September will see a second Brackley Bay Oyster Co. location open in Brackley Beach. When it does, partner Kendra Mills plans to display a “timeline” of the oyster lease in the store. She and partner Robbie Moore trace its history back decades.
(right) Photos courtesy of Schafler family
Oysters are among Prince Edward Island’s most exceptional locally- sourced foods. In addition to perfect beach days, the water surrounding the Island offers superb oysters. In fact, the delicious oysters caught between Brackley Beach and Stanhope have been exported internationally for years. Since 2020, that oyster lease has been the purview of Brackley Bay Oyster Company, founded by partners Kendra Mills and Robbie Moore. Their stellar Brackley Bay oysters are available in several spots around the Island. Restaurants including Landmark Oyster House and the Pilot House source oysters from Brackley Bay Oyster Co.; customers can also purchase Brackley Bay oysters to prepare at home from Foodland and MR Seafoods. Readers should consider a visit to Brackley Bay Oyster Co.’s West Covehead storefront, since Mills and Moore serve customers directly at that location. “Robbie and I both feel strongly that, when you come into our business, it’s like coming into our home,” Mills says. “We know so many customers; we’ve met so many new people who are now friends.”
Visitors are welcome to consult staff on which oyster size to purchase, as well as how oysters are farmed and caught. Staff can also explain the company’s unique specialties; for instance, “Wild Caught” PEI oysters, which may especially appeal to customers focused on sustainable seafood. The location also offers seafood ingredients in addition to oysters to round out a customer’s purchase. If a visitor is tentative about shucking their own oysters, Moore is happy to coach them. In fact, Brackley Bay Oyster Co. will soon offer shucking workshops. “If you can shuck, there’s no ‘preparing’ oysters. You don’t even need a plate. You can eat oysters off the shell,” Mills explains. “And it’s cool to know how to shuck an oyster! Isn’t that a key life skill, as an Islander? To be able to shuck an oyster, dig a potato and open a lobster?!”
“We’re meticulous about quality.”
– Partner Kendra Mills
Brackley Bay Oyster Company 802 MacMillan Point Rd, West Covehead 902.439.5393 www.brackleybayoysterco.com
SUMMER 2022 www.pei-living.ca
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