Austin, TX

Why Are West Coast Oysters So Hard to Find in Austin?

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Why Are West Coast Oysters So Hard to Find in Austin?

After a recent frustrating workday, the only way I could resuscitate my mood was with a stiff gin martini and some premium oysters. I headed to a popular seafood bar where I found an impressive selection of oysters from New England and a few from the Gulf Coast. Alas, there were none of what I craved most: West Coast oysters — rich, sweet, and almost creamy. I asked the bartender about the availability of Pacific bivalves. The bartender hesitated before answering. “We do, but we don’t list them. We’re not supposed to serve West Coast oysters in Austin.” You see, Northern California and Washington oysters are illicit off-menu options at this particular Texas restaurant.

So I did what any self-respecting oyster lover would do; I ordered a dozen buttery California Kumamotos, feeling like a speakeasy renegade during Prohibition. But my curiosity was fully piqued. Why can’t Austin restaurants legally sell West Coast oysters?

The short answer is that West Coast oysters are illegal in Texas, thanks to an obscure law passed by the Texas Legislature back in 1989. “[It’s] the only state that I’m aware of that prohibits sales of Pacific oysters to consumers,” confirms Bobbi Hudson, executive director of the Pacific Shellfish Institute in Olympia, Washington.

What’s the rationale? Essentially, it was a precaution. Pacific oysters are considered an invasive species. “They’ve been shown to establish naturally reproducing populations outside their natural range,” Hudson says. So when West Coast oysters are introduced to new locations — say, Texas — through discarded oysters — the bivalves are quickly able to mate and produce baby oysters, expanding their population to the point where they outnumber the native breeds in the area.

Pacific Coast oysters are especially-effective “ecosystem engineers,” as Hudson puts it. They change their environments through their capabilities as filter feeders, removing algae, nutrients, and other particles from surrounding waters. They also carry microbes and bacteria on their shells that are foreign to new waters and can have negative effects on existing ecosystems, thus pushing out local aquatic life. As a result, throughout the world, Pacific oysters already “dominate global shellfish aquaculture production,” she says.

When the Texas law was established in 1989, the oyster restrictions in the state applied only to the oyster breed known as Pacific oysters, which originated in the waters surrounding Japan. Then, in 2021, the state decided to further protect Gulf oysters by passing a tighter law that banned any species that isn’t native to the Gulf, aka “controlled exotic species.” Under these restrictions the broad category Crassostrea virginica — also called the Eastern oyster (because they are, yes, found in the East Coast of North America) — are permitted. The distinction between Gulf and Eastern oysters is where the bivalves grow.

So per the rules, all West Coast oysters — from Kumamoto to Olympia — are illegal to source and sell in Texas.

But rules are often bent or broken.

Hudson is aware that some establishments still serve West Coast oysters in the state. But she isn’t too worried: “I would argue that the risk isn’t high,” referring to potentially introducing invasive species into Texas.

Shucked oysters by Austin Oyster Co.

Austin Oyster Co.

A tray of unopened oysters on ice on a tray. — Maine oysters being served by Austin Oyster Co.

West Coast oysters “pop up more frequently” than you’d expect, says Brendan Yancy, founder of Austin Oyster Co., though businesses generally have to get a bit creative to acquire their black market bivalves. With wholesalers unwilling to skirt the law, restaurants often turn to the farms directly, says Yancy, and of those farms, there are only a small handful willing to risk their license by defying the state of Texas.

Some businesses will downplay said liability, insisting that Texas law enforcement doesn’t prioritize enforcing oyster provenance. However, Daniel Berg, owner and executive chef of Austin restaurant Bill’s Oyster, knows that those aren’t empty threats. “We recently had a Texas game warden come into the restaurant to check our tags and make sure we weren’t serving West Coast oysters,” he says, noting that they don’t. “I was pretty shocked by that.”

Berg also doesn’t feel limited by Texas’s regulations especially with the option to import East Coast oysters. He prefers Northeast ones because they’re “smaller and more briny,” while he feels the Gulf oysters are “larger and not as clean-tasting.” (He admits Gulf oysters are better for grilling and frying.)

Bill’s Oyster works with local seafood distributor Minamoto Foods, which has strong connections with oyster farms in New England and eastern Canada. Since Texas is so far away from those prime oyster regions, it’s hard to connect personally with these farmers. “Trusting and relying on [a distributor] is important,” Berg says.

