As we head into Oyster Festival 2013 it’s time to take a look back at last year for one last reminder of why you should get down to Walnut Beach Resort and get yourself some bivalves! Don’t forget that their pool is heated and they’ve got the only licensed beach in Western Canada. I’m heading down from Wednesday April 17 to Sunday April 21 to attend all the events and to judge the first Canadian Oyster Wine Competition. This year you can slurp and sip with Oyster Dinners at Miradoro Restaurant Tinhorn Creek Winery and Terrafina Restaurant at Hester Creek. Miradoro is serving up a Long Table Feast and Terrafina will highlighting oysters along with their pizzas. On the April 19th enjoy an oyster and brew party and on the 20th sample oyster creations from some on the area’s best restaurants all paired with local Okanagan wines. There is also an amateur shucking and suck contest on April 20th and an oyster cooking class at Hester Creek.
http://www.oooysterfestival.com/
2012’s Oliver Osoyoos Oyster Festival began with a gorgeous dinner at Mirodoro Winery with Chefs Jeff Van Geest and Paul Cecconi. First up was an smoked Outlandish oyster chowder with brown butter biscuits followed by a BC octopus, chorizo and potato salad. Next some delightful ricotta gnudi appeared with locally harvested stinging nettles and the main was a whole line-caught ling cod the chefs had roasted over grape leaves.
The following evening the Oyster Brew Party took place with assorted beers, cider and lots of oysters to slurp along with some perogies and other little treats.
Saturday the signature event, The Art of the Oyster, saw oyster lovers of all ages enjoying freshly shucked, cornmeal encrusted, gruyere-baked, smoked and Rockefeller-style and the adults sipping on wines from the region.
Hester Creek hosted a cooking class where chef Jeremey Lupen taught attendees the art of oyster cooking. Dishes were beyond delicious and he and host Roger Gillespie were their extra-charming selves. Beautiful evening with a room full of amorous oyster devotees.
