Oyster farms in the village of Ersek, Zealand.

It is dedicated to seafood lovers. Sea delights of Zealandia.

Taste the oyster and feel the true taste of the sea! Right from the clear waters of East Shelda - the best! In the province of Zeeland, there are two types of oysters - wild oysters and flat oysters. Wild oysters are served raw and grilled. Flat oysters have a milder taste and the cooking process will only spoil them. And so they should be eaten raw, you can add a pinch of salt and pepper and sprinkle lemon juice. In the village of Ersek, you can not only taste fresh oysters, but also see how they are grown and prepared for sale.

Ersek

The village of Erseke is located on the southern bank of the eastern tributary of the Scheldt in the province of Holland Zeilandia. There are only 6,570 inhabitants in the village. Ersek attracts tourists from all over the world with its oyster farm, picturesque harbors and annual mussel harvest festival. The place where the village of Ersek was already inhabited a thousand years ago. During archaeological excavations, skeletons of people who lived in the village in the seventh or sixth century were found. However, the first historical mention of Ersek falls on January 24, 966 AD. The great Roman Emperor Otto I mentions in his chronicles the village of Gersica. The area originally belonged to the abbeys of Flanders. The village was built by monks on an underwater mountain range like all the other regions in that region. The first inhabitants lived for sheep farming and peat harvesting after sewage ditches appeared in the villages. Agriculture remained the main occupation until the 16th century, when the St. Felix flood submerged all the villages around the town of Reimerswal. As a result of this flood, the village of Ersek found itself on the shores of the Eastern Scheldt. This event had a fateful significance for the village of Ersek. During World War II, the village was almost completely destroyed. The Nazis entered the village in May 1940, but the residents managed to evacuate.

Erseke now lives and thrives on his oyster farm.

Oysters, once collected, are stored in special boxes until they are sold. Sea water is first fed into boxes, and then pumped out, which creates an imitation of the ebb and flow of the European flat oyster among the locals is called "Zeeuwse platte".

The village became famous in its region and beyond, fishing and breeding not only oysters, but also mussels, lithorine and lobster. The village of Ersek is called Klondike of the province of Zeyland, large black mussels, which are also bred on a farm in Ersek, are called “black god” or “black gold”.

Starting around 1870, oyster breeding in industrial volumes began in the village. This was driven in part by huge demand in France. To this end, the government leased land near East Scheldt to farmers. Special boxes were made along the ditches, which were made of roof tiles, where oyster larvae were placed. In the 20th century, farmers suddenly abandoned all their structures and built more modern ones closer to the harbor. The same boxes are used to store oysters caught by their river mouths.

Despite the fact that the production of oysters brings good profits, this business also has its ups and downs. In 1885, many oyster farmers emigrated to Long Island, USA. At that time, on Long Island, wild oysters flooded the entire coast. In 1963, a harsh winter almost completely destroyed the oyster farm. In 1980, the bacterium Bonamia ostreae infected all native oyster species. As a result, the oyster had to be imported from the Pacific.

Mussels have always been abundant on the coast, but it was not until the late 19th century that attempts were made to standardize mussel production. After the end of the First World War, the collection of mussels became even more profitable than oyster farms. Initially, mussels were collected by fishermen on small fishing boats, the so-called stallions. Today, they are large ships that collect mussels not only along the coast of East Scheldt, but can also go long distances, such as Waddensee, where mussels have been bred and harvested since the 1950s. Mussels grow in natural conditions.

The harbour of Ersek has expanded considerably, as has the fishing industry compared to the nineteenth century. Initially, Ersek harbor served as a dock for unloading seafood and was associated with the island of Tolen. In 1965, the harbor of Crown Princess Beatrice was added to Ersek Harbour.

Every year on the third Sunday of August, the official opening of the mussel harvest season takes place. More than 45,000 mussel lovers gather for the holiday. At the festival you can not only eat mussels, but also make sea trips on ships for catching mussels, walk through flea markets, drink fresh beer, admire the village of Ersek. On the eve of the opening of the holiday on Friday, fireworks, dance and song contests, a national costume contest are arranged in the harbor. On the evening of Saturday before closing the celebration, there is a big rock festival.

In the village you can also visit the local history museum, which presents in detail the history of the development of the village of Ersek. And of course, lovers of seafood will not be deprived of attention. The village has many restaurants serving freshly caught seafood. You won't find a better taste anywhere. So, see you in the village of Ersek!

Omar from East Scheldt National Park on East Scheldt is a unique ecosystem in which lobster is unique in its taste qualities.

In 1867, a dam was built between the island of South Beveland and the land of Brabant, and this led to the fact that the supply of fresh water from the Scheldt to its tributary East Scheldt was blocked. The concentration of salt in the water increased, and the place became ideal for lobsters. Lovers of rocks took root in this place. Fishermen first caught lobster in 1883. To say they were surprised is to say nothing!

What is the uniqueness of lobster and Eastern Scheldt? The lobster population in this region is almost completely isolated from its relatives in the North Sea, and therefore is a completely new type of lobster. Lobsters from East Scheldt do not tolerate harsh winters, and therefore many of them die during the winter. The population of lobsters in East Scheldt is very small, but the purity of genes is preserved. The taste of these lobsters is much softer and the meat is tenderer than that of their European relatives.

Lobster hunting is caught by specially placed underwater trap nets, into which lobsters themselves enter. Fishermen check their traps every day, if they find female lobsters with caviar, they are released. Lobster fishing is very difficult and costly, but still thanks to fishing methods it is possible to preserve the population of lobsters in the East Scheldt. The lobster fishing season opens on the first of April and closes in mid-July.

Directly from the sea, lobsters can live in captivity for a long time, but there are no extensive lobster supply systems in the province of Zeeland. This means that everything fresh and delicious is in their restaurants. What else could you wish for?

Mussels from the province of Zeyland breeding mussels is a very laborious process, which begins in late spring. Millions of sperm swim on the surface of the salt water tributary of the East Scheldt and Waddensee. After a week, a small shell is formed, which sinks to the bottom. On the shell begin to grow threads that help the shell to attach to other mussels. This is how whole populations of mussels arise. Mussel breeders immerse them on a ship and transport them to farms. Until the mussel reaches a size suitable for consumption, it will take two long years. After that, mussels are collected and sold at auction.

Making mussels

The most proven way to prepare mussels is to cut the onions, carrots and celery, put mussels there, then close the pan lid. Mussels prepare very quickly - 3-5 minutes. Those who do not eat should not be eaten. Mussels are served to the table in the same pan in which they were prepared as a separate dish. And if you add 1 glass of wine during cooking, it will be just a divine treat. And if you do not want to strain, then do not! In the village of Ersek and other villages around, you will find mussels on the menu in every restaurant!