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that they serve throughout the U.S., the folks at Island Creek are constantly monitoring and trying new things––like adjusting how they grow their oysters. Oysters for the most part grow right on the sea floor. Skip experimented with growing one style of oyster in racks––allowing the oyster to grow above the sea floor. Shore explained, "By doing this, we ended up creating an oyster that looked a little bit different and tastes a little bit different than our normal Island Creek's. We call this new hybrid, Row 34." Their nursery was originally 33 rows deep and they added a 34th row to cultivate these specific seeds, hence the name. The name Row 34 will soon become more than just a signature oyster; it will be the name of their newest restaurant opening in the Seaport District of Boston this fall. I get that there are many different sizes of oysters, and from what I've learned, it has somewhat to do with how they are grown––but what about taste? "It's all about the merroir," says owner Skip Bennett. "People say terroir when talking about wines, and we say merroir when talking about oysters. Terroir is a French term that describes the nuances of wines, and it has to do with the soil and the air in a particular region. It's the same with the oyster. Water chemistry, plankton, salinity, temperature––it's different from region to region and that reflects in the flavor profile of the oyster." So taste is important, but how can we use these tasty bivalves to convince and educate the population that something so tasty can be used to help the economy and the environment? "The economic value to the local community is enormous," says Skip. "The environmental service that oysters do––they remediate nitrogen back into the water. When you look at how farmers use massive amounts of grains to feed animals in order to get protein, where as oysters are taking their food out of their environment––their food is actually a nuisance to the environment. So if we can replace some of our traditional proteins with shellfish or farm-raised shellfish, it frees up all those grains that can add to the overall food supply." A microscope view of oyster seedlings. Star of Excellence 2013 When I listen to people like Skip talk about oysters, I can understand why there has been a renaissance in eating oysters in restaurants all over the country. He reminds me, "It's hip, and it taps into the consciousness of the food movement. Oysters used to be just bar food. There seems to be a boutiqiness about them now." Before Skip took off for his flying lesson, I asked him one last question: define sustainability. Without even thinking twice he responded, "the ability to endure." With those departing words, Shore and I headed over to the epicenter on the Island Creek property: the facility known as the hatchery. My education on what an oyster must endure and tolerate in order to make it through the growth cycle came from Elyce Whatley, a graduate of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Aquaculture Breeding Program and hatchery manager. Crassostrea Virginica, the scientific name for the Eastern Oyster, Atlantic Oyster, or in these parts known as the Island Creek Oyster is grown in a hatchery because the waters in Duxbury Bay are cold––not conducive to growing oysters. "Out in Bay, it's too cold for them to reproduce on their own. We mimic this process in here," explains Whatley. TheSouthShoreMagazine.com 115