December 10, 2023 • 55 mins
Ready to unlock the mysteries of raw oysters? Join our lively banter with seasoned Cajun fisherman, Gary "Pokey" as we navigate the nuances of this popular delicacy. Gary, with his wealth of knowledge, guides us through the vital safety measures—choosing trustworthy sources, ensuring the right refrigeration conditions, and understanding the tagging of oysters.
Ever wondered about the possible risks of procuring oysters from unverified sources? Well, we've been there, and it didn't end well. Drawing from our own experiences, we delve into the importance of clean oyster facilities and the consequences of negligence.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well, here we are.
Another weekend and anothershow, another pretty day.
Bad weather last night, huh,wow, wow, real bad.
In Tennessee we got.
You know, we didn't get a wholelot here, we really didn't.
So woke up, everything waswatered, nice and clean.
(00:32):
I can't complain with that.
Well, we're going to turn theturn the professor down a little
bit, boy, I tell you, we have afew things.
One that we're going to get toright away Right this time of
the year, everybody I sayeverybody, a lot of people are
(00:52):
doing stuffings, seafooddressing, oyster dressing, and
it's just this time of the yearto eat oysters.
And so, anyway, I just made abig thing of gumbo and it's
fresh crab meat, some shrimp,some oysters.
I kind of always do us.
Before I put them in the pot, Isneak out a few of them and eat
(01:14):
them raw, you know.
But that's what we wanted totalk about is eating raw oysters
.
Now we're look, nobody knowswhere that is, that bad one is.
But hey, we're going to chat alittle bit about it, and with
none other than Gary.
Gary, pokey, love, the man is afisherman his whole life, he
(01:34):
knows all about this stuff, andso we, you know, we can't speak
to the medical side of it, butwe could just tell you about
personal experiences, right?
So, anyway, we're going to talkabout that.
That's coming up right away.
What else is happening this week?
Wednesday, wednesday the GulfCoast Supper Club.
Our first, our first gatheringwith the supper club is going to
(02:00):
be at Kaitaki.
So talk with the owner again,and we've maxed the place out.
So fire marshal allows onlycertain amount and that's so we
packed it.
So that's, that's going to benice and I'll follow up with you
.
I'll let you know how it goes.
We may do a little something.
(02:20):
Live there, we'll try.
Okay, let's see how it goes.
Well, remember, we was talkingabout testing the sound and see
how it would sound.
If we do that, you know,because we don't want an
annoying show that you, you knowthat just echoes and stuff like
that.
So we're going to talk aboutthat a little bit.
One other thing you know, I Idon't, whenever we have a bad
(02:42):
experience at a restaurant.
I don't say the name of therestaurant, for many reasons,
you know, it's just, I justdon't like to go there.
But I'll tell you about anexperience that was not good
with a waitress.
I won't tell you where it is,because I've eaten that number
of times and it's been good.
When we got our food, it wasgood, but the waitress oh my
(03:05):
goodness, it was bad.
I can't wait to tell you aboutit.
It was, it was.
It was almost comical.
So we'll talk about that, butfor now, let me get Gary on the
line and we're going to talkabout what so many people are
doing right now.
This isn't.
This isn't an official list ofthings to do or don't do when
you're eating oysters rawoysters.
(03:26):
There's no medical advice beinggiven.
This is just us talking aboutour experience in in eating
oysters, raw oysters, cookedoysters, those kinds of things.
So hold tight a minute, let meget.
Let's see what line he's on.
I'm going to get him.
I'll get him up here in just asecond.
All right, gary, is that youare online too, is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
That's correct, All right.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Gary.
So by now everybody knows Gary,gary Pokey.
So we, we're talking aboutoyster, gary, and I mentioned to
, to, to everyone that you know,this time, and here everybody,
everybody, not everybody, a lotof people are doing oyster
dressing, oyster salad, oyster,everything you know, and we, and
(04:14):
so I just I wanted to chat withyou about the, the safety of it
.
You've been a fisherman allyour life and, like I said,
we're not medical people, but wecan talk about our experience
with this and so what?
What is a basic?
I don't know.
Let's start from from thescratch here.
You know how, where is it safeto get your oysters and and and
(04:34):
where is it not safe?
Some of the dos and don'ts forfor just the average person out
there that wants to make alittle oyster, something that,
and especially if it's not goingto be fully cooked, if they
want to eat them raw.
What's some pointers on that,gary?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
We'll start off with.
I mean, you look at and, likeyou mentioned, I've never seen a
market like what we have foreating raw oysters.
You have more oyster bars.
It seems like that's the thing.
Now They'll do grilled oysters,but you have raw oysters.
You have all of this, butoyster should be bought from a
reputable source.
You know, sometimes you got atruck on the side of the road
(05:12):
with just oysters in it, maybeon the back of a pickup truck.
It'll advise to start off withif you're buying oysters in a
sack, it should be tagged,marked exactly where it was
fished.
And you're hearing.
If they're selling oysters, itshould be a refrigerated body
that they're coming out of.
If they're in a truck, you know.
(05:32):
So on the side of the road youmight have salty oysters.
Stop here and get this.
So I would buy it from a storeyou might say a fish market, a
reputable place that's been inbusiness.
Or if you're going to eatoysters on a half shell, you
know, go to these places becausethese restaurants they got a
reputation it keeps.
