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In March, New Zealand was entering autumn. The sky was clear and cloudless. A cool, gentle autumn breeze carried the scent of the sea to the ferry terminal, where long lines of people were queuing to cross to the North Shore or Waiheke Island. But that was at the ferry terminal; along the waterfront promenade, restaurants and cafes were bustling with tourists enjoying lunch and lingering in Auckland on a beautiful sunny day before heading south to enjoy the vibrant golden autumn and the first snowfalls. I sat on the patio of The Shucker Brothers, a small restaurant famous for its raw oysters, a favorite dish of New Zealanders (shuck is the act of shucking an oyster).
Bluff oysters are considered among the best in the world because of their tender, succulent flesh, characteristic of deep-sea environments, and the flavor of the frigid, wild waters of the southernmost region.
I asked Richard, the restaurant's longtime manager:
- So you still don't have any Bluffies? (slang for oysters from the Bluff region)
- We're still out of stock. It won't be available until Thursday.
Oh. So what kind of oysters do you have today?
- It's the Te Matuku species caught off Waiheke.
- So I'll have 3 raw oysters and 3 tempura fries. And for the wine, one glass of Kelly Washington's organic Sauvignon Blanc.
In English-speaking cultures, the safest and tastiest oysters are those harvested during the months beginning with the letter "r" (Septemper – April, September to April). These are the cooler months, lasting from early autumn to late spring, when oysters are at their fattest because they have accumulated enough nutrients for the breeding season. However, New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are reversed compared to the rest of the world, with autumn starting in March and summer in December.
In English-speaking cultures, oysters are considered safest and tastiest when eaten raw during the months beginning with the letter "r" (Septemper – April, September to April).
Although oysters are farmed and harvested year-round in various waters, such as the Hauraki Bay oysters, the Bay of Islands oysters, and the Bluff oysters in the far south of the country, which are considered a national delicacy and are only available from March to August, the farming and harvesting processes are strictly controlled to ensure the quality not only of the oysters but also of the surrounding natural environment.
Bluff oysters are considered among the best in the world because of their tender, succulent flesh, characteristic of deep-sea environments, and the flavor of the frigid, wild waters of the southernmost regions of the world.
Oysters are often likened to the ocean's water purification machines, so looking at the quality of oysters each year clearly reflects the quality of the water and surrounding environment. In years with warm waters due to climate change and heat waves blowing from Australia, like this year, oyster production and quality will be affected to some extent. Just like wine, each region, each vineyard, even each row of vines has its own unique flavor due to the characteristics of the soil, sunlight, and altitude; even slight changes create subtle differences in each batch of wine. The French call this terroir, a characteristic of wine but which has gradually been applied to all products that are characteristic of the land, water, climate, and culture that shaped them.
Oysters are often likened to the ocean's water filtration systems, so by looking at the quality of oysters each year, we can clearly see the quality of the water and the surrounding environment.
In the age of globalization, local products are gradually being commercialized and industrialized, losing their original essence and flavor. This causes farming and production to become detached from the roots of nature, of "homeland," and of unique local culture. It can even lead to the destruction of indigenous culture and long-standing ecosystems due to monoculture, overexploitation, off-season crops, and the replacement of traditional farming techniques deeply rooted in culture with soulless machinery focused solely on yield.
New Zealand was not immune to this trend, but this small, remote country has managed to stand firm with products imbued with the essence of the land, mountains, and oceans of ancient times, and with a sustainable model across almost all industries.
Most tourists come to New Zealand not for its cuisine. They come to this remote island nation for its majestic, unspoiled scenery, for the golden autumn in Arrowtown, for the heavy snowfall in Queenstown and Taupo, and for the Lord of the Rings film sets nestled amidst breathtakingly beautiful wilderness.
Most tourists come to New Zealand not for its cuisine. They come to this remote island nation for its majestic, unspoiled natural beauty.
New Zealand has been doing a great job of preserving nature and developing sustainable tourism to a moderate degree for many reasons, including its indigenous culture that views Mother Nature as the source of everything and its remote, isolated location. Because of this, while most other countries have exploited tourism to the point of depletion before beginning to pay attention to sustainable tourism and cuisine, New Zealand has retained its pristine beauty with local produce imbued with the scent of the earth, the aroma of the sea, and the ancient Haka battle songs of the Māori warriors. Among these, the Bluff oysters are a particular delight.
New Zealand has been doing a very good job of preserving nature and developing sustainable tourism at a moderate level.
Bluff is a small town located at the southernmost tip of the South Island and is one of the oldest oyster farming areas in the country. The oysters found in Bluff, also known as Tio Paruparu in Māori, are scattered throughout New Zealand but are particularly special in the deep waters off Bluff, where the cold, clean seawater year-round gives the oysters their exceptionally delicious flavor.
Unlike many oyster species in other areas, including the Te Matuku species off Waiheke Island in Hauraki Bay, about a 40-minute ferry ride from central Auckland, which are farmed and harvested year-round, Bluff oysters are only harvested from March to August each year (autumn and winter).
The purpose of limiting production is to maintain the quality of the oysters and their natural breeding environment. This also ensures that the oyster farming and harvesting culture of Bluff will continue to exist, along with the annual Bluff Oyster Festival in winter, instead of mass breeding that would cause the oysters' native characteristics and local culture to disappear.
In years with warm waters due to climate change and heatwaves blowing in from Australia, like this year, oyster production and quality will be affected to some extent.
Bluff oysters are considered one of the nation's natural and culinary treasures, and their export is prohibited in all forms. Even within New Zealand, people can only enjoy the taste of these South Sea oysters during the right season and depending on the annual yield. New Zealand promotes Bluff oysters worldwide but never takes them outside the country. This creates a strong sense of curiosity and a powerful urge for tourists, both domestic and international, who love nature, culture, and oysters, to come here to experience the flavor and uniqueness of Aotearoa, New Zealand, the land of white clouds.
Sustainable tourism and sustainable cuisine are two inseparable companions. Attracting tourists who genuinely want to learn about the culture and appreciate the value of local products will further motivate each region to conserve and sustainably develop nature's gifts, nurtured by culture. Sustainable cuisine is not just about satisfying hunger; it sparks curiosity, excitement, and a craving for every crisp golden ray of sunshine and every salty sea breeze of a foreign land.
I sit here, on a glorious autumnal equinox, sipping a glass of Sauvignon Blanc after a delicious oyster feast, yet still harboring the thought of returning here on Thursday for the Bluff oysters.
