3.) Renaissance of the East (Sydney) rock oyster
According to Australia’s seafood expert, John Susman, oysters – in particular the East Coast (or Sydney) Rock variety – are having a renaissance of appreciation in the country. A gaggle of younger, more quality-focused growers are entering or taking over many of the old farms and taking them to a new level. There’s also been a few co-operatives form who are really pushing quality up, Susman said.
The Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) is native to Australia, where it’s still found in small numbers. Deep-cupped and sweet-tasting, it closely resembles a kumamoto or small Pacific oyster. One such grower, Shane Buckley, has even launched Australia’s first organic oyster farm, out of Wapengo Lake, just north of Bega.
"What we've done is try and improve our water quality here at Wapengo even further," Buckley said. "We've removed all polluting products, treated pine and tarred materials, out of the water.”
Sydney’s hip and hot French Brasserie, Hubert Restaurant, now features the Sydney Rock oyster as a regular on both bar and restaurant menus. A throwback to simpler times, the oysters are served with a shallot and black pepper mignonette, and are one of the restaurant’s most popular items.
