The longer an Oyster bed has been harvested the deeper the history and richer the stories. The early harvest areas are mostly to be found in Brittany, France, and Whitstable, England. In the 17th century, Chesapeake Bay became the first producing area in North America to be followed by the tidal flats off Washington in the Pacific Northwest of the USA and the famous Malpeque Bay in Prince Edward Island.

The first dedicated harvesters were the Oystermen guilds of Britain, the Dredgermen of Colchester and the Skipjacks of the Chesapeake. These men and their methods historically changed the way that Oysters came off their growing beds. The farming of the Oyster first emerged in Brittany as fishermen began to switch to management techniques. In the late 1930's the high demand for shucked Oysters from the tidal flats off the Pacific Northwest brought the shift from gathering to cultivating. It wasn't long before there were technical improvements and a move off the tidal areas to harvest the deeper Oyster bearing waters. Tiles to collect, poles to hang and systems to suspend the young Oyster are some of the various techniques used today in farming the Oyster around the world. The Northeast of North America is the last spot where one can still find the traditional gatherer, but even there, farming is gaining ground.

Some of the great Oyster houses of the world sit next to the bay that produces their fare. Morins on the Weir in Galway Ireland has been a great example for 200 years. Others, sit at the end of major travel routes such as the little houses that offer Oysters near the rail stations in Paris. Still others (like ourselves) have developed to serve the large urban centres.


At Rodney's, after twenty years in Toronto, we like to think of ourselves as Canada's representative amongst great Oyster houses of the world. Perhaps compared to Wilton's with its 200 plus years in London, Swan's with its century plus in San Francisco and Morin's, that might be a tad presumptuous. We all, however, share the same dedication to the Oyster and its community.

In the early years Oysters were sold only in months with an "R". New systems of transportation, refrigeration and containers and storage have however changed all that and now, you can be sure of finding a succulent treasure at all times and in recipes of every manner from the traditional soup to exotic Oyster stuffed royal brisket.

We don't have the space here to relate all of the Oyster's great history, but if you wish to "tong a little further", here's a few suggestions that offer up the whole story, as it began with the starfish, the Oyster catcher and man - all going after the Oyster. We recommend you go after:

Consider the Oyster MFK Fisher ISBN: 0-865-47-335-8	Heaven on the Half Shell Gordon, David G., Nancy E. Blanton, and Terry Y. Nosho ISBN: 1-55868-550-2	The Joy of Oysters Lori McKean, Bill Whitbeck ISBN 1-929258-00-3	The Oysters of Locmariaquer Eleanor Clark ISBN: 0880016302

These books are full of Oyster lore. Some may find them a deep puddle to wade through, but they'll get you Oyster-wet and in the process you'll learn what inspires us and those with whom we work.

A word of caution - if you're drawing info from Oyster focused cook-books, check the origin and details of the recipe. You won't want to use a European Oyster in a Northeast American dish. The differences can be dramatic!

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