Paul Petcoff, who is the general manager at Oyster Boy and a very old friend of mine from back in the day. One of my co-workers from The Claddagh Oyster House showed up after she got off work and Aimee quickly made herself at home with us crazy oyster people. She totally impressed us all with her charm, beauty, height and moonshine drinking abilities! I gave her my Shucker's Ball t-shirt and she proceeded to get every oyster shucker to sign it for her as a souvenier. Here's her caging an autograph off of Josh Bishop from The Whalebone in Ottawa. Of course, there was the usual carnage that happens when you mix alcohol and oyster shuckers. Empty beer bottles, oyster shells, sender horns and Mason jars. Yes, they still package moonshine in those! I will be adding more to this later as I have a lot of stuff to do today. I am enjoying your comments! Please keep them coming. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Hi Vanessa, Hope that you are keeping warm!!!!! Yes, I did post those pictures in the Joe Beef thread on this forum and it includes a pic of that beautiful mouth watering marrow bone that Fred and Kaunteya served us that night. Nice to hear from you. I will be letting you know when I am back in my favourite city in all Canada. Take good care Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

The PEI Shellfish Festival is getting bigger every year. They had an estimated 12,000 visitors for this year's festival. I want to say that the volunteers for the event were simply amazing! It is truly a world class event and deserves worldwide attention. The comittee who organizes the whole event are unpaid and work very hard to put the whole thing on. I barely saw John Bil the entire event except during the contest. The seafood could not be any fresher unless you caught it and the people are fantastic. There is a group of sponsors that are listed on their website (www.peishellfish.com) and the provincial and federal governments kick in some cash to put it on. There is a 10 dollar entry fee for competitors. They offer a 2000 dollar first prize, along with the trophy and resulting bragging rights. Yes, everyone pays their own way to compete which says volumes about the dedication to their craft. And yes, we do know how to party! Keep on shucking Oyster Guy p.s. An oyster shucking friend was once asked by a reporter what made a good oyster shucker. He replied that a good oyster shucker can handle a sharp instrument and hold his liquor at the same time!