Yancy, on the other hand, has family connections in the Northeast, which means access to farms in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. It’s inherently the ethos of his business: “The whole concept is really bringing East Coast oysters to people in Austin,” he says of Austin Oyster Co. (The company grew and harvested its own oysters from Portland, Maine for the first time this fall season.)

Someone opening an oyster on top of a tray full of oysters and ice. — Shucking oysters at the bar of Bill’s.

Yancy does believe the viability of Texas oysters. “I’m rooting for Texas farms,” he says. The state’s oyster industry is far newer than its other counterparts, which puts farms like Texas Oyster Ranch, Jeri’s Oysters, and DJ’s Oyster Co. at a disadvantage. “They’ve got a lot of uphill battles against them,” he says, which puts the state’s oyster industry behind competitors in other states. Yancy notes that the Gulf’s warmer temperatures create a higher yield than the colder Northeastern waters, but because the state’s oyster farming infrastructure isn’t yet equipped to handle the volume, Texas has some catching up to do before they can meet the oyster farming scale the West Coast, East Coast, and even other Gulf regions like Louisiana.

Can there be a way to legally have West Coast oysters in Austin without becoming a shellfish outlaw? There aren’t any above-board answers just yet, but Hudson says that science may already have a solution. “From a biological perspective, there are ways to create organisms that can’t reproduce,” she says. “With Pacific oysters, it’s already routinely done around the world to control gonad development” — a process that, according to the University of Washington, involves stopping the maturation of the oyster eggs. The resulting reproductively-inactive “triploid” oyster happens to have more tender and flavorful meat year-round in addition to being unable to realistically reproduce (Read: less of a threat to Gulf oyster populations). Until genetically modified bivalves become more widely available, West Coast oysters are only available on an if-you-know-you-know basis. So keep your eyes peeled and your conversations with oyster bartenders flowing — you might just score a secret stash.

Tanks in the ocean. — DJ’s Oyster Co.’s oyster farm in Palacios, Texas.

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Austin, TX

Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love

Published

7 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love

Craving something sweet? Maybe something flaky? Austin may be known for tacos and barbecue, but its bakeries are the unsung heroes of the local food scene. We think it’s time to give them the spotlight they deserve.

Whether you’re looking for pastries by day or celebratory cakes by night, these locally owned bakeries are proof that life is butter with carbs.

Comadre Panadería, 1204 Cedar Ave. | Try something new at this Mexican-American bakery (which is a two-time James Beard semi-finalist) like the highly raved-about concha and pink cake.

La Pâtisserie, multiple locations | A case full of colorful macarons is the main attraction at this French bakery, which also offers pastries, cake, scones, buns, croissants, and wine.

If you’re lucky (like City Editor Morgan was), you may be able to find a frowning gingerbread man at Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery.

Quack’s Bakery, multiple locations | Keeping Austin sweet since 1983, these beloved bakeries make pies, cakes, pastries, and more from scratch with no additives. Be sure to check out seasonal offerings like Pride, Halloween, and Christmas-themed cookies.

Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #200 | Owned by award-winning pastry chef Amanda Rockman, this newly opened bakeshop is all about caffeine, gluten, butter, sugar, and booze. Grab a rip ‘n’ dip bagel, strawberry cheesecake croissant, or focaccia sandwich.

Sour Duck Market, 1814 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | The neighborhood bakery within this American restaurant + beer garden is not to be missed. Snag a traditional bite like a savory Danish pastry or a creative concoction like the sweet potato-chai bearclaw.

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, 1905 S. 1st St. | Desserts are king at this sugary locale that offers classic cupcakes, cookies, lemon + pecan bars, cakes, and mini-pies in-store, with custom offerings available for larger orders.

Texas French Bread, 2900 Rio Grande St. | Currently housed in an Airstream trailer, this small but mighty bakery (serving Austinites since 1981) sells goods on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll have to visit in person to see the full menu of bread, pastries, and sweets available each day.

Upper Crust Bakery, 4508 Burnet Rd. | This family-owned scratch bakery has it all, whether you want a cup of coffee and a pastry, a smoked turkey sandwich for lunch, or a layered cake to take home and enjoy.

