Why Nayarit's oysters are a delicacy worth seeking out

Jonathan Swift, an 18th-century Irish writer, once said that the first man to eat an oyster was a truly brave man. Nothing could be truer. The cultivation of the mollusk on the coast of the state of Nayarit, in western Mexico, has become the economic basis of the region and an outstanding element of its gastronomy, recognized for its flavor by using fresh, quality products.

Today, we owe the satisfaction that many of our foods provide us to the audacity of our distant ancestors. We've come a long way since then, and food, in addition to being a part of the people's cultural heritage, has become an authentic art and is essential in the local, regional, and national economies, as well as a brand for certain regions.

This is the case with oysters in San Blas and nearby places in the state of Nayarit, where they can be found both naturally and cultivated. Having estuaries and mangroves helps in this process. San Blas is located right in the middle of the national marshes of the western part of the country, and this is the propitious environment to find them in both forms. The first, thanks to the miracle of nature; the second, where the hand of man and nature intervene in a perfect duo that gives us the product all year round.

In San Blas, as in some communities along the Pacific coast, there was a great project in the 1970s. Scientists from the United States and Japan came to the national marshes to make oyster farms in the estuarine zones. The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), which is a species native to Japan, has been cultivated for 300 years and was selected for its rapid growth and great adaptability to cultivation.

It is a species for estuarine waters. It has optimal development in cold and temperate waters. It has tolerance to a wide range of temperature and salinity, and in this case, the marshes of the state of Nayarit are the ideal environment for its growth.

The Pacific oyster is of great interest

It grows up as a male, but when it's ready to have babies, it can change into a female and keep having babies. This is an interesting process for scientists to watch.

Scientists have come to deeply understand the biology of these mollusks, allowing them to intensify their cultivation all over the world. There is also the knowledge that collectors have gained by studying these organisms. These collectors have been interested in these organisms because of how beautiful their shells are.

Other enthusiasts are dedicated to knowing the mollusks with a purely culinary interest because, in addition to being highly nutritious, they have especially pleasant flavors with a diversity of textures that can be exploited to the maximum when you have the knowledge and techniques.

Both in San Blas and the fishing community of Boca de Camichín, in the municipality of Santiago Ixcuintla, oyster farming has become an important part of the economy, an activity in which children and adults alike participate.

It is impressive to see the floating beds that support the oyster strings, some of which can weigh up to 100 kilograms at harvest time, in the wide lagoons of the estuary of the same name. The richness of these waters, due to their ecosystem, is a paradise for the cultivation of shrimp and oysters, which are also sent to different parts of the country.

Walking on diamonds

I still remember that in the early eighties, an Italian friend visiting San Blas would get excited when walking through the streets of this historic port, he would say to me: "How wonderful to walk on diamonds," referring to the then unpaved streets covered with oyster shell dust. I miss that sensation very much.

The oyster shells, just as they are ground up for street fillings, are also reusable, making me wonder if the oyster I am eating right now might not have had as its home, for its 7 months of growth and maturation, shell hundreds of years old.

It is a privilege to come to eat a freshly caught oyster, to have the shell opened, to squeeze a little lemon and see how it reacts to the acidity of the citrus; to eat it naturally; or to add a few drops of Huichol sauce, a product proudly from Nayarit.

The Nayarit estuaries also offer the opportunity to recognize the red, white, and black mangroves, as well as to see a great variety of birds, both endemic and migratory.

Come to San Blas and Boca de Camichin, get to know the magic of their ethnic groups and their environment. And, of course, discover the local gastronomy.

Author: Betty Vázquez, Chef of El Delfín Restaurant, Hotel Garza Canela, San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico.