Bigger is better in oyster land. HG loves a big, plump briny oyster. There are those that fancy the little guys — the west-coast Kumamotos and such. Patricia Wells, the excellent restaurant critic, cooking teacher, food authority is a member of that party. HG is in opposition. This week HG stopped at Colville Bay Oysters in Souris, Prince Edward Island. HG asked the genial proprietor, Johnny Flynn, for a dozen of the biggest oysters in the house. Johnny picked out some bruisers, each between three and four inches in length. Thick oysters, their shells tinted slightly green (a signature of Colville Bay) filled with luscious brine. They were, without question, the best oysters HG ever tasted. Perfectly balanced between sweetness and sea brine. The texture? It was like eating oyster steaks. The dozen cost 14 dollars. HG was curious about the price of oysters and checked out the oysters at some of HG’s favorite Parisian brasseries. Big, high quality oysters sell for five bucks each. Obviously, the inexpensive brasserie-served plateau de fruits de mer is now, like the inexpensive New York apartment, just a fond memory. HG will confine oyster gluttony to Prince Edward Island. Affordable. And, Johnny Flynn’s product is better than anything the French, British or Irish shores can produce. (BSK insists on a positive mention of Colville Bay’s regular sized oysters: They are of the same delicious quality as the bigs, just smaller and will make most oyster aficionados very happy.)
It’s a dang hard ride, searching for an oyster in Montana. There are a few green ones but they don’t come from Colville Bay.
Be consoled, Ephman. We don’t have any mountain oysters here in green, gentle, sea washed Prince Edward Island.