Oysters

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Yet Another Reason to Visit Starfish

December 14, 2011 in Downtown, Oysters by Plato Putas | No comments

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Patrick McMurray, champion oyster shucker and owner of Starfish and Ceili Cottage. (He hosted Oyster Week here on the blog earlier this year.). Tonight I watched as he spontaneously created a four-tiered seafood extravaganza, which he aptly named All That and a Bag of Chips. Notice the paper bags filled with potato chips in the background which were served alongside the vertical platter. “If you can see ice in a seafood platter, you haven’t done it right,” Patrick said, as he jammed more mussels into every available crevice. Sadly, this delicious tower piled high with lobsters, crab claws, mussels, brined salmon belly, shrimp, sauces and a myriad of oysters was not for me. But it still gave me great joy to watch Patrick assemble it and gently carry what I dubbed ‘The Stanley Cup of Seafood’ to a lucky table of eight dining at Starfish.

I couldn’t resist inquiring about the salmon belly soaked in brine and Patrick kindly recreated this treat for my brother and I. Served in a martini glass packed with ice, the Mersea oyster meat is served in its top shelf and a thin slice of salmon belly (fresh from a fish that arrived today) sits brining in the oyster’s juices. Leave it for five minutes or so, and the result is a delectably fatty piece of salmon that’s slightly cured and with a subtle, salty flavour profile. It’s a one-of-a-kind ShuckerPaddy creation that only further solidifies my opinion that Starfish is Toronto’s best seafood restaurant.

Oyster Week: A Beginner’s Guide

March 10, 2011 in Downtown, Interview, Oysters by Plato Putas | No comments

I remember my first oyster. Actually, it was only half an oyster. I was at a Juno Awards after party with my brother Jonathan, who already had an illustrious oyster-eating career by age 20. We spotted an oyster-shucking station and I decided this would be my first time. I told my brother I was ready, but only wanted to try half an oyster. In retrospect, this sounds ridiculous, but my brother didn’t bat an eye. He must have somehow slurped up half then bit through it, handing the remaining piece of meat in the shell to me. I winced in anticipation and shot the half-oyster back. My first thought was: “Oh no.”

Read on for an expert’s 4 tips on how to guide someone through their first oyster. Hint: my bro did none of them.

Oyster Week: Shucker Paddy’s First Time

March 9, 2011 in Interview, Oysters by Plato Putas | No comments

Everyone remembers their first time eating an oyster. Here Patrick McMurray, aka Shucker Paddy, shares the vivid memory.

I was 16 years old, working at Beaujolais restaurant in Toronto. It was a lovely restaurant with oysters on the menu. Simon Bower (who now owns Lucien), was in the kitchen and goes: “Paddy, watch the front kitchen door, make sure chef doesn’t come in, we’re going to have some oysters. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone.” I’m like: “Oysters, what’s so big about oysters?”

Read on for the gritty reveal when Paddy’s oyster was popped…open.

Oyster Week: How to Shuck an Oyster

March 8, 2011 in Downtown, Interview, Oysters by Plato Putas | No comments

“You’re not a good oyster shucker until you bleed at least once,” says Guinness World Record shucker Patrick McMurray. “Then you can become part of the secret society of oyster shuckers.”

Thankfully, Patrick’s doing everything to help you avoid the injuries he’s sustained, which include 14 stitches and likely 80 hand holes he never got patched up. He recently launched a pistol-grip ShuckerPaddy Oyster Shucking Knife ($30, available at Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill & Ceili Cottage) to help making shucking easier and safer. Check out the above video for your 30 second lesson on how to use it.

TOMORROW: Patrick McMurray reminisces about the first time he ever ate an oyster.


Oyster Week: How to Throw a Bangin’ Bivalve Party

March 7, 2011 in Interview, Oysters by Plato Putas | No comments

Going out for oysters is always a treat, but champion shucker Patrick McMurray believes you can have just as much fun in your own home. He expertly hosts an open-to-the-public bivalve party most nights at Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill and Ceili Cottage, but here’s everything you need to know about throwing one yourself.

Read on for Shucker Paddy’s inside scoop on where to buy the oysters, how to store them and what sauces to serve.

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