Walton’s Fancy & Staple, 609 W. 6th St. | Amid a cluster of bars on West 6th Street, this bakery + deli owned by Sandra Bullock is a beacon of sweetness. Its pastries and sweet treats are made daily, but you can also order custom cakes.

Zucchini Kill Bakery, multiple locations | Calling all vegan, gluten, and soy-free folks with a sweet tooth. This woman-owned bakery is a haven for those with dietary restrictions and incorporates the spirit of punk music into its delicacies.

What’s your favorite bakery in Austin? Let us know and we might add it to this list in the future.

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Austin, TX

Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Published

15 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats

AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns and Kentucky Wildcats have released their initial student-athlete availability report ahead of Saturday’s meeting in Austin.

Texas is listing receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. as questionable due to a foot injury while linebacker Morice Blackwell Jr. is questionable after sitting out for the 20-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks last week.

“He’s progressing this week,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Moore Jr. during Wednesday’s SEC Weekly Teleconference. “We’ll see if he’ll be ready to go here Saturday, but we’re surely a better team when he’s out there.”

Fortunately for Texas, running back Jaydon Blue was not listed on the report after being seen in a sling following the Arkansas game.

Here’s the full report for both teams:

Texas vs. Kentucky injury report / secsports.com

Sarkisian provided an injury update on Moore Jr., Blue and Blackwell Jr. on Monday during his weekly press conference.

“I think Blue’s good,” Sarkisian said. “Like I said, he went with us today and worked this morning. So we’ll see how it goes. … Mo Blackwell was out last week. … I’m hopeful we can get him back this week. We’ll see how it goes. … DeAndre got nicked up during the game with a foot injury. Again, those two guys (Blackwell) are integral parts to our program, not only on offense and defense, but on special teams. They’re critical. So hopefully we get both those guys back.”

No. 3 Texas and Kentucky will kick off from DKR on Saturday at

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Austin, TX

UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply

Published

22 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply. UT serves as founding member and lead academic organization.

The HyVelocity Hub (HyV), a regional energy consortium, aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the nation. It will leverage the region’s high concentration of existing hydrogen production and end-use assets to develop low-carbon intensity hydrogen that can power trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine shipping fuel.

“Texas is the nation’s energy capital, and UT is the energy university, and we are no stranger to playing a leading role in America’s energy innovation,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “The success of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub is critical to our nation’s future energy security. We are excited to work with our industry partners and apply our vast energy, business and policy expertise to develop the hydrogen workforce and accelerate production along the Gulf Coast.”

UT will provide expertise to support community benefits activities and hydrogen workforce development efforts. UT, through the IC2 Institute and the RESET lab in the Cockrell School of Engineering, has a significant track record of working with over 80 communities in Texas and bordering states to understand community needs and connect these to economic development initiatives to improve the lives of all community members. The hydrogen proto-hub demonstration facility at the Center for Electromechanics will serve as a key resource for hands-on workforce training activities. UT researchers will also conduct life-cycle and techno-economic analyses for the projects. For example, they will provide the analyses required for meeting emissions criteria, clean hydrogen standards, and cost benchmarks, and will report these data to the Department of Energy.

“UT Austin’s role in the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will be vital to both providing the research and expertise needed to accelerate the global market for hydrogen, and to developing the workforce needed to support the industry’s advancement over the long term in Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said Brian Korgel, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the director of the UT Energy Institute. “We are proud to be part of this important project that will advance secure and sustainable energy in the U.S. and all over the world.”

HyV’s work will be at the forefront of maintaining and expanding Texas as a global leader in hydrogen energy development. With $22 million in the first tranche of funding, HyVelocity is expected to create up to 45,000 well-paying jobs over its lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million metric tons per year — equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 1.5 million gasoline-powered cars. The Department of Energy is investing $1.2 billion in the project.

As the nation’s premier university for energy innovation and excellence, UT brings an unmatched scale, depth and breadth of expertise and a pragmatic approach to advancing solutions across the full spectrum of energy. Situated in the heart of Texas, UT is in the center of the energy capital of the world. The University boasts numerous top-10 academic programs and a vast community of minds spanning a multitude of energy departments, centers and institutes. UT’s extensive industry partnerships and field research extend from the oil fields of West Texas to the other side of the world, with faculty, students and staff engaged in applied research in hydrogen, carbon capture, wind, solar, batteries and more.

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