01 Dec 08 Lowcountry Seafood and The Oyster Myth
Here in the lowcountry many residents and tourists alike enjoy oysters by the bucketful. Thing is, you can only eat them if there’s an ‘R’ in the month, right?
Wrong!
The US Bureau of Commercial Fisheries has been trying to kill off this myth for years, but it won’t lay down and die.
Perhaps it derives from the days prior to refrigeration when food spoiled very quickly particularly in the Southern summer heat.
However, it’s the European Oyster which is not good to eat during the late spring and early summer, as those oysters are different in that the young oysters are retained by the mother until their shells form, and so eating them at that time of year will often result in a mouthful of tiny gritty shells.
American Oysters have no such issues, and in fact the prime time for oyster flavor is during the months of May and June.
So why the traditional oyster harvest in the fall? Oyster demand is at its highest at this time of year, and so they command the highest prices at market. Flavor actually declines for the start of the summer into the fall though, as the oysters lose their glycogen content after spawning, and they become more watery.
Tags: commercial fisheries, late spring, mouthful, myth, oyster harvest, oysters, prime time, refrigeration, shells, summer heat, time of year, tourists
31 Jul 08 Disaster Survival Kit
You’ve read this in lots of places, I’m sure, but it never hurts to read it again.
Getting a Survival kit together.
Get the following items together. Preferably put them into a large box or crate that you can transport to your vehicle easily and quickly. Check all the items every six months to make sure that they’re all still good, wholesome, and not expired.
The most important thing is probably fresh water. Minimum recommendation is one gallon person for a minimum of three days.
If you take any prescription drugs make sure you have at least a weeks worth on hand to take with you.
A first aid kit with bandages, some aspirin and some antibacterial wipes or cream is a good idea.
Toilet paper and soap. Nothing worse than being caught short without at least one roll!
Some food that is non-perishable, such as canned vegetables, fruit juice, spam, etc. Foodstuffs that have a long shelf life without refrigeration, and require no cooking are best. Remember to pack a can opener!
Take a radio, some screwdrivers, and a wrench, duct tape, a flashlight, and a stock of batteries.
Have some cash put aside. ATM networks will often be down, and also you may have to pay in cash, as the banking system may well be down too, and unable to process cards.
Work out a plan. Have an emergency contact – someone preferably out of the local area, that you can each call, if you get separated.
Make sure you know the evacuation routes from your area. A knowledge of CPR can be useful. Get a weather radio.
If you have a pet don’t forget to pack a survival kit for them too. Find out where you leave a pet safely if you can’t take them with you to a shelter.
Studies have shown that those folks that have a plan in place, are better able to weather the storm should it arrive.
Tags: antibacterial wipes, atm networks, bandages, banking system, can opener, canned vegetables, duct tape, earthquakes, emergency contact, first aid kit, flashlight, foodstuffs, fresh water, fruit juice, hurricanes, natural disasters, prescription drugs, refrigeration, screwdrivers, shelf life, survival kit, toilet paper, tornadoes, weather radio
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