Oysters 舊日蠔情

There is a frozen food brand recently opened in my area. Their ad emphasises oysters which reminds me my old days.

1. Mersea Oysters - claimed to be the best in the world. Mersea is not too far from central London, about 72 miles north east. Following the same direction, 19 miles away is Brightlingsea where I spent many weekends there serving as a waiter/dishman. On its south east is Clacton-on-sea. It is a seashore fun park for many UK easterners and pensioners. I loved to be there as long as I had a moment.

2. Bluff Oysters - Bluff is situated at the southern dip of South Island of NZ. Kiwis don't eat shellfishes from civil dwelling districts. Places such as Bluff and Nelson are particularly good for their sea farms. It was hard to get Bluff oysters in the local markets in the 80s because most of them went for Japan export. It was only after the Japan econ bursted that our kiwi fellows could taste the products from our own waters. When I viisted friends in Sydney in the late 80s, most Chinese restaurants there sold impressive size NZ oysters to lure gourmets, however, it seemed to me they were not NZ oysters because the best NZ bluff oysters were tiny. When I sent my children back to NZ in 2009, I was happy to see bluff oysters was available in many fisheries. I certainly did not miss it.

In the years before 2000, I bought blue cods in weekend market at the price of 5 for NS$10. In 2009, NZ$20 could only get you 1 piece. Blue Cod is only found in NZ waters. Shortly after I landed on NZ in the mid 80s, I realised grouper fish was not gourmets' choice, Blue cod was and still is.