Everyone knows New England is famous for its lobster, clams and oysters, but its oysters from what is now Connecticut’s shoreline that paved the streets of many a fledgling colony in the U.S. If you know of a Pearl Street in your hometown it may well have been paved with oyster shells which sparkled like pearls in the sun.
All shellfish is delicious of course, but it’s oysters that get top billing in my house. At Piper and Dune we are excited to carry a new line of Seafood/Oyster tools and gadgets by Toadfish Outfitters. An oyster connoisseur, Matt helped me to curate this line; Matt and our daughter Sarah love oysters. The Toadfish tools and accessories are incredibly well made, ergonomic and eco-friendly too.
This socially conscious company shares one of Piper and Dune’s social concerns too - water quality, which is the #1 issue threatening coastal waterways. For every product sold, Toadfish will replant new oyster beds to help clean our coastal waters; to date they’ve planted 150342 of new Oyster Habitat.
You may ask, why do they focus on oysters? Oysters are the ultimate “friend of the coast.” According to Toadfish:
- The number of people living on the coast has increased by 40% in the last 30 years and shows no signs of slowing down. With the population increase, the amount of toxic run off from coastal cities and towns has increased 10-fold, placing an unprecedented amount of strain on coastal resources.
- Nature has provided the filter-feeding oyster to keep our coasts clean and teeming with life. A single oyster filters up to 50 gallons of coastal water per day, removing the toxins from run off and creating a habitat where hundreds of species like fish, crabs, and shrimp can thrive.
- Along with filtering water, oyster reefs help:
- Increase habitat service Area
- Provide a habitat for Oyster Larvae
- Protect Against Storm Surges
With Father’s Day just a few weeks away, we think Toadfish Outfitters gadgets and tools are the perfect gift idea, get them at Piper and Dune. You may also want to check out other Father’s Day gift ideas by checking out our Father’s Day Gift Ideas under themed collections on piperanddune.com
Once you have your fresh oysters, here’s how to shuck them:
- Clean oysters vigorously under cold water with a scrub brush.
- Grasp an oyster in a shucking cloth to hold the oyster, with the flat-side up and the hinge (where the shells meet) exposed. Our shucking cloth is a cut-proof, puncture-resistant, antimicrobial cloth designed to keep your hands safe during all your kitchen cuts. Trust me, you will love this!
- Poke the oyster knife into the hinge. The oyster knives are made from Japanese stainless steel, stain-free, rust-resistant stainless steel blade that is bent on the tip section allowing raw oysters to 'pop' open from the hinge. The ergonomic thumb print handle design eliminates hand slippage making shucking safer.
- Twist the knife back and forth—like turning a key in a lock—until the top (flat) shell pops open.
Serve the oysters on a bed of ice with some lemons and your favorite dipping sauce. Pick up a gorgeous new serving tray and cocktail napkins and you have a beautiful and unique gift for birthdays, Jack and Jill showers, and wedding gifts too.
When I think of oysters, I think of pairing them with wine, so I reached out to my brother Paul who sells wine for a recommendation. Paul recommends you grab a bottle of Muscadet wine to go with your oysters (he said this is a “no brainer” - an obvious choice to connoisseurs). For those unfamiliar with the wine, it is a French white wine that is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, (melon) in the western end of the Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in the Pays de la Loire region. This light white wine is the perfect pairing for your oysters.
If you aren’t a wine lover, then why not try one of our camp craft cocktails? With 12 flavors, there’s a flavor that you can infuse with almost any spirits; there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
No matter what oysters you plan to try, Piper and Dune has some great accessories to accompany your fresh seafood - oyster baking dishes, Corkcicle insulated glasses, and lots of other home goods items to make your next happening or gifting occasion memorable.
Enjoy, and take time to Explore What Excites You!
Chris and the Piper and Dune Family
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P.S. if you need a gift that looks to impress, you need to buy the non-tipping can cooler, it’s a best seller that makes the best conversations!
Source: https://toadfishoutfitters.com/pages/our-story