Bay Work. With Oysters. Welcome to my conversation with Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Company, who, along with brother Ryan, has helped bring the long and storied tradition of Virginia Chesapeake Bay oysters back into the spotlight. http://edacious.co/084 From one small grill at Merroir in Topping, Virginia these brothers have built a restaurant empire, one that's growing all the time. From RockSalt in Charlottesville to their newest addition Rapp Session in Richmond, Rappahannock Oyster now has eight restaurants, including one in Los Angeles that opens in November. World domination is officially underway.
For decades the Virginia oyster was nothing but a myth. Overfishing and bad farming practices had driven them almost to extinction. In New York they are extinct. Those fancy New York Blue Points? They come from Virginia and have since the 1800's. Luckily, good farming practices have brought these beauties back and it's a good thing. Oysters are excellent filters. Farming them keeps sediment in place and creates a biodiverse ecosystem. They act as an environmental cornerstone much like coral reefs. When oysters were overfished the bay became incredibly polluted with dead zones where the sun couldn't penetrate which meant many fish died. Today, if you visit the Croxton's farm, the water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom.
Oysters have their own Merrior and Rapphannock's are no exception. The minerality of river flows down from the Blue Ridge add taste, as does the salinity of the ocean. The type of algae they eat affects taste. All of this impacts flavor and the water conditions impact the hardness of the shell and the way it's shaped. Like wine, there isn't just one oyster variety. Chincoteague oysters are going to taste dramatically different from river oysters because of merroir. Dramatically different flavor profiles they can showcase to chefs interested in their product.
The next time you travel down to "The Rivah" and take in its crystal clear beauty, thank an oyster. Then get yourself to one of the Croxton restaurants. You can enjoy oysters there and even pick some up to take home! They also sell them on their website. Whether they're raw, roasted, grilled, steamed, fried, or in a stew, it's good stuff. This episode made me SO hungry! Cheers!
