Virginia is for Oyster Lovers

Fall is in full swing, at that means that Oysters are everywhere here in our neck of the Chesapeake Bay. You can actually find them year round here at our Virginia Bed and Breakfast as we raise them for both the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as well as for ourselves. We also offer Oyster Cruises though Mathews Deadrise Charters where you can learn all about these wonderful creatures through Captain Trey Sowers of Chapel Creek Oyster Company. Sometimes we even break some out and fire up the grill for guests to sample roasted oysters, (our favorite way to eat them plus the safest).

If you are an Oyster lover yourself, then October/November is the best time to visit our region. Oyster aficionados know the Urbanna Oyster Festival, now in it's 56th year, on November 1 and 2nd, 2013 is a wonderful opportunity to sample different oysters from all over our region. Oyster sampling and wine pairing has become a big culinary trend as people have come to discover the subtle nuances of oysters which are based on different factors such as size, salinity, and even minerals in the water or "mud" in which they are raised. Attendees at the Urbanna Oyster Festival also learn about life on the Bay, as well as enjoy a wide variety of activities from parades to live music. 

Can't make the Oyster Festival this year? Well there are plenty of opportunities to have the full oyster experience right here throughout the rest of the Fall. Arrange for an Oyster Cruise through Mathews Deadrise Charters and let Capt. Trey from Chapel Creek Oyster Company tell you all he knows from his years of raising oysters for some of the finest restaurants  in Richmond, Virginia. He will also give you an oyster shucking demonstration, (he learned from the world champion herself), and show you how to best shuck your own oysters. Once you have shucked em, you can eat them...fresh and right there on the boat! 

For a real gourmet oyster experience, you can also drive further up the Middle Peninsula to Topping, Virginia and check out Merroir, the tasting room for the Rappahanock Oyster Company. This place is no fancy seafood restaurant, but rather an authentic Chesapeake Bay experience as you dine next to a working marina and watch the boats go by. Merroir has been featured in several foodie magazines as well as TV programs such as "The Today Show" and "Life after Top Chef". Here you can have oysters either raw on the half shell or roasted, (they don't believe in Frying), as well as other bay delicacies such as clams, mussels, seasonal fish and scallops. Paired with the perfect beer or wine, this place should not be missed! We love it and so have all our guests that have visited. 

So come celebrate your love of Oysters with us here at The Inn of Tabbs Creek, where we will tell you what we know about Oyster Gardening, and often sample several of our own during our Saturday night wine and cheese gathering. We will also be happy to help you arrange for an oyster cruise, visit to Merroir, or purchasing oysters to enjoy on the grill here or even take home with you. Here we all agree that the world is truly your oyster!