Whilst every day at Sydney Fish Market is an Oyster Day, August 5th is marked in calendars worldwide as the day to celebrate. So, what better way to honour one of our favourite seafood delicacies than to share some interesting and fun facts!
Did you know...
- There are three species of oysters grown in Australia – the Sydney Rock Oyster, Pacific Oyster and the native, flat oyster ‘Angasi’. Sydney Rock Oysters tend to be the most popular; loved for their rich, creamy taste.
- Finding a pearl in your oyster is incredibly rare! Today, most pearls are formed as a result of human intervention.
- Australians LOVE eating Australian oysters. In fact, only 3% of Aussie farmed oysters end up on the global market.
- Sydney Rock Oysters are grown along a 1500km stretch of coastline from southern Queensland, near Harvey Bay, all the way down to the NSW-Victorian border. In New South Wales, they account for over 90% of oyster production in the state.
- Pacific Oysters are mostly grown in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and some estuaries in New South Wales. They grow much faster than Sydney Rocks, being able to reach market size in only 18 months!
- A commercial oyster shucker, like those at Sydney Fish Market, will shuck an oyster in about 6 seconds and will shuck about 200 dozen in a day. By contrast, it might take an average person 30 – 60 seconds to shuck just one.
Alex’s picks for cooked vs natural oysters
- Alex Stollznow, Sydney Fish Market’s resident tour guide and seafood enthusiast, shares his favourite ways to eat Australian oysters:
- “If you’re cooking an oyster, whether that’s Kilpatrick or Yum Cha style streamed with ginger and shallots, go for a Pacific Oyster,” suggests Alex. “It’s big, meaty, briny and has a relatively neutral flavour. They’re quite pretty too, so you can dress up half a dozen and they look the part."
- Alex’s favourite way to dress a raw oyster is finely diced shallot in red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar. “It’s a little bit salty and a little bit sour, which plays off the creaminess and the brininess of the oyster,” he says.
- “I personally wouldn’t cook Sydney Rock Oysters,” says Alex. “They’re so good I eat them before they hit the plate!”
Recipe inspiration
For ideas on different ways you can prepare oysters, head to our recipes page where you can find many recipes, such as:
Treat yourself!
Love oysters, or just want to know what all the hype is about?
Sydney Fish Market is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 7am to 4pm. With six fresh seafood retailers, you’ll be spoiled for choice in whatever oyster you want to try.
Don’t be afraid to ask your local shucker what their pick of the day is, too! Oysters are well known for their wide variety of flavours, based on the unique conditions of where they’re grown. There’s literally something for everyone, and Oyster Day is no better excuse to sample!