Q: Dear John, I hate
oysters in the U.S. That big sac is so disgusting. In France, they raise oysters without
that sac and they taste so fresh - just like one imagines the sea to taste. Love your
programs. Monterey and John Pisto go together.
Diantha Wagner -Monterey
A: There is an enormous variety of oyster types in the U.S.
Whether from Washington state, Northern California or the east coast, they come very large
to very small. If you want small, you've got to try the Kumamoto. They are only 1 1/2 to 2
inches in diameter with a deep shell. I've been serving them at The Whaling Station for
five years now and people love them. Also on the small side are Belon (French) or
"flat" oysters and the delicious Malpeque. My dear Diantha, you've got to go out
and search for the U.S.-raised oyster that you'll like - it is out there! |
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more from Alaska: Their motto is: respect the sea, and the sea will respect
you; respect the land, and the land will respect you; respect people, and people will
respect you. In 1982, Admiralty Island was designated as a national monument. This means
no timber harvesting, no commercial fishing and no development, except within the Angoon
city limits. The natives take only what they need and seem to have a perfect balance of
life. Mayor and fishing guide, Floyd told me seal oil and herring eggs are considered the
finest foods, however this time of year they are harvesting red or sockeye salmon. The
whole village works together with a team of 5 or 6 skiffs going out and bringing back
about 300 fish. The women filet the fish and cut it into strips for smoking. The men
gather wood and tend the fire. The fish is done in 2 to 3 days, depending on the style.
Everyone is in good spirits and there is a kind of party atmosphere. Meanwhile, back
at the lodge, Pierre Coutou has been cooking his little French heart out. So far, he has
made fresh crab cakes, fried crab with spicy garlic sauce, |
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| cedar-planked
salmon, beer-battered halibut, grilled halibut, great omelets, fresh blueberry pancakes,
chocolate mousse, Baba rums, hot soft chocolate cakes, salads, breads and salmon patés.
All of this done with food barged in once a week from Juneau. Bravo Pierre! By the
third day I was cruising the kitchen, looking, hinting and almost begging for Pierre to
let me do some cooking. I asked him if he has ever made gravlox from the native salmon. He
said he hadn't, so I experimented with some silver salmon. It was just okay - I guess you
should only use king salmon. Next I showed him my crab risotto with fresh-picked Dungeness
crab. "Hey, Pierre, how about a nice pasta using fresh diced halibut." Folks,
finally I was on familiar ground and all was right in the world (kitchen). That night for
dinner, we had additional guests, Patti and Tom with the U.S. Forest service out of
Kechikan. There we were, in the middle of one million square miles of pristine wilderness
- eating like kings! |
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