(05:52):
So when they buy their oysterto serve on a half shell, you
can believe that they're gettingoysters from a safe place.
Now, over here we got wildlifeand fisheries and they monitor
all the bees and bacteria in thebees.
And you might have heard thatif you go swimming in salt water
you can get this flesh eatingbacteria.
So there's bacteria all thetime in the water.
(06:15):
Sometimes they're more active.
The temperature has a lot to dowith it.
But in oysters you're going tohave bacteria.
But they'll close the area,that's not.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They're trying.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So what's dangerous, tim, is if you get somebody
that's selling oysters and let'ssay that they're buying to
resell, buy off the boat and I'mgoing to retail it and I didn't
sell all my oysters.
Now I got my oyster two, threedays and now I'm carrying on to
the fourth day.
So you have to be careful, eventhough you know sometimes
(06:49):
people might keep the oystersoff.
So if you're opening up yourown oysters on a half shell, a
telltale sign is to look and seeif the oyster is dry.
A lot of oyster has to havewater in it.
So when you open up that oysteryou're going to see the water.
The water will leak out.
If it's dry, stuck to the shellof the sign, I mean I wouldn't
(07:14):
even I would throw it away.
I do throw it away.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
You should have one.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Because now the bacteria has had a chance to get
into it.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
You should have one piece of the oyster that stuck
and that's the eye.
The rest of it, yeah, you'reexact.
I've seen.
I mean I've opened many oysters.
You open it up and it's almostlike it develops a little spider
web.
You know, it's kind of stickingeverywhere.
Now over here, kerry, the DMR,the Department of Wildlife and
(07:43):
Fisheries, so I tell you what Idid.
Look, I had oyster license,fish license, shrimp license,
all of it.
And when we had our big boatand I'm going to tell you what
you don't want to get caughtwith trying to get away with
anything over here, with oystersFor instance, if you're out
(08:04):
there and let's say you're tongin the oysters, so you're in a
little skiff and you're tong inthe oysters and let's say they
say, look, you know, yeah, theseason's open, you can go tong.
You have a certain amount oftime to get those oysters and
get them to the dock becausethey're not refrigerated.
The temperature outside isevidently that they've deemed
(08:25):
the temperature outside Okay Toput your sacks on the boat until
you get in a few hours.
But I tell you what, gary, ifnot you, they will make you dump
those oysters.
I mean, there is no exceptions.
It could be your grandfatherout there and I'm.
They will not, and I applaudthem for it Really.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I do too, Tim.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Because over here, the same thing and and sad to
say, people have gotten sick eatoysters, and it gave it a bad
rap.
But now another thing too, andall fairness to the oyster and
eating oysters.
Tim, if you want to purgeyourself, let's say I want to
clean myself up what are yougoing to do?
You're going to drink some saltwater right, you could.
(09:08):
But if you get over here youstart eating two or three dozen
raw oysters that salt is, couldbe, and you end up with diarrhea
, please don't start saying, oh,I got a bacteria.
No, you don't purge yourself.
Too much salt water that you'recleaning yourself up.
So a lot of times I'll get abad rap.
But with, like you say, thelaws, the protection of the
(09:33):
people for food, the FDA hasstepped in we can say that
oysters are relatively safe now,compared.
Now all food, I mean I can gobuy zucchini, I can go buy
lettuce, I can go buy stuff atWalmart and all of a sudden I've
got bacteria on it and it's arecall.
Don't eat it, it's a salmonellapoison, correct.
(09:54):
So I mean all foods.
It depends on who's selling it,how they store it, how they keep
it.
Temperature has a lot to dowith it.
Like you said, they've got arefrigerator Oistars.
If you get them hot, that shellstarts to crack open, the water
starts to leak out.
Then the next thing you know,bacteria gets in.
(10:15):
Then you can get sick fromeating a hot oyster.
So never get a sack of oysters.
Put it out on the semen in thesun and say, well, I'm opening
it up.
No, no, get in the shade.
Keep them in the ice chest,cool down with little ice.
So there's ways to get awayfrom getting sick and eating.
And look, I eat oysters, likeyou know, my little
(10:36):
granddaughter.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
She's starting to tell me that.
You tell me how old was shewhen you gave her her first raw
oyster?
Your granddaughter.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Two years old and, look, I got a lot of slack with
that.
People kick back or whatever.
Let me share my look on this.
The COVID was around, the fluwas around.
They got this three letter word.
I forgot what it is forrespiratory breathing.
(11:06):
And now they want you to getvaccinated.
You can even get thatvaccination for the shingles and
you get all these vaccinated.
What do they do?
They'll get a form of thatbacteria, introduce it to your
system so your sister can buildup an immune.
I don't eat so much raw oysters,since I'm a kid that every
little immune system in my bodyfinds anything to get in that
(11:27):
water.
That's the way I feel.
It's almost like that's myvaccination.
Don't take me up on that, I'mnot a doctor, but that's the way
I feel.
If I'm going to eat that oysterout of that water, I'm going to
eat it, but don't tell me notto eat that oyster and you go
swimming in that water, you goswallowing.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
That's what I wanted to hit on Same bacteria that's
in the water.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
There's bacteria in the water.
That's where the oysters aregetting it from.
