Frequently Asked Questions

There are 3 primary factors which directly influence this thought.

• The icy Benguela current which runs down the west coast of Africa feeds this tidal bay twice daily with rich nutrients.
• The result is the bay has some of the cleanest waters in the Southern Hemisphere which is ideal for oyster and mussel growth.
• The bay has many upwelling aquifers which are not only nutrient rich, but also sweeten these waters and reduce salinity counts

Large take 9 – 12 months weighing 80/90 Grams

Giants take 12 – 18 months weighing 110/130 Grams

8 Months

One the most frequently asked questions.

Our Mussels and oysters have a shelf life of 4 days out of the water from the date of harvest.

See our storage instructions

NOTE: If you have purchased pre shucked oysters or cleaned mussels from our oyster bars, you must consume within 24 hours and they must be refrigerated at all times.

NO! Never freeze a raw, live mussel as the water within the shell freezes, forms crystals and ruptures the meat. The result is a terrible powdery product upon defrosting. You can only freeze mussels once they’ve been lightly steamed.

Fact 101 Creamy oysters is not an indication of poor quality but is in fact a seasonal cycle of every single oyster on the planet which specifically occurs over the WARMER months of November, December and January. They will spawn several times over this period. This cycle is In fact considered a delicacy by many. Perhaps you’ll get one, perhaps you won't, either way WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO give it a try and if you’re still unsure only eat oysters and mussels IN WINTER MONTHS.

Another one the most frequently asked questions.

View the link to the storage instructions for both mussels and oysters.

Follow this link for our list of recipes

Oysters & Mussels live in the ocean, which is salty, you should never, ever have to add salt ever and it’s the reason why we never ever add salt to our dishes. If they are too salty, it’s because of the ocean and this rarely ever happens. Either way, there is nothing we can do about the salinity of the ocean if it ever does occur.

In store, yes. For online deliveries, no. BUT WAIT! Just follow this link to our videos on how to shuck an oyster.

Every now and then a client will complain that the mussels are poor quality as they are small or over cooked. This is not the case as mussels spawn once a year. This process results in the mussels losing all of their spawn to breed and the result is the mussel is smaller for a period of around 1 week. It’s a natural cycle and there is nothing we can do about it nor do we know if it has or when it will take place.

Head to our recipe card section for detailed info on how to serve your oysters.

Yes! But remember they are alive in the same way as plants are alive and in fact many vegetarians actually eat both mussels and oysters. Live is also fresh, flavoursome and brilliant in texture and experience.

Another one the most frequently asked questions.

ALWAYS chew! The concept of simply swallowing oysters is pure nonsense and illogical. The more you chew, the more flavour develops.

Firstly are they within 4 days of their harvest date on the top of your box? If no, its wise to discard, if yes, have they been left out of the fridge for longer than 8 hours? If yes give us a call on 021 180 0674 and select option 2 on the line to speak to our online division head for more information and assessment. If no, then in almost all cases its just standard bacteria which omits an odour. Just simply wash them off.

Mussels & oysters live in tidal conditions and bake in the sun for hours at a time. They are conditioned to handling extreme environments and conditions.

Interestingly, a mussel under the correct temperatures can actually live for up to 14 days out of the water. We can safely serve them up to 7 days out of sea water but for the sake of absolute top handling of product, we serve them within 4 days of harvest. Remember a mussel is still fresh, because it keeps its own sea water inside the shell, so it’s alive and fresh.

We are specialists in our field, like engineers. We know what we are talking about. We are not restaurateurs selling oysters and mussels. We are specialists purveying produce and we know our produce inside out.  

Absolutely, both types of shellfish close and are able to retain their own sea water within their shells, this allows them to live out of water for this period of time. Both shellfish live in tidal conditions and normally bake in the sun for long periods of time. If your produce is in its box it can travel for up to 8 hours in air conditioned cars. 

Not really one the most frequently asked questions, as not many people know about Red Tide.

Red tide is a common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom whereby large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms become toxic. It is most identifiable when the surface of the water takes on a reddish brown colour. The result is that feeding shellfish become toxic due to the build-up of toxins in the water.

There are two main types of red tide to be aware of, DSP and PSP. In both cases you cannot eat shellfish during this period. However DSPs effects will cause nausea and diarrhoea and are considered mild. This is the most common of red tide illnesses.

