100-Count Bag - Northern Cross Oysters

We grow damn fine oysters here in New England (and specifically Duxbury); however, it turns out there's some other good growing regions elsewhere on the East Coast. One of the best of which is Virginia.  Indeed, the hallowed bottomland of the Chesapeake Bay is the stuff of legends, but faces challenges these days and produces beautiful, mild tasting oysters.  

We went down there a few years back looking for something else.  We wanted an oyster that packed all of the heady meat-and-potatoes flavor of a classic Chesapeake bivalve, but with the salty opening punch of something grown on Cape Cod or in Maine.  Our search took us all the way out to the Eastern Shore on the Atlantic Ocean and we still didn't find the ONE, but we did find some good buddies who were willing to help us out.

So, what we did was set up a blind date.  We got our oysters together with their oysters.  We turned down the lights, put on a little Marvin Gaye, and we left the room.  And, this folks is what came of that fateful meeting:  the Northern Cross.  

We like to call it our special blend.  An Island Creek mated with a Virginia oyster and grown in the cold, salty waters way out on the tip of Virginia.  It is the perfect spring oyster, which is why we are bringing it to you know.

Go forth and shuck.

Need help shucking or recipe ideas?  Check out Island Creek Oyster Bar chef Jeremy Sewall's oysters 101 here.

*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.