Oysters! These small delights are synonymous with the port of Cancale, a Breton fishing village, situated among ancient boulders along the Channel. The flat oysters of the area became very popular, making Cancale the symbol of the best - so much so that in 1845 over 10,000 tons of the oysters were harvested and sold throughout France. Eventually, with the depletion of the natural beds, the people of Cancale began to farm flat oysters. In recent years, they have turned to cultivating creuse oysters which are less sensitive to disease and temperature fluctuations.
What makes the oysters so special? The pure water of the bay. In contrast to other parts of France, pollution has never interrupted the cultivation of oysters in Cancale. They are featured in all the best restaurants in Paris and throughout France. But the best place to taste them, of course, is at the source, in Cancale. At this Site of Exceptional Culinary Taste, the oysters are pulled directly from the bay and displayed all along the quai. After a stroll on the beach, or a leisurely sail in the bay, you can walk along the main rue of the port and choose a special spot to sit, sip a verre of Muscadet and sample a few of these luxurious treats. The oyster of Cancale, with its pronounced seasalt, nutty flavor goes well with a little dollop of Normandy crème fraîche.
Cancale is "where the sun and the moon put rhythm into the oyster famer's work,""according to Celine Maisons, the President of the local association of the Sites Remarquables du Goût in Cancale. The creuse oysters are raised in a 400 hectare park in the bay of Cancale and are harvested at the rate of 3,000 to 4,000 tons each year. The baby oysters are placed in pouches of fine netting which are regularly turned and changed as the oysters grow. After three to four years they are harvested, wached and graded by size. About 12 years ago, the flat oyster was re-introduced into the deeper part of the bay. The spat is sowed and watched regularly by deep sea divers who take care of the beds. When they are large enough, they are harvested using fishing nets. As it ages, the oyster becomes heavy and thick and its form changes into a characteristic shape of a horse's hoof. These are called pied-de-cheval oysters. A 15-year old oyster can weigh up to 2.2 pounds and has to be eaten with a knife and fork!
What makes the oysters so special? The pure water of the bay. In contrast to other parts of France, pollution has never interrupted the cultivation of oysters in Cancale. They are featured in all the best restaurants in Paris and throughout France. But the best place to taste them, of course, is at the source, in Cancale. At this Site of Exceptional Culinary Taste, the oysters are pulled directly from the bay and displayed all along the quai. After a stroll on the beach, or a leisurely sail in the bay, you can walk along the main rue of the port and choose a special spot to sit, sip a verre of Muscadet and sample a few of these luxurious treats. The oyster of Cancale, with its pronounced seasalt, nutty flavor goes well with a little dollop of Normandy crème fraîche.
Cancale is "where the sun and the moon put rhythm into the oyster famer's work,""according to Celine Maisons, the President of the local association of the Sites Remarquables du Goût in Cancale. The creuse oysters are raised in a 400 hectare park in the bay of Cancale and are harvested at the rate of 3,000 to 4,000 tons each year. The baby oysters are placed in pouches of fine netting which are regularly turned and changed as the oysters grow. After three to four years they are harvested, wached and graded by size. About 12 years ago, the flat oyster was re-introduced into the deeper part of the bay. The spat is sowed and watched regularly by deep sea divers who take care of the beds. When they are large enough, they are harvested using fishing nets. As it ages, the oyster becomes heavy and thick and its form changes into a characteristic shape of a horse's hoof. These are called pied-de-cheval oysters. A 15-year old oyster can weigh up to 2.2 pounds and has to be eaten with a knife and fork!Enjoy!
Kathy and Debra
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