Oysters'growth GEAY Oysters
1. Seed oyster collection
Every summer, oysters coming to maturation release around one million gametes in the Marennes-Oléron’s basin. GEAY’s team put collectors in strategic spots where only a small part of young larvae will stick. Once settled, they develop for nine months when they are the size of a nail. Those baby oysters are called the “naissain”. GEAY’s employees will then manipulate the collectors to detach the eggs ans start their growth in parks.
2. The Growth
The eggs are placed in parks just under the surface of water to benefit from the tides movements. Oysters are turned over and looked after with great care. The GEAY family’s goal is not to obtain a quick growth but to make the oyster’s flesh grow in thickness. To reach that objective, oysters are constantly turned, moved, cleaned and measured.
3. Refining
After a strict selection based on shape, roundness and thickness, GEAY oysters are placed in old salt marshes, also called “claires”, that are very rich in sediments and phytoplankton. Those elements give oysters a special taste and flesh thickness them a perfect balance.
« Special care and patience are necessary to the culture of oysters.It takes three to five yearsand more than 50 manipulationsto obtain a GEAY oyster. »
Calibrated according to their weight and size. GEAY Oysters
Open your oysters GEAY Oysters
1
Takes the oyster in the bottom of your hand with the hinge facing you. Hold the knife by the blade while keeping your thumb at 1cm off the knife-edge.
2
Introduce the edge of the knife between the shells at ¾ of the length of the oyster.
3
Dig the knife and cut the muscle in a movement going from top to bottom.
4
Once the muscle is cut, detach the flesh of the top shell and slowly lift the shell.
5
Remove the water and bits of shells that may be inside and lay the oysters on a platter.
Storage GEAY Oyster
- Oysters should never be in direct contact with ice, to ensure taste and maintain their natural longevity of about ten days after the packing date.
- Store oysters between +5 and +15 degrees.
- This temperature can be influenced depending on the outside temperature. The warmer the temperature outside, the more oysters can be stored at a higher temperature.
Respect for flavors GEAY Oysters
Saveur
Oysters reach their full flavor after being out of the water for between +3 and +7 days. An oyster that has just come out of the water will be less tasty than an oyster that has been out of the water for several days.
Ouverture
It is possible to open the oysters two to three hours before eating them. However, you must put the cover back on the oyster so that it does not dry out.
Wines
We recommend pairing oysters with dry white wines.
Oysters & Leek fondue Enjoy your meal
Ingredients (4 people)
- 12 Geay special oysters
- 2 leeks
- 1 onion
- 2 shallots
- 20g butter
- 10 cl dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons sour thick cream
- Gruyère
PREPARATION
- STEP 1
Open the oysters. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 6). - STEP 2
Wash the leeks and cut them into small pieces, the same for the shallots and the onion.
Melt the butter, add the vegetables and brown them without coloring. - STEP 3
Add spices, salt, pepper, white wine, cream and simmer for 5 min. - STEP 4
Put the sauce in the oysters, sprinkle with grated Gruyère and bake for 15 min.
Nutrition & Health Oysters in practice
People have been eating oysters for centuries by various populations for different reasons. Seen as food of exception and luxury, the Greeks and the Romans were consuming them for their aphrodisiac virtues. A quality that is still attracting a lot of greedy ones.
Nowadays, oysters are mostly recognised for their low calories combined with their extremely rich in oligo-elements, vitamins and minerals. Thanks to its high ratio in omega 3, oysters have a positive effect on cardiovascular health. Oysters are so full of essential elements that it is possible to survive only eating them.
« During WW2, some pilots surviving battles in the pacific region were saved by oysters. It was the only food they could safely eat that would give them the necessary nutrients to survive. »