So you know, sometimes oystersget a bad rapid.
I'm not telling you to go eatoysters.
I'm telling you why I eatoysters.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Now I'll tell you what Bokey and I'm sure you'd
agree, is that bacteria, theVibrio Vileciafus, I believe
it's called.
Yeah, that's it, that's whatyou want to call it Say it quick
and it doesn't matter.
The Vibrio virus.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
The Chinese food that you can't pronounce, right.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
So that bacteria now I'm like you know, I'm three
blocks from the Gulf of Mexicothat bacteria, even it's coal
right now, but that bacteria issomewhere in that water right
now, that same Vibrio bacteria,that flesh eating bacteria is
always in the water.
It loves brackish water, youknow the kind of mixed salt and
(12:47):
fresh water, a little brackish.
But the thing is, I know whenwe grew up we live right there
on Lake Pontchartrain, and sowhen we'd get oysters I can
remember my as a kid, you knowmy grandmother and uncles and
all and one or two of themthey'd say, no, you can't have
oysters, you can't have realoysters, and they wouldn't give
(13:09):
them to them because maybe theyhad diabetes, maybe they had a
kidney trouble, they had somekind of problem with them.
Now they're really susceptibleto where the average person
ingesting just the average stuffthat's in there anyway, it
wouldn't hurt at all.
So you go swimming Florida,anywhere, that bacteria is
(13:31):
always, it's just.
It's just when the temperaturegets a certain temperature and
maintained, and then it reallygets plentiful.
Now somebody goes out therewith a cut or scrape on them or
their foot is not healed ormaybe they you know some people
do they have, they can't healgood and they're getting that
water and they just well goahead and eat the oyster with
(13:54):
the Vibrio in it, becausethey're going to get it, that's
right.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I mean they give it a your immune system.
If your immune system is bad, Imean you're going to get sick
walking in the grass.
Maybe you never know, becauseyour immune system is down.
So a lot of times that comesinto play.
But let me give a little calloff for lemon.
Yes, lemon.
You know a lot of people cutlemon short.
Lemon cooks, that's what theysay.
(14:21):
You can cook stuff with lemonwith the acid.
Sure, sure, I always use lemonon my oyster, always.
I mean I say always, but almostalways, always.
I was brought up on differentseafood and they always give you
lemon when you have oyster.
Now, if oysters were not safe,I've seen enough oyster boars,
(14:44):
especially where you live, atTim.
They bump it up, bump it upover here in Louisiana, the same
thing when people are eating,and they'll end up.
And I don't hear anything inthe news about people getting
sick.
Have you been hearing anythingabout people getting sick with
oyster?
Speaker 2 (14:58):
No, no, no.
I tell you what in preparingfor the show, I did a little
research.
I'm looking at some newsarticles and stuff and it's a
shame because they used oneexample, this one particular
article.
They use an example and I said,yeah, this person got
definitely ill.
They got sick.
In fact, the lady died, shedied.
(15:20):
And so they tell them the storyof what happened.
But here's the thing they said,yeah, we got some oysters.
We got them from a friend ofours.
And right when she said thatI'm like there's your problem,
you said you got them from afriend.
So probably, look, they meantwell, maybe they, like you, said
(15:40):
they oyster, and then they hada few sacks left over.
They didn't sell them.
And now they say, hey, comepick these up, you can have them
, or whatever the case is.
But she said they were given toher by a friend.
And that's why what you said inthe beginning is so important.
That's some wonderful advice.
For example, go to a reputabledealer.
(16:01):
Go to look Rousers, rousers,you know they're going to
protect the reputation All ofthese places that sell and serve
oysters.
Man, I'm going to tell you whatyou do not want to be a
fisherman and then find out thatyou're cheating on anything,
because you'll never catch anoyster for these restaurants.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
That's correct.
You'll catch it on the revokelicense Sure.
You'll catch all kinds of findson you and things like that.
Tim, I know that that isabsolutely correct, well, the
cook stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
I guess the cook stuff, you know.
I tell you what I've look overthe years I can tell you I have
gotten sick on oysters and Iknow what it was.
I know exactly what got me.
So, in fact, one at one time ithad me and a buddy of mine.
We had hit the same restaurantI know exactly what restaurant
it come from and me and him bothhad raw oysters and both of us
(16:58):
got very sick and it got to me.
It was like okay, this isenough.
You know, I think I'm going togo to the hospital and I did.
I went to the hospital, theyput me on an IV and they just
had to get fluids back in me.
And look, I don't encourageanybody.
Did you have dark red?
It was.
I had everything, everything,everything that a bad oyster can
(17:20):
do you.
It did me Except, except stopme from eating the raw oysters.
And I still do.
So as long as I'm healthy.
I don't think I'm going toavoid it because I've gotten
sick off of other food.
You know, and when cooking I doa lot of fact.
Today I want to tell you aboutsome soup I did.
I did a giant pot of soup todayand when I'm preparing, cutting
(17:46):
everything everything like thechicken is done on a separate
cutting board, the the beef on aseparate cutting board, the
vegetables on, and as soon asI'm finished with like the
chicken portion, everything getswashed.
Then I pull out the stuff forthe beef and then the rest.
So what I'm saying is that mostof the time, if you're going to
get sick from food, it's goingto be cross contamination.
