Oysters, oysters, oysters!

“An oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life.”
– M.F.K. Fisher

As Spring finally peaks its head out from behind the cloud’s we’ve been dreaming up ways to celebrate. Saxelby Cheesemongers & Taking Root are pairing up to share our their top three reasons — wine, cheese, & oysters —why lovers of local food fare could not have a more delicious state to live in than New York. We’re taking a salty and cheese-filled adventure to Long Island’s North Fork on May 7th, 2011; an Artisanal Adventure that will kick off to a season of cheese, fun and travel.

We’ll depart from the historic Essex Market and head toward our first stop where we’ll sample an assortment of featured wines from Bedell Cellars Winery, a 30-year-old sustainably farmed and family owned estate vineyard. Saxelby Cheesemongers will feature delicious goat cheese from Long Island’s very own Catapano Dairy along with a full service picnic style lunch. We’ll be joined by Roz Cummins of the Blue Ocean Institute who will not only share a bit about the social and historically rich past of these magical bivalves, but will also talk about sustainability initiatives and why oysters are so important to New York’s ecosystem. (Did you know that oysters can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day?) Oysters really are a delicious and vital part of the health of our waters. We’ll take a deeper dive into oyster aquaculture as oyster Farmer Karen Rivara will give us a tour of the Noank Aquaculture Cooperative at Peconic Land Trust’s Shellfisher Preserve. Working to conserve Long Island’s working farms and natural landscape, the Cooperative uses their facilities for shellfish aquaculture research and education. Rivara will share an inside look into her operations and teach us about aquaculture and the importance of oyster conservation in the area. After the tour, we’ll sample an array of oysters, pearls of the North Fork! Last but not least, if time and weather permits, we’ll visit the historic Horton Point Lighthouse to take a stroll and enjoy the gorgeous waterfront. We’ll head on back to the city by 7:00 pm, well fed, well rested, and ready for summer!

For more information or to join this artisanal adventure and special tour of the North Fork of Long Island visit www.TakingRootUS.com/adventures

Program begins and ends on May 7th, 201. Ticket price is $125 and includes transportation, picnic lunch, and all tasting/farm tour fees and a charitable contribution to the Peconic Pearls program.