Shellfish
‘Oyster lady’ opens up new markets with academy – and appellations
OYSTER aficionado aty Davidson is a busy lady. When she is not giving oyster shucking or tasting demonstrations at ood estivals, running oyster pop-ups, delivering her Shuckerette oyster shucking services at parties, developing a range o products or her Amity Sea ood company, or cooking sea ood dinners or her Airbnb customers, she is working on an oyster cookery book, immersed in plans for London Oyster Week 2018, or growing her oyster academy.
The oyster academy is a passion of Davidson’s, the idea for which came two years ago, after working with che s to encourage greater uptake in restaurants.
She realised that the culture of oysters is so similar to that of wine that a training programme and ualification along the same lines as a sommelier could benefit the industry and help bring oysters to a wider market.
From small beginnings, the academy now offers masterclasses and training to fishmongers, restaurants, hotels and individuals.
Such an unusual venture has attracted a lot o attention, particularly from the popular media, and boosted demand for Davidson’s services.
Che s can be deterred rom serving oysters, believing they are di cult to store, prepare and sell in volume,’ she said.
My training programme will help increase uptake and profit margins through special recipes, better product understanding and customer engagement, and by matching oysters with wines and spirits.’
Davidson provides sourcing and tasting notes, advises on storage, handling, preparation and display, and adds in in ormation on sustainability, which more and more customers are interested in. Oysters are highly rated in this regard.
Most people are cautious about oysters in restaurants, and won t order half a dozen because they don’t know how to tackle them and are dubious of their rawness.
I encourage che s to offer a starter oyster or a dish with oysters in the recipe, which is a great way to start,’ she said.
Davidson’s work has taken her all over the world, and she particularly enjoys visiting oyster farms, adding to her knowledge base and tasting repertoire.
In January, she visited Huitres Kandy oyster arm in the Western Sahara in Morocco, to film a mini-documentary on Moroccan oyster culture for her YouTube channel, which is currently being edited.
She has also worked with the World Oyster Society and the Shellfish Association o Great Britain on education and awareness raising projects and events.
She had only just started putting the ostrelier ualification together, when she was awarded a place on the Lloyds Bank School for Social Entrepreneurs programme.
This was really help ul in helping me to finalise the curriculum and map out the ualification, she said.
Based in Cornwall, Davidson, who is better known as the Oyster Lady, has just delivered a workshop to estival goers at Port Eliot Festival, and is preparing a special one for members of the Guild o Food Writers in October.
Most ood journalists know little about oysters and I wanted to refute some of the common misconceptions which can put people off. Hope ully, my talk will generate a ew more positive articles on oysters, she said.
Things such as seasonality, the difference between native and Pacific oysters, how to store and serve, and especially how to enjoy them at their best.
‘Too many people believe you must knock oysters back in one gulp, but this is a waste of a wonderful experience.
They should be savoured, just like a fine wine, to enjoy the complex avour profile. Once someone has experienced oysters this way, their love affair with these delicate creatures truly begins. They are also excellent to cook with.’
oyster (Crassostrea gigas) due to its availability, (Ostrea edulis) when they are in season.
Her website, www.theoysterlady.co.uk, is a world of oysters, based on more than a decade
notes. Oyster farmers from Isle of Mull, Carlingford, Porthilly, Fal Bay, Menai and Harty Oysters have already sent samples for inclusion.
‘Farmers who have sent their oysters for pho each company and where they are, include pictures of the farm, notes about the merroir,
tempt the palate.
For example, Isle of Mull Oysters were found
website and asks producers to get in touch if they are interested.
She will also be adding details of venues serv news and insight to help promote this delicious and sustainable delicacy.
help in widening awareness about the whole
‘I am thrilled that Seafish has come on board as an official partner and I am in talks with other organisations about partnerships
She has plenty of encouragement for those
‘They are one of the most ethical foods you can eat, they make you happy because they contain a natural source of dopamine, they other species, and natural oyster reefs protect coasts from erosion and storm surge, and extract nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the said.
They should be