A trip to Gloucester, Virginia

Gloucester is one of those surprising places that still retains some of its historical charm (as long as you stay on the Main Street). We rented a house there for a summer when moving from England back to the US. I found it to be a great place to be if you love seafood and farm fresh vegetables.

You can get to Gloucester from Richmond in about 1 hour so it is a great little day trip out. We go up there about once a month to get oysters and clams from the Mobjack Seafood Company. They sell directly to all the major grocery store companies but you can buy from them directly for 1/2 the price than what you would pay for in the store. We bought a 100 clams and a 100 oysters for around $50 and we split the cost up with neighbors and friends. In the past, we have also exchanged oysters with our local Sushi chef and he gives us a free Sushi meal. Nothing beats the taste when they are that fresh than buying directly from the source.

I would also suggest stopping by the Ware Neck produce farm shop which has great local vegetables including Virginia ham, Amish butter, farm eggs and local honey. I have found it to be one of the best farm shops in the area and cheaper then grocery store prices for the same items. Just down the street from the farm shop is a small cafe called the Wild Rabbit. They serve fresh sandwiches, cous cous and always fantastic zucchini bread. Their menu is mostly organic and locally sourced food.

I will post some recipes for clams in white wine sauce and a few ideas on new ways to serve oysters. Many people who have not tried oysters before are a bit squeamish of them. I used to be one of those people but I have found that just adding a few 'toppings' can really make them taste great and I have even started to crave them on a regular basis.

It is suggested to only eat oysters in months ending in 'R' but I believe that they are available year around these days. The best months though, are definately in the Fall. There are also several stops along the way to buy fresh produce and soft shell crabs.