The Shucker's Ball 2006 It was a very peaceful start to what was going to be a long, crazy day. I decided to stay out at the cottages in Tracadie Bay with Robert Daffin and his mom to get a break from being in Charlottetown and have a chance to "chill with my homies." Robert and I had stayed up late drinking and talking about, what else, oysters and oyster shucking! (Gee, I wonder why I'm single, LOL) We noticed the sky had started to turn lighter so we walked out and watched the sunrise above the shores of Tracadie Bay. It was worth staying up late to see it. We noticed that our mussel supplies for the party had arrived late in the night and we went to bed to get a least a couple of hours sleep. I was blown away by the list of competitors that had arrived for the shucking contest. I had some major competition to go against in this one and the only thing that made me less nervous about it was that everyone had major competition not just me. We had William "Chopper" Young from Wellfleet, Mass. where he owns and operates the Wellfleet Oyster Company. Pat McMurray and Lawrence David from Starfish in Toronto. (Pat is a 5 time Cdn. Champ and former World Champion oyster shucker) Simeron Novack and Eamonn Clark from Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto. Eamonn had placed 2nd in the Cdn Championships this year and Simeron has always been a kick ass shucker. Michaell Moran of Moran's Oyster Cottage By The Weir in Kilcogan, Ireland was there. Michaell is an 8th generation oyster shucker and I met his dad and his uncle when I was in Ireland in 1993. (Michaell went on to win the World's Championships in Galway 2 weeks after this event) Dieter Berner was there from Germany. ( A former World Champ as well) Josh Bishop, owner/operator of The Whalesbone Oyster House in Ottawa. Xavier Caille, European Speed Shucking Champion from Paris, France. Robert Daffin from Dusty's Oyster Bar in Panama City Beach, Florida, winner of the Florida State Championships 2 times (Correct me if I am wrong on that, Robert) Phyllis Carr, owner/operator of Carr's Oyster Bar in Stanley Bridge, P.E.I. Bob "Oyster Bob" Skinner from Joe Forte's in Vancouver was there. Ian Peck from The Pure Spirits Pub in Toronto. Per Olofson from Sweden was there. (Per is a former World Champ as well) Jason Woodside, reigning Cdn Champ from Oyster Boy in Toronto was here. Sussie and Bobo Agfemalur from Sweden were there. Sussie is the European Women's Champion and Bobo is no slouch either. Patrick Benson from Globe Restaurant in Montreal had shown up along with Dean Maclean from Oakville, Ontario. And of course, the organizer and 3 time Canadian and 2 time North American Oyster Shucking Champ, John Walter Bil! The man with 3 first names! Even though I have been in well over 50 competitions, this one was making me extremely nervous. I worked that night at The Claddagh Oyster House for John as he had too much to do with the festival and I had come down there to help him out. Some of the boys came into see me over the course of the night and hung out at the oyster bar. (Where else?) We stuck our knives into the bar and took some pics. Mamma had started to cook her famous gumbo the night before and when we got out to the cottage, it smelled so good, my mouth started watering! She called out that she needed about 100 oysters for her gumbo and did anyone in our crowd know how to shuck them. We fought over the chance to get some more practice in before the event and the box of oysters was soon decimated. The grisly remains.... It also gave me a chance to examine Pat McMurray's custom made oyster knife. I want to get Pat to make one for me one day when he gets a chance. Pat made one of these for Anthony Bourdain when he was in Toronto. Well, the drinks were flowing like mad and of course, being down East, a kitchen party broke out. And what a party! Moonshine was passed around and things got nuts! Xavier wandered in wondering what all the noise was about. It didn't take long for him to get into the whole swing of the party and soon, Xavier was seranading us with French songs while Rob Pendergast played the fiddle. All the boys were in the kitchen. A usual happening at parties down here or anywhere for that matter. I did notice that all the shuckers hung out while the other guests stuck to themselves. They must have thought we were a little too nuts for them, I guess. Michaell showed us that oyster shucking was not his only talent and played not only the fiddle but guitar as well and had a great voice to boot. And who says oyster shuckers aren't multi-taskers? He jammed with Rob Pendergast. Oyster Bob came stumbling in to check things out with his always present bottle of Kokanee in his hand. I got to get a coffee and feed the cat and the fish right now. More later....... Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

The Malpeque is actually one of the best "keepers" as far as oysters go. They can fish them around the last of November and they will keep, if properly stored till the end of March. They have great legs when it comes to travel as well. I get very good product even here in BC. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

