East Beach Blonde Oysters are beautiful oysters, power washed often to produce the look of clean pearly shells with colorful blonde accents. They are small to medium in size and have a uniform cup shape due to periodic tumbling. The meats are silky and smooth with a mild, salty flavor. The oysters are grown by East Beach Oyster Farm, a founding member of the Ocean State Shellfish Co-Operative.
Oysterology
Product Specifications
Specie:
Crassostrea virginica
Origin:
Charlestown, RI
(USA)
Farmed: 18 to 24 months
Average Size:
3.25+ inches
Available:
Year-round
Flavor Profile
Sweet brine with a deeply mineral finish.
Suggested Pairing:
Cava
Brine Intensity
Growout method
Oyster seed is reared in a rack-and-bag nursery. They are regularly tumbled, then placed on the bottom for final growout before they are harvested with bull rakes from skiffs.
Site Details
Tides:
Ninigret Pond; coastal salt pond in an estuary with small tides and some freshwater input.
Bottom:
Sand, gravel and mud.
the Grower
Prior to becoming an oyster farmer, Jim Arnoux began harvesting shellfish on the historic Great South Bay, the home of the original Blue Point oyster. Digging for clams had long been a tradition in his family, one passed down to him from his father and uncle. Bull rake in hand, Jim began to earn money clamming when he was 14 and continued to do so throughout his attendance at the University of Rhode Island, where he earned his degree in Coastal Policy and Management.
In 2003, Jim and Nick Papa founded East Beach Blondes out of a quest to deliver the most unforgettable sensory experience directly from pond to palate. Since then, their mission has remained the same: to deliver a quality oyster twelve months out of the year.
