On Monday, I was in New Orleans leading an oyster and wine tasting that featured oysters from Redfish Reef and Slim Jim Reef in Galveston Bay; Pointe aux Pins rack-grown oysters from Mobile Bay, Alabama; and oysters from Christmas Bay in lower Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. We tasted the oysters with Girard Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Crossings New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and two Pinot Grigios from Barone Fini. The crowd liked the big oysters from Slim Jim Reef the best.
On Tuesday we repeated the tasting at Oceanaire Seafood in Houston with the same wines, but slightly different oysters. This time we had creamy Resignation Reef oysters and spectacular Pepper Grove oysters. The oysters were from Jeri’s Seafood in Smith Point and they are available from seafood wholesaler Louisiana Foods in Houston.
It was the first time Gulf oysters have been included in this wine and oyster pairing format. This traveling oyster and wine tasting show is organized by the Deutsche wine group which represents the three vineyards. The tour usually tastes West Coast oysters with their wines, but the organizers asked me to step in and help when they discovered that it was illegal to ship West Coast species like Kumamotos and gigas to Texas. I was more than happy to drink their wine and wax poetic about Texas oysters.
We’re been eating oysters at The Rouxpour in Sugar Land and I have to say that this season’s crop were just fantastic. I looked a the bag tag and saw that they were from La. They were so briny that I wonder if they’re the ones that are moved to a high saline bay like you describe in your book.
Just had an Oyster BLT at the original Capt Benny’s on Main St yesterday and I must say that is a pairing made in heaven. You should definitely try one! Bacon really does make everything better, even delicious oysters
Just finished Sex Death and Oysters, such a great read, nosing around Robb’s blog archives for more great reads on oysters, Texas seafood, etc. I liked how SD&O talked about the culture of eating oysters throughout history and in different parts of the country and world. Would love to see a book that talks about the history of the American seaside seafood restaurant in general, focusing on the different types of seafood restaurants in New England vs New York/Mid Atlantic vs Florida vs Louisiana vs Texas, with some special focus on some Texas classics like Christies, San Jacinto Inn, Tuffy’s, Hills, and Gaidos.