While I was in Prince Edward Island, I was astounded at the number of papered chefs that I found in most of the kitchens down there. This is due in part to having a couple of culinary colleges and the university is also offering culinary courses as well. When I last visited P.E.I. in 1997, I was less than impressed with the food being offered. There is still a lot of pub food down here but the quality everywhere has risen dramatically. There are quite a few really good restaurants in Charlottetown and if you are ever down there, these are a few you should try. The Pilot House. The Merchantman Pub The Maple Grille The Claddagh Oyster House (of course) This is not by anyways taking away from the rest of the island either. The Dunes in Dundrave Carr's Oyster Bar in Stanley Bridge Rick's Fish N Chips and Seafood House in St Peter's Bay Dayboat in Oyster Bed Bridge I really think the East Coast of Canada has been largely ignored when it comes to the culinary arts. There are a lot of talented young chefs coming out of the schools down here who don't wish to travel to Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver for work. They would rather stay where they were born and raised and this isn't a bad thing. It just means that if you want to experience their talents, you are going to have to make an effort to get down to their part of the world. And it is certainly worth the trip. The freshest seafood, great produce and cooking talent all add up to a great dining experience. One place that is a can't miss is Dayboat just outside of Charlottetown in Oyster Bed Bridge. Gordon Bailey is Dayboat's young chef and he is very talented. The restaurant is located in some beautiful country and on a nice summer day, there is no better place to be than on the deck. Dayboat is open for lunch and dinner and they make the most incredible lobster sandwiches you will ever eat. The summer seemed to fly by for me as time will when you are having entirely too much fun and soon September was upon us and it was time for the P.E.I. Shellfish Festival. My first indication was the invitation I received for The Shucker's Ball. The directions for the party are printed upside down on a t-shirt so that you can read it while wearing it. It is also handy as oyster shuckers (sometimes) have a wee bit too much to drink and would lose any written instructions. I also noticed that John had stocked in some drinks for his oyster soiree. The P.E.I. Shellfish Festival is a can't miss event. It was my first time attending this event even though it has been going for 11 years now and I was totally impressed with it! It is a truly world class event. I have been to shellfish festivals all over North America and I have been to The Galway Oyster Festival in Ireland but they all pale in comparison. If you would like to check out the line-up, you can visit their website at www.peishellfish.com This year held a couple of new events at the festival. The first J.P.'s Shellfish World Invitational Oyster Shucking Championships. Oyster shuckers from all over North America and Europe came to compete in this first ever competition. In the days before the festival, oyster shuckers started to arrive from all over the compass. One of the first to arrive was Robert Daffin of Dusty's Oyster Bar in Panama City Beach, Florida along with his "Momma." Yes, his real mom. I first met Robert and "Mamma" in Toronto at the North American Oyster Shucking Championships and we had hit off like a house on fire. It was great to see them again and "Mamma" gave us a demonstration of her oyster eating talents at the Claddagh Oyster House. (Mamma had won the oyster eating contest the year before. "Mamma" ate 24 oysters in 22 seconds in this shot! John had to accomodate all us oyster shuckers and decided to give us our own "compound" at Home from Away Cottages on the shores of Tracadie Bay, just about 20 minutes outside of Charlottetown. We all felt like rock stars as we had a compound and even a shuttle service to take us back and forth from town, even all access passes to the festival! It was fantastic! 6 cottages with no-one else around us. We even had our own lighthouse! Lol! The location was beautiful on the shore of Tracadie Bay (pronounced track a dee) More later on the festival and the Shucker's Ball! Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

If you are taking students, I would suggest Oyster Boy as they offer a course called "Shuck U or take a stab at higher learning." They will teach your students how to shuck oysters as well as the history of the oyster. It is a fun, interactive course and the students will learn oyster shucking under the tuteledge of some of the best professional oyster shuckers in the country. I am sure that Pat at Starfish offers a similar course but you would have to check it out. If you are interested, please contact Adam, Jason or Paul at 416-534-3432 if you would like to book a course. I hope you and your students enjoy their trip to my hometown. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy Sorry almost for got Pat's number 416-823-6911

Thank you and I truly and honestly apologize to Donna for the mistake! Just put the knife down, Donna, please.........lol Thank you again for the info Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