PSP however has far more alarming effects and is known as Paralytic shellfish poisoning but to date there has never been a recorded case of PSP in South Africa.

Red tide is heavily monitored by the industry and government alike with multiple tests being run by many independent labs on a daily basis. We have some of the strictest and highest required testing in the world here in South Africa.

On very, very, very, very rare occasions, oysters have been found with a small red worm or parasite inside of them called POLYDORA It is a marine polychaete species that lives in a mud hole which the worm bores into rocks and in the shells oysters. It is a major economic issue for parts of the shellfish industry. Some species cause a "mud blister" inside the oyster which is identified by a brown blister inside the shells. Although this makes the oyster grow slower and is unattractive, the oysters remain perfectly fit to eat and the parasite has no interest in the meat of the oyster, only the shell.

On even rarer occasions they do get inside of the oyster. It will not be in the meat, but rather in the water contained inside the oyster. So usually immediately identifiable. 

It’s always important to be able to recognize the worm and you can simply remove it from the oyster.

If, however a mud blister has been formed, do not break it, as it will discharge a brown muddy substance which will not only smell, but affect the entire flavour of the oyster.

Again, the parasite is not harmful and has no effect on humans whatsoever. 

Remember, all food no matter the make or type has microorganisms and parasites of sorts living within them. It’s just whether you see them or not.

There is nothing wrong with the quality of the produce, nor anything wrong with the product and if found, there is no way of being able to pick it up in advance. We shuck around 250 000 oysters  per year and to date and have only ever found an average of 3-5 per year.

Another one of the more frequently asked questions.

Firstly we need to ask the following question; Is your produce tested? (All mussel monger & oyster bar produce is heavily tested and regulated independently) “YES”- If you get sick it is almost 99.99% chance that you have developed either a mild or heavy allergy or intolerance (short or long term) to the produce or have reacted negatively to micro-organisms within the produce. It is not because the produce is off. You cannot simply get sick from eating oysters and mussels.

Is your produce tested? “NO”- Then there is no guarantee that red tide, heavy metal poisoning or other forms of pollutants are not playing a role and have affected the produce. Always buy from reliable sources and avoid picking off the rocks for this very reason.

Spawning is a natural cycle for all oysters & mussels which occurs over the warmer months of November, December and January. They will spawn several times over this period. This cycle is In fact considered a delicacy by many. Perhaps you’ll get one, perhaps you wont, either way we encourage you to give it a try and if you’re still unsure only eat oysters and mussels in winter months.

Is your produce tested? “NO”- Then there is no guarantee that red tide, heavy metal poisoning or other forms of pollutants are not playing a role and have affected the produce. Always buy from reliable sources and avoid picking off the rocks for this very reason.

If you have purchased mussels from us, the following applies: A mussel found open prior to cooking means they’re breathing. A closed mussels after cooking means the tendon holding the two parts of the shell together has pulled tight. Simply slide a knife inside the groove and slit the tendon to release the tension.

We offer two types of mussel from our harvest:

1. Mediterranean Black Mussel (naturalised in Saldanha waters)

   Orange Meat (Female) | White Meat (Male)

2. West Coast Blue Mussel

   Black Meat (Female) | Black Meat (Male)

Baby oysters as big as you’re little fingernail are called spat. The breed we farm with is called a pacific oyster. They are not traditionally considered pearl producing oysters, but we have found roughly 10 pearls over the past 5 years that we know of.

All our harvests are supplied with a harvest date as a reference point. Both Mussels & Oysters are safe to eat up to 5 days from the date of harvest, meaning if your produce arrives on Friday, you’ll still be able to easily enjoy them on a Monday for dinner.

Another one the most frequently asked questions.

Many people insist on serving oysters on ice… We don’t recommend it because as the ice melts, it dilutes the flavour of the oysters. Rather make an ice bucket of water and ice, drop the oysters into the bucket for 10 minutes, remove, shuck and serve immedietly. See our video on how to shuck an oyster.

With as little as possible… A fresh, well shucked oyster is full of sea water and you need to make sure to eat it with the sea water. We add a squeeze of lemon and a single drop of tabasco at most. Make sure you chew, the concept of simply swallowing oysters is pure nonsense and illogical. See our recipe section for ideas.