(18:09):
It isn't the chicken thatyou're cutting up, it's your
knife wasn't clean.
You have a dirty cutting board,your countertops were dirty.
Generally that's where you'regoing to get sick, but not from
the food itself.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Let me run something by you, not as you brought that
up.
One of the things that I do notdo is eat raw oysters like you
bomb already opened.
You can get them in a store.
I will not even care what storeit's coming from.
I will not eat the raw oystersout of a jar.
I want to see that oyster inthe shell.
(18:42):
So, and the reason is that Idon't know when it was opened, I
don't know what was the shelflife on it, but if that oyster
was fresh, even though when itopens up, if it has that water
in it.
So basically I like to open myown oysters, but I could see
where contamination could comein to a gallon of oyster that
(19:06):
you had in the refrigerator andthat gallon of oyster.
The center of it did not getcold enough to where the
bacteria started growing insidethem oyster or that gallon, and
you could end up really sickwith that.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You can.
I would say this Poke is.
My experience has been this weused to deal with Crystal Seas
right here in Paschus, ga, inMississippi.
Crystal Seas is a giantoperation with oysters.
If you're getting oysters in it, like the little court or the
pint that you're talking about,I've been inside their facility.
(19:43):
I used to.
When I had the seafood market Iused to buy from them many,
many, many thousands of oystersand I went in and actually I'm
watching the whole process.
I'm telling you, but it's clean.
I mean it's it's clean and Iagree with you, tim.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
That's not the one that's going to get you sick.
You see, the Tim Harrison thatbought that oyster, that
couldn't sell it this week, putit on the sides.
Maybe refrigeration wasn'tmonitored correctly and it gets
bad and he's resell.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, I hear you.
That's where they're going toget sick what I'm talking about
is, in other words, you go toRousers or you go to Claben Hill
or your Bromont or what youknow what one of the stores.
You go there and you're goingto see them.
You're going to see them in theseafood department, the, the,
the little pikes they aresetting on ice.
(20:35):
And I'll tell you what I'venever.
I've never had an issue withthem, and that's what I'm saying
about a reputation.
Is that the, the processors,that that that are putting that
stuff on those shelves?
You can't afford to get nobody.
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
And again, I'm not talking about these big store,
I'm talking about people.
Like you said, somebody gave mesome oysters.
Somebody gave me a guy who wentto fish and rented it as I
bought a sack, or they opened upthese oysters, opened you up a
half a gallon.
I'm going to give you a half agallon of oysters and.
I'll put it in my refrigeratorand I keep it there, and here
come Tim and Carrie and you'llcome over and it's three days
(21:11):
later.
I had an infusion.
Hey, you don't want to eat someraw oysters?
We're still eating.
I just have gallon.
We're in trouble I mean you cansmell it.
Sure, when I say that that'slong, so the oyster has to be
alive, that's long you can smell.
So yeah, oysters is safe, butjust like any other food I mean,
take chicken I can tell thechickens bad.
I bought some chicken out ofthere at Walmart.
(21:32):
I had to bring it back.
She said you didn't have tobring it back.
I said I don't want to go tosmell what I bought.
I said I opened it up almostbombarded, so evidently the
refrigeration process went badSomewhere's on the line.
I said soon as I opened it.
So if you, if you smell that,even if you open up a shell and
you got a little jar and it gota little, don't eat, please
(21:53):
don't eat it, cause then you goblame the oyster when really was
our fault.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Yeah, I think that's so true.
Okay, and you know, you have alifetime experience as a since
you was a kid commercial fishingshrimp and oyster, so so I
really appreciate and and andand trust.
What you're saying about thisstuff and I think that is so
true is that you have a buddythat, look, if he oysters and,
(22:18):
and he went out the same day andhe's bringing back to you that
day, oh yeah, that's fine.
But, like you said, if it's,yeah, my, my, my brother-in-law
has got a friend that has someoysters and no, no, no, no, you
don't want to do that.
Just go ahead and get them fromthe store.
Get some, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
That has a date on it .
Like right now they have oyster.
They go, they leave everymorning, they come back every
evening and you go pick up youroysters and it's like we had a
friend of our picked up 11 socksfor some other friends, 11
socks of oysters that he went topick up off of the boat.
We got friends that's comingdown from New York and I got two
socks ordered for them and agallon opens for them and that's
(22:58):
the come off the orc.
We're going direct to the orc.
When he comes to leave thatmorning I come back in and I'm
going to go ahead and we'regoing to bring it down.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
But that oyster boat, like yesterday okay,
yesterday's in the seventiesthem oysters aren't just sitting
on a deck.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Oh no, they got refrigerated.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
See, that's the thing is.
You know, I want to hear.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
It's all refrigerated .
Speaker 2 (23:18):
You have to have cool , they have refrigeration units,
in fact and they have time.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Like you said, they got certain times that they're
allowed to keep oysters on theboat and that's it.
Yeah, no more.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
The big, the big oyster places that have that
serve on the half shell, likethe big places in New Orleans.
Do you know some of thoseplaces?
They have their own, their ownleases.
They have their own oysterlease, in other words, that
nobody can fish.
That's their property, that'stheir oysters, their land and
(23:52):
they oyster it and you believeme, they take care of it.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
So yeah, and they're coming out with this forming of
oysters.