My visit to Joe Beef. I would first like to say sorry that I was so slow in posting this. I arrived in Montreal on the train from Moncton at about 8:00 a.m. and after I got a hotel room on Saint Hubert, I went over to St. Laurent and found a place to eat breakfast. I don't remember the name of the place (mornings aren't usually my best time) but it was off St Laurent on Prince Arthur. It was nice to have something other than train food to eat. I had never been to that part of Notre Dame West before and I got a chance to wander around the Atwater Market a bit before going in to see Fred. I liked the look of the place immediately. I introduced myself to Fred and I asked him if it would be all right if I could shuck oysters for him that night and he readily agreed. He said that they would stick to the tradition of Joe Beef and if I did a day's work, they would feed me and after reading the reviews here and talking to my buddy John Bil about the food, I couldn't resist! Fred told me to take a walk around and come back around 6:00 and everything would be set up for me. I volunteered to help but Fred wouldn't hear of it so I took a few pics pre-setup of the bar. I loved the look of the bar with it's scarred surface and the look of someone having attempted to strip the old paint off and given up after awhile. My kind of bar! I came back at 6:00 and the oyster bar was totally set up for me and when you are an oyster shucker, you love when someone else does the hauling. I think it is a great looking oyster bar. One of the best I have ever had the priviledge of working at. Now, here's something most guests don't get to see too often. An oyster shucker's view of the room. I really liked the idea of having the menu and wine list on blackboards on the wall and requesting the guests to get up and take a look at what they have to offer. The place filled up so rapidly it almost made my head spin and I finally got to shuck my first oyster on their bar and I picked a beauty. As the night progressed, I was mesmerized by the dishes coming out of the kitchen. My mouth was watering everytime a server walked by carrying a plate. I was watching Donna making the apps and they were gorgeous as you can see with this tomato salad. The kitchen was busy and I tried my best to stay out of everyone's way back there while checking out the food. The night progressed and I shucked my last oysters that night for the lovely Vanessa L. who I found out posts on this site as well and Kaunteya asked me what I wanted to eat. I felt like a kid in a candy store as I looked over the blackboards and I finally decided on the braised beef that I had seen going out of the kitchen that night. Vanessa was kind enough to make room for me at the bar so I could eat my dinner and this is what they brought me out. Vanessa also was a great dinner companion and I would like to thank her for her charming company. The beef was so tender that I didn't need a knife. And the marrow bone was the best I have ever had. Even better than the ones I had at the Bearfoot Bistro where I work in Whistler. (Forgive me, chef!) After the first couple of bites, I walked into the kitchen and bowed to Kaunteya and told him that I was not worthy. He laughed his ass off! After I polished off my dinner, Fred brought out some dessert. An apple tartine that was to die for. I hardly had any room left but I had to try it. After work, we all took off to a bar in Old Montreal called of all things, Garde Manger and drank till the wee hours of the morning. I want to thank Fred, Dave, Kaunteya, Genvieve, Donna and all the rest of the crew at Joe Beef for their unsurpassed hospitality and their kindness. The food was excellent as was the company. I would like to extend an invitation to all at Joe Beef that if they are in Whistler this winter that they are more than welcome to come and stay with me and I am sure that my chef can find something for Kaunteya to do while he is here. Melissa was shocked when I told her that Kaunteya was definitely her match in the kitchen. Props to all at Joe Beef and thank you once again! Merci mille fois!!!!! Keep on shucking Oyster Guy P.S. I had one more picture at Joe Beef but I promised Fred that I wouldn't post it here! LOL! Ask him about it when you go in there. Thanks for treating me like a rock star. Let me return the favour.

