Little Bitches...

   There's a controversy brewing in the oyster world. Should new oyster farms be named after the cove or river they are plucked from or should they be given an eye catching name that has nothing to do with the geography they are harvested near?
    For me, a bonafide #oystergeek, I love the crazy names like the Naked Cowboys, Moonstones, and even our own local New Hampshire oyster, Fat Dogs. Just recently, I found one that sets a new bar...Little Bitches. Little Bitches are put out by the Broadwater oyster company in Virginia.What was my first thought after seeing the oyster name Little Bitches? I have to try one of those.
     One of our best selling oysters is the Black Bear out of the Bagaduce river. This is a perfect example of how the name can make all the difference in the world. Both the Black Bears and Little Islands are both harvested out of the Bagaduce. They sell hand over fist. But... If you call them Bagaduce - they do not! ( Sound out the word Bag - a - duce and use your imagination )
   One of the coolest parts of my job this time of year is picking up the phone when a newly formed oyster farm calls wanting to sell us oysters. They need advice and what fun it is to collaborate on naming their farms. Recently we've entered into an agreement to distribute a new oyster out of Wells Maine. We talked for a while and he threw some names out at me. The first one was Kung - Fu Blondes! I was really surprised. At first, I thought, hmmm that may be going a bit overboard. So I quickly sent out about a dozen texts to some of the more oyster savvy chefs I deal with. Their response was unanimous. They all loved it. The next name on the list was for a different harvest site he had.  Pope's Creek Yetis. How imaginative is that. These oysters are only harvested from the icy waters of Wells Maine during the coldest months. You have to be half human and half yeti to accomplish this. The Kung - Fu Blondes have yet to be harvested, however, feast your eyes on the new Pope's Creek Yetis...

   Do you have a funky name idea for an oyster? Let's hear it!