So now you can move your oysterto an area where it never gets
in the mud.
It's floating what it is, it'slittle floating containers on
yeah.
Water containers.
I've seen it and they'refiltering the water.
(24:17):
And some of the best oystersyou want to eat is these former
oyster.
The only thing I like.
Open them.
They're small.
You got to have a special kindof knife to open them, but
they're good.
That's the future, that's allthings of the future.
Yeah, look at them.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Well, for right now I tell you what we'll wind it up
with.
Let's just say if you're outthere listening and you want
oysters, buy them from areputable dealer.
And look the price of oysters.
They go up every well, and theycrab meat too this time of the
year, or all the seafood.
It's going up becauseeverybody's cooking with it.
But if you're going to do it,just go ahead and get a
(24:55):
reputable grocery store,somebody that really specializes
in that kind of stuff seafoodand you're probably you're going
to be safe.
If you have some type ofillness, then maybe stay away
from it.
Otherwise, a little harshradish, some ketchup and some
lemon.
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Then look, and even if you buy from a reputable
place, let's say that I want togo ahead and I got people coming
over you know, family that Ihaven't seen and I want to
prepare my oyster Dish.
So I'm gonna go ahead and I'mgonna get a half a gallon of
oysters and I'm a bite two,three days ahead of time.
Keep it cold enough.
(25:39):
Oysters is not like a Hamthat's been salted down and you
can put in your refrigerator.
Mm-hmm.
They pack them in ice at thestores for a reason ice needs to
keep it right at what.
What is ice?
32 degrees to freeze ice, Ithink first one.
So 30, so at 40 degrees.
If your refrigerator is not 40degrees, man don't keep it in
(26:02):
that too long, or ice them up inan ice chest when ice
surrounded around them.
So they just stay very cold.
You know, don't allow thebacteria to set in there, cuz
you're gonna get sick.
Yep, even though you buy that areputable place, that pool,
just like that is so true youknow meat or anything else.
If you don't refrigerate itproperly, your bacteria is gonna
go in.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Well, I tell you what , Gary look, whenever we have
these subjects of seafood, your,your, your.
The value of your knowledge ispriceless, and I'm so glad that
you come on and and and clarifya few things.
Just give a little look, atleast People are listening to
someone who has done this theirentire life.
They, they, you know a bragabout you, but it's true.
(26:47):
Yeah, when it comes to seafood,you're an authority.
You have yourself, yeah, Ithink two of your son's still
crab.
They've run close to a thousandcrab traps.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
I mean that that's when you know long, but he's
thinking about coming by.
But, yeah, you're right.
Yeah, in fact, all three of myboys were fishermen.
Sure, we always did do that,yeah, so your knowledge is Truly
appreciated.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And look, if we get another question up here,
because we get questions in andI just kind of compile them and
wait Till we get enough of themon a certain subject.
But this oyster thing, becauseI think, because it's just a
holiday season and a lot ofpeople are cooking, you know the
oyster dressings and stuff thatwe do down here and and that
subject just kind of kind ofcame up.
(27:37):
But but anyway it's appreciatedand thank you for always
volunteering, you and sharingyour knowledge.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
You're very welcome.
Thank you for having me on theshow and I thank you, your
audience, for listening in.
You know and look, the oysterbars are popular right now.
Man Go eat some more oyster Goto your oyster bars.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Be sure you got your favorite one.
They got some good ones.
If you see a lot of peoplethere, you can be sure that they
they never.
They don't have the reputationof people getting sick that
could get following in on.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yeah, that's right, boy.
Well, hey, that's been somegreat advice.
I'm gonna.
I'm gonna talk a little bitabout.
I tell you what, gary, if Icould put you on a spot just a
second, I did a big pot of soup,but it's you were telling me
about a soup that I didvegetable, beef and chicken, and
(28:30):
I had all the vegetables andeverything in there and in fact
it's on the stove now.
I did almost, I guess, fourgallons of it's soup and a
vegetable soup and I share it.
I have.
You know, we have some, someolder friends that that can't,
you know, really love to cookbut they can't.
And what we'll give them, youknow, we'll give them enough to
(28:51):
where they have meals for thenext week and a half, you know.
But you talked about a Soup, ofbeef soup.
Now what I'm thinking?
Okay, I'm doing vegetable beefsoup.
No, you, you said somethingabout a different type of soup.
Well, what is the long andshort of of this vegetable, not
vegetable, this beef soup?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Yeah, well, that's, that's a beef soup.
See, my mom would makeVegetable beef and my grandma
vegetable beef.
But one of my grandmas wouldmake beef soup and I beat so
you're starting at the vegetableentities on, not on.
You get about eight onions.
You peel them down once theybrown down and you take your.
(29:35):
You take your beef.
I'll go with the chuckles, abig chuckles.
I'll cut it in chunks, oh, andI'll put a little flower on and
I'll brown it.
I'll just brown that and thenI'll put it on the side and then
no, then then, like my onions,once my onions are caramelized,
really well, then I'll go aheadand I'll throw, I guess, about
(30:00):
six pounds, five, six poundropes.
You'll cut up a cube.
Then I'll buy Two packs, twobig packs of beef ribs and you
need to have these beef ribs andthen I'll buy the beef bone
With the marrow in it.
You can buy the bone with themarrow in it.