My trip to the farm. (Oyster farm, of course) Being down in the home of the mighty Malpeque oyster, there was no way I wasn't going to pay a visit to an oyster farm while I was here. I decided to go and visit Johnny Flynn who farms the incredible Colville Bay oyster in Souris, P.E.I. I had a couple of travelling companions for this trip out to the northeastern tip of the island. David Christian (exec chef at Chez Victor in Toronto), Ivy Knight (writer for Gremalota and also The Daily Gullet and sous chef as well) and her husband, Kerry hooked up with me in Charlottetown and we headed out to visit with Johnny. In keeping with a proper road trip, everyone was severely hung over from the night before, they from a wedding, me from a night out with the bartenders at the Dublin Pub. Ryan and Soupy, I have still not forgiven you for that night! The day was, of course, windy and rainy. Perfect weather to be near the water.....not! For those who might have seen it, Johnny was the oyster fisherman who appeared on The Mercer Report on the CBC that aired around this time last year. We arrived just in time for the worst of the weather and Johnny remarked that our timing, like most oystermen, was perfect. Always the smartass.................. We had to take the traditional picture with the sign. As soon as we got inside the oyster plant, I noticed the seed collectors that Johnny had put out earlier in the season to collect the oyster spat when the oysters were spawning. This allows the fishermen to replenish his beds and allows more oysters to survive that first tough year. When I commented on the quantity of spat collected, Johnny ran and got an oyster shell that had been in the estuary during the spawning season. He explained that there had been a huge natural set of oysters that year due to the warm water conditions and when I examined the shell, I saw what he meant. All the black objects you see on the shell are baby oysters (spat) and the shell is about 6 inches long and I stopped counting when I got to 100. Johnny had some oysters ready to ship off to some of the finest restaurants and parties across Canada, well almost ready. My mouth watered looking at this wealth of shellfish. We walked out to the beds and took a look over Johnny's method of aquaculture. Johnny uses what is known as a "rack and bag" method of cultivation in which the oysters are placed into a Vexar (made by Dupont) bag where they are protected from predators, such as crabs and starfish. The Vexar bags with the oysters are then placed on a small metal rack made of rebar which keeps the bags about 3 to 5 inches off the sandy bottom. This prevents the oysters from being suffocated by silt or mud flowing into the estuary that they are raised in. It also allows the phytoplankton that the oysters feed on to pass freely through the small holes in the mesh of the bag. Johnny was telling about the explosion of mussel farms in the river and how the oysters were having to seriously compete for the same food source and the appearence of a couple of oyster parasites were not helping matters any that year. He went to bag and opening it, he pulled out a handful of yearling oysters. We were starving at this point so we thanked Johnny for taking the time to show us around his operation and we took off to St. Peter's Bay and the home of the best fish and chips on P.E.I. The weather hadn't improved at all during this whole time and we arrived in St. Peter's Bay under the same cloud cover. The best fish and chips are available at Rick's Fish and Chips and Seafood House. I went for the fish and chips and a side order of clam strips while Ivy opted for a scallop burger. We all needed a good meal under the belts and couldn't wait for the food to arrive. My mouth was watering when they finally brought the food to us. Fresh haddock, hand cut chips and homemade cole slaw, now that's comfort food! Ivy was equally thrilled with her scallop burger. After all that, it was home for a nap. I would like to thank the following people. David Christian (for being the driver and listening to my bad jokes) Kerry (for being Kerry) Ivy Knight. I was very impressed with this lady's knowledge of the oyster and she and her husband were a laugh riot to hang out with. I also would like to thank Johnny Fynn for his time and effort. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy p.s. more to follow..........

Finally, I'm back on the net! First, I'd like to post a few pictures. My buddy John Bil's licence plate. (Yes, all oyster shuckers are a little crazy) This is Holland Cove, located just south of Charlottetown harbour and the site of our impromptu oyster catering job for some of the locals. This is the boat we shucked the oysters on. It was a real tough job as you can see. That is John with the beer in his hand Another one of the flotilla of boats at Holland Cove. After that long hot day of such hard work, I was glad to see the sun going down in the west. Twilight on Queen Street, Charlottetown. The next day, I wandered around a little bit and took a couple of pics. These are some of the houses in my "hood." It was nice to be only about 200 feet from the ocean all summer as well. The thing I appreciated about Charlottetown was the buildings. You very rarely see any buildings older than 100 years old here on the West Coast. This is Confederation House where our great nation was born. This is the Basicilica located in downtown Charlottetown. Like many towns in the East, there are an abundance of churches here. I took a couple of shots of my soon-to-be workplace and was getting hungry for lunch. I decided to try the brew pub across the street known as The Gahan House. They brew their own beers and they are very good at it. I suggest that you try the Honey Brown when sitting at their bar. Of course, I always like a seat at the bar. The menu was varied but I went for a traditional meal. A club house sandwich with a spinach salad. Speaking of which, I'm getting hungry right now. Back later. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Sorry the photos are so late but here they are. Packing my oyster knives, I grabbed my backpack and headed out. Arriving in Tyne Valley, P.E.I. , The home of the contest. Rodney's truck. Anthony from Oyster Boy in Toronto was getting some practice at the front door before the contest begins. The Holy Grail of Canadian oyster shuckers! The contest for kids to make art out of oyster boxes. I liked this one with the bear tonging the oysters! Catching Pat MacMurray horsing around on stage before the contest. Our competition oysters waiting for us. Rodney Clark, my old friend and mentor prepping his oysters. Pat and Eamon about to start shucking. John Bil, defending Canadian Champ doing his stuff. At the after party.......

