A recent NYT article featured a great story on the emerging popularity and popular culture surrounding the oyster industry.  The article includes a host of interesting info on recent trends in harvesting and the “happy hours” that are springing up in response to the immense influx of oysters coming from local farms and co-ops.

“The cheap late-afternoon oyster is to a restaurant what a liter bottle of Coca-Cola is to a supermarket: the loss leader that gets customers in the door, at which point they buy something else at full price. It’s a nationwide binge, attributable in great part to the rapid growth of oyster farms on the East and West Coasts. East Coast production alone has doubled in the last five years, even as wild oyster reefs approach extinction.”

Other interesting points highlighted in the article include a bit of historical perspective on the rise of the oyster from a food that was once available to commoners on street corners in New York City to a delicacy that when ordered, shows a level of sophistication and class.

The accompanying video compliments the article with some great info on the harvesting and biology behind oysters.  

Check out this great piece by clicking here