Oysters...what's the word?

[RouxTheDay]

Forgive me if this has been covered but what is the official word on oysters for this season?

I had dinner at the Rib Room on Wednesday and they said "no oyster app due to the storms". Then my momanem went to N.O. Food and Spirits and they had no oysters.

....but TF was pushing Drago's yesterday and didn't mention an oyster issue at all. (I didn't hear the whole show)

[Oyster]

Will have to give it a little time. Some of the beds were just re-opened right before last weekend. Some of them were covered with mud from the storms, which kill the oysters, so productivity will be lower than if no storm. So less beds open, and less oysters on the beds. This will equate to lower supply, and starting the peak season for demand will probably raise prices. As more bedding areas open, the supply will improve.

Heard Drago's usually orders about 188 sacks for their 2 restaurants to cover a weekend, and they could only get 85. That was for last weekend. Haven't heard if things have picked up. Drago's usually buys more directly from the fisherman, while other restaurants depend on seafood suppliers. P&J was only open limited hours, as they could not get enough to work full time. All of that may have changed already, although if those two restaurants couldn't get them, it seems to be an indicator that things are not near normal yet.

The supply bounced back rather quickly after Katrina and Rita. Hopefully it will do the same this year.

My fingers are crossed!

[Suzy Wong]

Dorignac's had P&J oysters this afternoon...........

[Schuarta]

I keep going to OYSTERCAM at Acme, and they continue to have oysters covered with ice at all shucking positions (3). The must have a standing order and some level of priority.

[Oyster]

Looked like every place had them on Bourbon last night. Bins were full. About 10 people in line at Acme. Felix was pretty empty. They were a bit on the small side, course that's what some people like.

[Oyster]

I keep going to OYSTERCAM at Acme, and they continue to have oysters covered with ice at all shucking positions (3). The must have a standing order and some level of priority.

Art, just because Acme has oysters to sell does not mean the industry is thriving. Think about the individual fisherman that lost all of his beds. It wlll take him a year or two to get back in production. And that is if his boat didn't get busted to pieces. Estimated 70% will be up and running, but still have to consider the 30% that were wiped out.

There will always be oysters at Acme. The question remains how far down to the small mom & pop venues they trickle. Luckily, it seems like the industry as a whole has survived rather strongly in LA, and will bounce back as strongly as it did after Katrina, although there are many fisherman that were wiped out.

Now the Galveston Bay industry was pretty much wiped out completly.

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20080 ... rom_storms

[jodyrah]

Had some at Bourbon House. They were small but good. Went for the mignonette sauce (not as good as elsewhere), ended up making cocktail sauce. FWIW, their horseradish is lousy, should have gone to Felix's. Hindsight is wonderful.

[RouxTheDay]

Had some at Bourbon House. They were small but good. Went for the mignonette sauce (not as good as elsewhere), ended up making cocktail sauce. FWIW, their horseradish is lousy, should have gone to Felix's. Hindsight is wonderful.

Do folks mess with horseradish? I just assumed it came in a jar and that it was all the same. I know there is horseradish and horseradish sauce but I truly thought it was pretty standard stuff.

[Schuarta]

Art, just because Acme has oysters to sell does not mean the industry is thriving...

I'm with you re what's happening. I've always appreciated the information you provide. Your voice is unique on the forums.

I've been a fan of the Acme camera, because it's the one pair of eyes I've had in New Orleans. When power was restored after Katrina, for the weeks afterward, it showed the chairs up on the tables, and the neon lights still working. What this really showed me was that New Orleans was "still there". It was broken and hurting, but it was not gone, no matter what the drive by press was reporting. Though I do not live there (yet), I have positive feelings for those of you who do.

So keep putting out your "word". I'll be listening.

[jodyrah]

Roux, some horseradish is killer hot (like Felix's and Rib Room's). The stuff at BH was brownish and flat, sort of bitter. Had to add tobasco for heat. BTW, it loses it's potency the longer it's kept.