Experience The Oyster Fest Nov. 19 in G.S.

Experience The Oyster Fest Nov. 19 in G.S.
By Fran Thompson
Grab the wide end of the half shell and slurp it down juice and all. Set it on the grill until the butter is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
There is no wrong way to eat an oyster. That’s the message emanating from Murder Point Oyster Company, creators of “oysters worth killing for’’ and sponsors of the First Annual Experience – The Oyster event on Saturday, Nov. 19 from noon ‘til 4 p.m. at The Hangout Courtyard in Gulf Shores.
Oysters sourced from 10 farms in South Alabama and a few others will be served at the fest, and 33 chefs from around the region will put their own take on those oysters during.
Appropriate select art venders and the Mario Mena Band will add to the atmosphere. Gulf Shores’ own Big Beach Brewery will be among the vendors serving craft beers.
The $75 general admission ticket is good for 18 individual oysters from any vendor and two drink tickets. There is also a VIP ticket option. Ticket info is available at experiencetheoyster.squarespace.com or eventbrite.com.
According to lore, Murder Point earned its name after a knife fight between two men over an oyster lease in Bayou La Batre back in 1929. The Zirlott family, owners of Murder Point Oysters, originally raised oysters in leased water off Murder Point. They have since moved their oyster farm to Sandy Bay, where it produces around 3 million shallow water oysters in the bays around Horn Island Pass. Their farm is the largest in Alabama.
The Zirlotts have been catching shrimp and fish off of the Alabama Coast for five generations. Their focus now is harvesting Eastern/American oysters (Crassostrea Virginia), a species that thrives in the unique conditions off Alabama’s coastline. Because they are grown in a controlled environment, Murder Point oysters can be harvested exactly when they reach three inches. They use a long line method to harvest rows of baskets that are raised and lowered depending on tidal flows. This produces oysters known for the firmness of their meat.
According to the Murder Point website, its oysters have “a full, rich, creamy taste with a light metallic finish and a drop of butter flavor in each one.’’
“We were planning to do a little fest behind our storefront in Bayou La Batre and it very quickly grew into this,’’ said Jennifer Russell, marketing director of the family business.
“Marti (Duncan) will do one large scale cooking demonstration, but all the other chefs will be set up to host little mini-parties.
“It’s more of a tasting. than a celebrity meet-n-greet. People can move from party to party,’’ she added. “It will be a little more personal. And we think people are going to love the smaller, more intimate setting.’’
In addition to the festival host, oyster farmers participating include: Crystal Coast – North Carolina; Island Time – Dauphin Island; Turtle Backs – Bayou La Batre; Low Country Oyster – South Carolina; Point of Pins – Grand Bay, Pelican Oyster Company – Tallahassee; Admiral Shellfish – Fort Morgan; Salty Bastards – Bayou La Batre; and Matheson Oysters – Virginia.
The long list of participating chefs include: Marti Duncan – Food Network; Bill Brand – Fishers, Orange Beach; Larry Agnew – Jesses – Magnolia Springs; Ryan Stroup – Kiva Beach Club; Ryan Tomlinson – Margaux – Mobile; Bill Stitt – Bill E’s Bacon, Fairhope; Jim Smith – Hummingbird Way, Mobile; Irv Miller – Jackson’s – Pensacola; Panini Pete Blohme – Sunset Point – Fairhope; Cory Garrison – Southern Roots – Point Clear; Rob Kraatz – The Gulf – Orange Beach; and Dylan Feenker – The Hangout – Gulf Shores.

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Murder Point Oyster Tips

Examine The Oyster
• Inspecting your oysters is a very important part of your shucking experience. Look at each oyster and examine the shell. As you take in the beauty make sure the oyster is tightly clamped and no liquor is dripping from the oyster. This will ensure your oyster is still alive and ready to eat.
Keep ‘Em Cold
Oysters should be maintained at a temperature between 32-40 degrees. For maximum shelf life, keep oysters refrigerated with the flat shell up, covered in a damp cloth. If you would like to keep oysters on ice, be sure they do not sit in the melting water. Oysters are a live product and will “drink” this water causing them to lose their salty flavor.
A Good Shuck
To properly shuck an oyster, hold it in a gloved hand cupped side down. Using an oyster knife, place the tip of the knife at the hinge of the oyster. Using pressure, twist the knife until the hinge pops open. Slide the knife between the two shells, releasing the ab