Paula Cole calmly answers the phone at Cole Brothers Oysters shed on the shores of the Karuah River at Karuah. But she can't talk for long - the phone is ringing off the hook. She's taking orders for unshucked oysters that will travel as far as southern Victoria and northern Queensland and all points in between.
"We have thousands and thousands of orders," she says. The oysters they are harvesting are "fat and creamy", she says. "We are probably one of the only farmers who don't suffer from drought."
The pace is furious, with the team of 10, including the farmers, "running around in circles" at the moment, she says.
"The wind was massive yesterday [Monday]," she says. "The guys brought back a full load from Tea Gardens.They said it was the hairiest day they ever had because of the wind."
Guy Holbert from Holberts Oysters in Cromarty Bay at Port Stephens says the oysters being harvested right now are "better than usual".
"The dry conditions have meant they are nice and fat," he says.
Holberts oysters also travel far and wide, but the line of visitors will be 100 metres deep on Christmas Eve at their popular storefront at the harvesting shed on Diemars Road, Salamander Bay.
And, yes, the crew at Holberts still enjoy oyster sandwiches for morning tea every day: "Fresh bread, heaps of butter with cracked pepper," Guy says.
Where to find oysters in Newcastle this Christmas
- Cole Bros Oysters: 9 Barclay St, Karuah, 0416 192 793
- Holberts Oysters: Lot 52 Diemars Rd, Salamander Bay, 4982 7234
- Nor East Bistro, 95 Hannell St, Wickham 4940 8188
- The Poyer's, 42 Cook Parade, Lemon Tree Passage 4984 5827
- Newcastle Fish Co-operative 97 Hannell St, Wickham 4965 4221
Robert Guata, general manager at Newcastle Fish Cooperative in Wickham, says the shop will sell more than 2000 dozen oysters over Christmas. They only sell shucked oysters, and they are readily available, right up to Christmas Eve, when they are open from 5am to 2pm.
Ludovic Poyer, owner and chef at The Poyer's restaurant at Lemon Tree Passage, located on the waterfront, tells customers his seafood is "coming from the backyard" and he's not wrong.
"My oyster farmer comes in every day for breakfast," he says, "and I place my order then."
During the summer holidays Poyer will double oyster sales, hitting 60 dozen a week. He shucks his own oysters.
The popular favourite with customers: truffle oysters with parmesan, sour cream and truffle oil.
Personally, Poyer likes his oysters natural, with a "just a bit of lemon". He says the Robert Stein gewurtztraminer on his menu is the best wine match with oysters, with riesling another good choice.
"Or champagne, you can eat anything with champagne," he says.
At Nor East Bistro at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club in Wickham in Newcastle, oysters are always a favourite.
"We sell a tonne of oysters," says Nor East chef and owner Tony Harrison. "They are a big thing."
Nor East offers natural oysters with a french mignonette dressing (served in a rimican for dipping). "It's what you usually get in France," he says. "The most classic of the classic oyster accompaniments. It's very, very popular.
"The oyster is quite creamy, so the acidity of it works very well."
What's his recipe? "It's a million-years-old recipe. It's the way we served them at Roberts," he says, paying homage to his mentor, the legendary Robert Molines. "To say it would be mine is rude. Our version is something undeniably classic."
His preferred oysters are from Port Stephens, from Pindimar and Karuah. In different seasons he will take oysters from, among other locations, Wogonga Inlet near Narooma on the NSW South Coast.
"The oysters all have their own character from their own estuary and farming techniques," he says.
During busy periods, Nor East will have shucked oysters from Dawsons.
At other times, for degustations and special events, he buys unshucked oysters from Appellation Oysters, who supply from leases throughout the NSW coastline.
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