Sure and I'll buy that and I'llthrow that in my soup and then
(30:22):
I'll cook that thing down untilthe meat comes off the bones of
the ribs.
And Then you can't leave it set.
You get all of that towel andoil and grease off the top of it
and you want to eat a soup.
You eat that.
Now.
You got all the stuff comingout of the bones.
You got the onion it has goodand you season it to taste sure
you know whatever, whateverseason you want, but to me
(30:44):
that's a beef soup.
Then you take that meat that'sso tender, you pull it out and
you make like a salad with a rawonion, garlic, green onions,
and you put a little olive oilon it, no black pepper, and then
you eat that on the side andthat's my beef soup.
Wow, sick, that's what I make abeef soup.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
So it's just, it's just beef, beef and onions and
seasoning.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Beef onion seasoning, but you put the beef, you got
to have the ribs.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I'll win the ribs and now chicken.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
I'll make a chicken soup.
That's me the chicken soup.
I think I had like 10 legquarters.
I put a big chicken soup but Icook them things until it bones,
till the meat come off the bone.
Then I go ahead and I pull theskin off after I pull the fat
out, the boner, the boner.
Then I'll put it back togetherand I'll put some of them, some
noodles in it.
(31:35):
I'll put a little noodles ineither angel hair pasta or
whatever you like.
You know, and that's my chickensoup, that I like.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I think I'll do.
I think I'm gonna do the beefBecause it, you know, it sounds
so simple.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It sounds really.
I like the beef for you.
I'm not crazy about this.
So many people make a vegetablesoup and you got so much tomato
sauce.
It's like eating a can oftomato peas.
That's not, I don't even isacety yeah.
Yeah, I don't like spaghettithat much because of the tomato
sauce.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
I put on this poke.
I put it's about four gallonsthat I made, and I put one
tomato per gallon.
So so I get a tiny bit of, butI know what you're saying.
I don't want it to overoverwhelm it, and so I put one
tomato per gallon and you windup with with a mile, very mile,
(32:31):
but.
But it gives you that littletomato a little bit of.
Just that, just a hint, justthat you know you got a little
bit of tomato in there.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
You know, my grandma used to use v8.
She wouldn't even use to me.
She make a spaghetti.
She make a little better.
I need her spaghetti.
But then, like you take, like,well, others would make a
spaghetti.
Man, they got so much, you gotit hard, burn the rest of the
night and your belching tomatosauce.
But that's me, but that's mystomach.
Yeah, some people that's whatthey like, but that's how I am.
(32:59):
You know I can't.
You know how do you say thatI'm a body ragout leaves?
It started cooking it before Ihad a talent we did.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I tell you, I get carried away cooking.
I'm gonna tell you, last MondayI did about five gallons of
tomato, of Spaghetti, thespaghetti sauce would would meet
.
You know, my wife can't carry,come in and she said she just
shakes her head.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
What are you doing?
She walks but?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
but she knows I'm at law when I leave.
That kitchen is spotless.
I clean everything.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
So she don't have to come.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Then two days later, wednesday I think, I made
another big pot of Seafood gumboand and carry it she went and
got fresh crab meat, freshoysters well you know, fresh
from from I think we went toRousers or Claiborne Hill and
and and we got that, the crabmeat.
And then we went and got shrimpright there on the dock, off
(33:56):
the dock.
Here they said, oh, there'ssome beautiful shrimp coming in
Boke.
Oh, I wish if people only knewyou people listen, I tell you
all the time, you peoplelistening up north, because I
see, I see everywhere Way upnorth.
We have people all over UnitedStates that listen and I'm gonna
(34:16):
tell you you have to, you haveto if you want shrimp, like
right now.
I'm gonna give you an example.
There's boat, a boat's, out ofthe wrigglies now wrigglies is
around slide L, louisiana inbetween, right near the
Mississippi line that they, theyput it look little, little
skimmers.
They put in little skimmer netsdown and they coming up with in
(34:39):
in one, in one evening, 24boxes, which is 2400 pounds 2400
pounds and but guess what?
they getting a dollar fiftydollar seventy five a pound for
Gorgeous, gorgeous shrimp thatyou would, if you up north,
you'd pay twelve dollars a poundfor this, and, and, and you can
(35:03):
get it fresh.
So I look, I don't wantanything out of the deal, but if
you email me, you can contactme.
Tim at the Gulf Coast food show, calm, yeah, you contact me and
I will put you in touch withsome of these fishermen.
You come down here, bring yourice chest, go back up with with
four or five hundred pounds andyou know you, you might, you
(35:26):
might pay for your vacation andeverything you better hurry,
because the one that's coming,it's almost over.
You're right, you're right, so I.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
See all my boy, he's fishing and I told myself, look,
I like to put some, a littlebit of shrimp in the freezer for
bait.
I want some small shrimp thatwhen I go fishing I have some
bait shrimp.
He brought a man and they count30 something to the pound.
It's almost like a mix, almosta jumbo.
I said man.
He said, daddy, see, they nevergot smaller, still got big
(35:55):
giant, oh, they giant abeautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful shrimp.
So yeah, and good flavor.
My good, in fact.
I went to Rousers.
Rousers is still running tenfor a dollar, milly for ten for
a dollar.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Wow, that's one I was proud.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yesterday I cooked ten milly tons, stuffed them and
fed people.
