Photo by Dan Boda, courtesy of Peeko Oysters.
Peeko Cultivates Oyster Appreciation An underwater take on the farm-to-table movement BY NICOLE TEITLER Oysters date back millennia, making them one of the oldest lifeforms on Earth. But as we have evolved from our ancestors who shucked before us, so has the means of acquiring the bivalves. Rather than harvesting them in their natural habitat, oyster farming is now the upward trend. Peter Stein, of oyster farm Peeko Oysters in New Suffolk, has spent his life around the water, having grown up in East Marion on the North Fork. With the tag line “Turning water into brine,” Stein started Peeko Oysters out of Little Peconic Bay in 2016. He read up on aeroponics,
hydroponics, and aquaponics (a combination of hydroponics and aquaculture). Before starting his own farming business, Peter apprenticed with Southampton bayman Howard Pickerell, from whom he later purchased the bottom land. Oyster growing season is May through October. Peeko Oysters distributes to some top names in the restaurant industry, from Manhattan to Montauk— Gramercy Tavern, Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, Craft, Small Batch, Little Park, East Pole, Temple Court, Le Bilboquet, The American Hotel, and Duryea’s. When COVID-19 first hit, revenue took a deep plunge as restaurant closures halted demand. In an effort to stay afloat, Peter and his team drove hundreds of miles to deliver oysters door-to-door. Word quickly spread. With a more sophisticated online ordering system in place and restaurants starting to re- open, Peter is eager for the 2021 farming season.
But it’s not just the restaurants that benefit from the bivalves. Private parties and small get-togethers can order a peck of Peekos, from The Sampler (25 oysters) to The One Nighter (50) up to The Weekender (100 oysters) for pickup or delivery. Stein encourages public involvement to foster appreciation for the oyster farm-to-table process. At Peeko, people are invited to visit the farm, enjoy a tour, hop aboard a sunset cruise, shuck their own oysters, host a private event, and even curate an exclusive experience. Local programs at the Cornell Cooperative Marine Extension in Southold and the East Hampton Town Hatchery also help educate the public on how to grow individual oyster bays. First-hand knowledge provides a deeper look at “the nuances, the difficulties, challenges, and most important, the enormous benefits these animals provide to the estuary that we all love
64 • AFLOAT USA Hamptons Summer 2021
AFLOAT USA Hamptons Summer 2021 • 65
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