Pretty decent size as I recall and I suspect much better than having a few small ones? ← Actually, as far as oyster festivals go, it is one of the smallest. I just find it a shame as the product here is onpar with the best in the world and I think people should celebrate that. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

I don't let them sit after or before shucking the adductor muscle as the oyster instead of becoming juicier becomes smaller in the shell and changes appearance as well. I can tell the difference between a preshucked oyster and a freshly shucked one just by looking at it as the preshucked one is smaller and shrivelled. It really has no effect as far as the oyster liquor goes that I have ever noticed. Besides, you want to eat it while it is still alive not dead and gone. That way, you are absorbing the life force of the oyster which explains the rush you get when eating them Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

Part 2 My first customer sits down at the oyster bar and he reaches over and starts to play with the oysters in the bed and looking them over closely which always suggests to me that he has more than a passing knowledge of the product. Or he could just be a bit of a smart ass. He picked up a Colville Bay oyster and asks me to explain about it. I tell him how they are grown by Johnny Flynn and are raised in a rack and bag method in Souris, P.E.I and they are probably the best damm oyster on the Eastern Seaboard. I notice that the young girl he is with is chuckling to herself and while I am wondering why, he reaches over the bar and says, "You can stop now. I'm Johnny Flynn." It turns out I was right on both counts. He knows the oyster and he is a smart ass as well. What a way to start your shift. During the evening, the kitchen continues to impress me with both their proficency and the presentation. I walked back at one point when they had a full rack of bills and you couldn't tell from looking at them that they were busy at all. That's the sure sign of pros. I felt the discomfort of working a new bar which is normal when starting at a new place but the staff went out of their way to make me feel at home and they were very patient with my fumbling fingers at the terminal. I felt no such discomfort when shucking though. To me, an oyster is a touchstone. When my left hand is on one, I am ten feet tall and bulletproof. In the next few weeks, I feel more at home at the bar than I did at the Bearfoot Bistro in the first year I worked there. John and I did a few catering gigs during my stay there but the most memorable one was the one for the Canadian Medical Association at the University of P.E.I. We had a very tight timetable and 1000 oysters to shuck. The guests arrived at 6:00 p.m. and we had to be packed and gone by 7:00. Pretty tight for anyone's liking. John, Mark (the general manager) and I preshucked a couple of dozen and when the guests started to arrive is when it really hit the fan. John and I exchanged a knowing look and he raised his hands above his shoulders as we are required to do in a shucking contest and smiled at me. I did the same and then we went at them with a vengance. We were moving at incredible speed and people were standing around just watching us, including a few culinary students from the college. I heard their instructor say to them at one point. "Even though I showed you how to do this in class, watch these guys as they are the real pros." I felt a sense of pride in hearing that and really ramped up the speed while still keeping the oysters clean. John and Mark and I went through the entire 1000 in just 59 minutes from start to finish! I will be getting my computer hooked to the internet in the next couple of days and then I can make some real progress on this story.

