Autumn marks not only the arrival of cooler temperatures and falling leaves but also the arrival of a culinary highlight: the Zeeland oyster. Yerseke, the beating heart of Zeeland’s oyster industry, celebrates the start of a new harvest season, in which tradition and innovation go hand in hand.
A fresh start in Yerseke
The Oosterschelde, a jewel of Zeeland, recently became the scene of an important moment: the fishing of the first oysters of the new season. Aboard the YE 84, this culinary treasure was pulled from the depths, a sign that both the exclusive Zeeland flat oyster and the more common creuse are again available in abundance for gourmets.
Top chefs and their love of the Zeeland oyster
Zealand oysters are eagerly finding their way into the kitchens of renowned chefs. Thijs Meliefste, awarded a Michelin star and owner of restaurant Meliefste in Wolphaartsdijk, praises the oyster for its deep flavors and finesse. One of his signature dishes is the poached oyster in beurre blanc with leeks. In contrast, Laurent Law of Amuzee in Zeebrugge took a creative approach by pairing the oyster with an iced pastille of celery and green apple, enriched with salty herbs.
Pioneering in the shellfish hatchery
The shellfish hatchery in Yerseke is a model of innovation. Here, oyster larvae are carefully fed and raised. Although an oyster can produce up to 50 million eggs, only a fraction of these reach maturity in the wild. Nienke Bakker, working at the hatchery, explains that their steady research into the optimal conditions for oyster farming is now beginning to bear fruit.
New breeding methods and summer oysters
Thanks to modern techniques such as the development of summer oysters, which do not reproduce, oysters can devote all their energy to growth. In addition, oyster farmers in the Eastern Scheldt are experimenting with new methods, such as using hanging baskets and tables to protect oysters from their natural enemy, the oyster borer.
Tasteful facts
Oyster lovers know that the real enjoyment of an oyster comes from chewing, which releases its sweet flavor. While Zeeland grows two types of oysters, the flat Zeeland oyster and the creuse, it is the flat oyster that is considered the more exclusive of the two. Although production of the flat oyster is more limited, at 1.5 to 2 million a year, the creuse far exceeds this number. And a fun fact: the oyster season, which lasts eight months, coincides with the months containing an “r.”
As autumn transforms the landscape, Zeeland brings its own seasonal treasure to the fore, ready to be discovered and tasted
