Lough Foyle Oysters
Foyle Bia Mara deals exclusively in ‘speciale’ oysters – the characteristics of which include a smooth, well-weathered and hardy shell, with a deep teardrop-shaped cup and full fleshy meat held within.
Our Irish oysters are raised on the banks of Lough Foyle in Donegal using rack and bag cultivation. Grown above the seabed in this way, the oysters can feed freely on the nutrient-rich brackish waters of the Foyle as the tide flows in from the Atlantic and out from the River Foyle.
Speciales take between 24 and 36 months to reach maturity, during which time they are attended to by hand by local oyster producers. This personal attention throughout the growing process ensures only the best product reaches our customers.
Why OUR OYSTERS
Every body of water creates a unique flavour in the oysters that feed from it.
Lough Foyle is no different. A wide estuary fed by numerous freshwater rivers and streams, combined with the large volume of Atlantic seawater flowing in and out of the lough daily, gives our oysters their distinct flavour.
That blend of fresh- and saltwater gives Lough Foyle oysters a subtle sweet taste that is complemented perfectly with a mildly-salted liquor.