Slurps up
Hampton Beach hosts Lobster Roll Eating Competition
The second annual Seacoast Oysterfest comes to Bernie’s Beach Bar in Hampton on Saturday, Sept. 24.
On the establishment’s large beachfront patio, attendees can enjoy oysters from a host of local oyster farms, as well as craft beer from Stoneface Brewing Co. of Newington; cocktails with Deep Eddy vodka, Patron tequila and Bacardi rums; and live music.
From 1 p.m. until the last oyster is eaten, Seacoast Oysterfest promises a variety of tastes from participating oyster farms, including Swell Oyster Co. of Hampton, Hidden Coast Shellfish of Little Bay, Fox Point Oysters of Little Bay, Virgin Oyster Co. of Dover, Little Bay Beauties Oyster Co. of Durham and Denarius Trading Co. of Boston, Mass.
For these oyster farms, the festival is a unique opportunity to share their goods, and for their consumers to try an array of oysters during peak oyster season, with proceeds benefiting the oyster farms.
“September is a great time of year for oysters,” said Joe Rankin, a local oyster farmer and founder of Hidden Coast Shellfish. “Oysters are filter feeders. They filter out phytoplankton; that’s what they eat. In the fall time, that’s what marine biologists refer to as a ‘bloom,’ meaning a sudden burst of algae growth. When that happens, it means there’s a lot of food availability in the water, and that means that the oysters are at their best flavor.”
Oysters from different areas have different flavors, Rankin explained.
“When you shuck an oyster, there’s about a teaspoon of salt water inside, and that’s referred to as a merroir,” he said. “It’s kind of a taste of the bay.”
Locale isn’t the only factor that differentiates oysters; farming methods also play a big part.
“When you eat someone’s oyster and think, ‘Wow, that’s really good,’ it’s not just a function of the oyster and where it’s grown. It’s a function of how much care that farmer puts into their crop,” Rankin said.
And, to Rankin, there’s no better place than the New Hampshire seacoast to get great oysters from great oyster farms.
“Something special about New Hampshire that sets it apart from other more industrial areas is that everyone here has a lot of care and passion when it comes to farming oysters,” he said.
Seacoast Oysterfest
Where: Bernie’s Beach Bar, 73 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach. Parking is available directly across from the establishment at the State Parking Lot.
When: Saturday, Sept., 24, starting at 1 p.m. Rain or shine.
Tickets: $30 in advance, $40 at the door. All ages welcome.
More info: seacoastoysterfest.com
— Hannah Turtle
Featured photo: A shucker from Fox Point Oysters gets into the spirit at last year’s Oysterfest at Bernie’s Beach Bar. Courtesy photo.