It cost me a dollar.
Shrimp didn't cost me that.
My Boy gave it to my stuff, themilly tons of shrimp, and put
dollar.
This is a big, eight people upin on milly tone.
So anyhow, I mean get it whileit's dead.
(36:32):
That's how you got to work it.
Melitons in season.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
It sounds like poke is eating good down in Galliano.
On by your Lafouche.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Well, it was almost sent you a picture the milly
tons I had in the oven when Iwas baking.
Nice, my boy came, he ate three, oh, and then he said, he said,
look, I'm gonna bring some morehome.
He says, let me lay it on.
And then he brought seven homes, half-shells, you know.
Or he had to bring in 10half-shells, that'd be 10 of the
others.
(37:00):
So, but look, he's just so good.
I mean, they came out good.
It wasn't the same like theother ones, because what I did
was I had boiled some shrimp andI used ball shrimp instead of
raw shrimp.
So it was dry, it was stillgood, but I don't know that raw
shrimp gave that flavor becauseit let the juices out with the
belly trauma.
You know.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Well, how about this Po?
How about we set up?
The next time we talk and nexttime you come on, I want you to
tell the people about the big.
I know Okay.
Now now yeah, nobody gonna knowwhat a big I know is.
Well, you're gonna tell them.
You're gonna tell them and lookyou people listening when I have
(37:43):
him on and he's gonna talkabout a big I know.
Okay, now that's all Cajun talk.
It's a delicacy that's servedaround the world and when Pokey
wants it, he gets it by the gas.
He can get as much as he wants.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
I've eaten I get bring him by the bushel, by the
bath if you'll bring him in.
I'll have five gout in mybucket and I gotta stop him
because boy gives me the goutwhen I start eating this thing.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Okay, we gonna talk about that next time.
Big I knows, yes, indeed, I'veeaten it on your dock.
I've eaten it.
It was delicious.
So, man, hey, look, thank you,pokey, for coming on and sharing
your knowledge with us and yourexperience in fishing and this
(38:30):
oyster safety Type.
Yeah, look, we just gave somebasic ideas of how we can be a
little more safe and eat inoysters, especially raw oysters,
and no way are we marinebiologists or doctors, anything
like that.
We just happen to know morethan all of them.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah, we just know that the government has come a
long way in trying to protectpeople with food.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
They have.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
But it would all the protection.
You can still go get thatchicken that was watching you,
put it in your refrigerator andit'll get bad on you.
So do your own part.
That's what I'm saying.
If you're gonna eat oysters orseafood, make sure your
refrigeration or ice them up inthe ice Don't let the bacteria
get in there.
You get sick and then theoyster fisherman and the oyster
will get the wrap.
When it was your fault, youknow my fault.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
That's why I say I appreciate so much the wildlife
and fisheries.
The Mississippi Department ofMarine Resources, they you know
what, when I was shrimping outthere it was really was
aggravating.
And you know my boat it was abig boat.
I have double rigors.
I just get the nets down andI'm pulling for 20, 30 minutes
and here comes the DMR and theywant me to pick my nets up.
(39:35):
They're gonna check to see if Ihave my turtle excluded device.
And look, I did, but it wasstill.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Like you can't, you can't stir it.
I thought we could.
No, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
But they'd check you out good and make sure that
you're legal and at the end ofthe day I'm like, okay, I
appreciate what these people aredoing Unless they did it to me
twice in one night and then itgets real bad.
But when they out there andthey protecting, they truly are
protecting the nation literally,because oysters come Alabama,
mississippi, louisiana, some inTexas, a lot of Texas that's
(40:08):
where the oysters are comingfrom and they really are
protecting the reputation.
And so when they out there,they not harassing people, they
out there doing a wonderfulthing for restaurants, for
stores and for me and you, justa regular consumers now.
So I applaud them and I'm gladthey out there.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
So Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
Yes indeed.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Okay, pope.
I shared with someone today.
I said, look, I'm gonna bedoing a podcast on oysters,
really, and I sent us some ofthe podcast, so they're gonna be
excited.
They can't wait to listen.
Oh wonderful, your audience isgrowing.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
It's crazy, pope.
You know we're in 20 somethingcountries.
I mean, we just picked up somemore listeners.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
All right, tim.
You know, in the case of Galyan, it's not a country, we're not
a country.
I mean, I mean go, we're inlook Chechnya, italy, israel,
vietnam.
It's crazy and so in all of theUnited States.
We got the point associate thepoint of fool.
We got all the other ways.
(41:21):
So that can be some countries.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
The show didn't pick up until you started coming on,
Pope, that's what I'm saying.
Oh yeah, sure I'm coming on topof it, okay, well.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
So yeah, that's it.
So, countries, I'm so proud ofyou, tim, that evidently you're
doing something right.
Oh well, it's the Red M&M's man, the.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Red M&M's.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
You put on stuff like the Red M&M, they're like
yellow fog.
You know, that's all the thingsthat you got to walk.
That's knowledge, knowledge, Ilove it, that's right, that's
right.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Well, we enjoy it, man, thank you.
Thank you so much, pope, forcoming on.
And look, we're gonna next showwe do with you.
Big.
I Know, big.
I Know People need to know whatit is.
It's.