Please don't run the oyster under cold water to rinse the shell and grit out! This totally removes the oyster liquor from the shell and washes the taste of the bay from the oyster. All you have to do is before you sever the adductor muscle on the bottom is to lift the oyster from the hinge area gently and clean the shell that might have been forced in when you were opening it and run your fingers along the mantle (dark rim of the oyster) to remove any bits of new shell growth. The mantle is the part of the oyster that forms the new shell and there is usually a thin sliver of shell present. And oyster shucking, when done well, is a combination of sport and artistry. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy

This thread will eventually encompass all 3 forums across the Canada section as I spent the summer travelling across the country and shucked my way from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The Beginning. "Get out of my way, I'm leaving this town." Colin James- Chicks and cars and the third world war Having grown tired and bored of life in the ski resort of Whistler, I felt the call of the open road pull on my soul. I decided to undertake an ambitious goal. I was going to travel to Prince Edward Island and shuck oysters at every notable oyster bar in the country until I reached Vancouver. I emailed my oyster shucking brother-from-another-mother, John Bil, who had just opened his new oyster house in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and asked if he could use a hand for the summer. His response was immediate and positive and so I booked my flight and on July 10, I arrived on the red sands of P.E.I., ready to begin my oyster odessy. I was totally impressed with John's new digs, The Claddagh Oyster House on Sydney St. Cool, funky and cozy, it was everything a true oyster house should be. 62 seats, including a 12 seat oyster bar with a great interior. John Bil is probably one of the nicest guys you will ever run across in this world, (unless you happen to be an oyster) and put me up at his place for the duration of my stay there. Sitting at the bar, I treated myself to my first taste of P.E.I. that I had had since 1997. 6 Colville Bay oysters, 6 Portage Island oysters and a heaping bowl of soft shell steamer clams. Life doesn't get much better with all your clothes on. The first time I was ever in P.E.I., I was 11 years old and it was at that time, I got my first taste of lobster. It was at a St. Ann's church lobster supper held in the basement. Red and White checkered tablecloths, the smell of boiling lobster in the air and the anticipation of trying something that I had never had before. It was an intoxicating experience that I will never forget in my life. I was looking forward to having new and exciting experiences while I was down here again and I wasn't disappointed. John's partners, Liam and Kim Dolan came over and introduced themselves to me and they are probably 2 of the best people I have ever met in my life. They offered use of their hot tub and swimming pool while I was on the island and gave me a feeling that I was immediately accepted as part of their family. The next day, John and I did an impromtu catering job on a boat half a mile offshore in Holland Cove and the mercury that day soared to an unbelievable 41 degrees celcius! Between shucking oysters, John and I were diving into the cool blue waters of the Northumberland Strait and chatting and drinking with some of the movers and shakers in Charlottetown. Before too long, there was a flotilla of at least 8 boats all tied together and at least 20 people had joined our little party out on the water. Someone joked that if we could get a few more boats, we could walk back to Charlottetown. It was beautiful to watch the sun setting over the red sand cliffs and green rolling fields. Having lived in the mountains for 10 years, I hadn't really seen a sunset as we only get alpenglow. The next day was my first working shift on the oyster bar. Looking over the menu and wine list, I was totally impressed with the food items and especially the wine list that John and Liam had put together. Over 70 wines on the list and if you have ever been to the liquor stores in that province, you would know how hard it is to do something like that as the government-run stores have a very limited list. I met the kitchen crew for the first time and was impressed to see that 95% of them had completed their culinary degrees and looked like seasoned pros. If you would like to check his place out, the website is www.claddaghoysterhouse.com. Seeing as I am not on my computer and limited for time, I will be posting my story in installments and I will be posting the pictures a little later.

No, you are not an oyster snob! I have been a professional oyster shucker for close to 20 years now and when I see the way that the oyster is served in most places across this country, it makes me wonder why people eat them at all. Punctured stomachs, mangled gills, ripped mantles, shell, grit and dirt all combine to make an otherwise delectable experience unbearable. If you are located in Montreal, the only place to go for them is Joe Beef. The staff there were trained by one of the best in the business, John Bil, 3 time National Oyster Shucking Champion. Their knowledge and handling of the product is top notch as well as the quality and selection of oysters they carry. Stay away from Globe as I got to see their shucker in a competition earlier this year and he should be ashamed to call himself a professional. Keep on shucking Oyster Guy