You know you're gonna flip out.
You're gonna love this.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Hey look, just so that your audience knows that
we're in no way no experts and alot of the people you bring on
here were just common people andyou remember that.
That one that come on that saidmy son in law cooked the best
steak you ever wanna eat.
Yes, he went by his dad's houseHim and my boy, the one that
showed him how to cook mydaughter told me she said it was
(42:24):
like trying to eat beef jerky,Said he couldn't eat it.
They ruined the steak.
They blamed it on the egg theywere cooking it in, and one of
them green eggs or whatever.
Oh no.
Like four of them watching itand then they're burning the
meat and it says man, it's likethe grits in here.
She said oh no, oh no.
So they ruined some hard dollarfilet mignon.
(42:47):
So look, just cause we said onthere, they don't always come
all like a week, that's so true.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
I just want to pass that on.
That's so true.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
We'll see if Trey's listening or he'll give us some
kickback at the end.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Oh yeah, he'll call, there you go.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
Okay buddy.
Hey, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Okay, bye, bye, okay.
Oh man, it's always nice totalk with Bokey.
I tell you, he's such a wealthof knowledge when it comes to
seafood it really I've known himfor many, many years and
between him, his sons, his dad,I mean, you figure, he lives in
(43:24):
the.
You can't get a better location.
If you're a commercialfisherman, maybe you can build
you a pier right on the Gulf ofMexico, but other than that,
he's within a few miles of justsome of the best fishing
shrimping in the country andhe's done it all his life and so
(43:46):
he's got a wealth ofinformation.
I'm so glad that he comes onand shares it with us.
So that's all the little showabout oysters and some of the
little safety things I told you.
Well, I told you about theSupper Club that's gonna be this
Wednesday.
This Wednesday, if you wanna goand you're in the area, we have
(44:10):
them coming up at numerouslocations.
Here's the problem as soon aswe put it out there, it's packed
.
I mean, I have friends that Iwanna invite and I can't because
it's already packed.
He was okay, I wanna go, boom,and it's done and over with.
(44:32):
So the next location we'regonna have?
Well, I don't know the nextlocation, but there's a few of
them and they're good.
We're gonna go to good places.
They're gonna show off theirbest and that's what we're gonna
do.
That's what we're gonna do atKaitaki.
They're gonna put on a nicelittle show of some of the
(44:53):
better things that they cook andanyway, I can't wait to do that
.
So this little thing, I tell youwe'll close on this because
it's a good news, bad news typething.
So the good news is we went toeat my dad, my wife and my
daughter Yesterday.
We went to eat at a let's justcall it a chain restaurant, but
(45:17):
a good one, a good chainrestaurant, and so we get it's a
steak place.
So I'll tell you that much.
And again, the reason I don'tlike to mention when I have a
bad experience, this is a primeexample of why I don't like to
mention the name.
This experience here will helpyou to see why I don't do that.
(45:38):
So we get there.
They're a little busy, but notreal busy, not terribly busy.
We get there, we get our seats,we go sit down and we order an
appetizer.
Everybody orders a drink and mywife orders a salad.
(45:58):
Of course she wants a salad, soshe orders a salad, that comes
first before her steak, butthere's no silverware.
So the waitress comes back andhey, could we get some
silverware?
That way, you know, my wife caneat a.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I'll be rightback with it.
Well, five minutes passes, sixminutes it's, you know.
(46:19):
And so I see her over at thelittle counter in the back and
so I think, well, let me go overhere, maybe she's something
come up.
So I went over and I said, hey,could we get that silverware?
I said I don't mind getting it.
If you tell me where it's at,I'll go get it.
And no, no, I'm coming with it.
What?
Another five minutes pass andI'm like, okay, wait a minute.
(46:42):
So finally I go up to thehostess up front, when you walk
in, and I said, look.
I said could we get somesilverware?
And maybe, I don't know, threeor four minutes later it was
still another low weight.
She came out and she, oh, yeah.
So she was apologetic.
I'm sorry, maybe theyoverlooked it.
(47:02):
I'll give them that one, thefirst one.
Okay, you overlooked it, but Idon't know, the waitress is not
that long.
So she brought it.
My wife had a beer and she saidcan you?
When you bring it.
Could you bring me a lemon I'msorry, an orange with my beer?
And I ordered a beer too and Isaid, yeah, I'd like one also.
(47:26):
So we get the ultra light andthat way you don't fill up on it
, but if you put the orange init it gives a little more of a
flavor.
So you're not drinking justwater, you know, because I like
heavy beer if I'm going to drinkit.
So we get the dark on beerthere.
Well, there's no limit Orange.
So we say, okay, you know shecomes back around.
(47:48):
Hey, could we get the orangefor the beer?
Yeah, yeah, I'm going to getthat now.
Okay, never came back.
So I just walked up to the barand while we were waiting, we
had about a 10 minute waitbefore we got there.
I mean, when we got there andthe bartender was really nice,
my dad and everybody I thinkeverybody got a beer and I made
(48:11):
sure I took care of him, Itipped him really nice because
nice guy and stuff, and so whenI walked back up there, you know
he was right away.
He was like hey, what do youneed?
You need something?
I said yeah.
I said we need a couple oforanges for our beer.
We got.
We didn't get them and he gotthem right away, boom.
So we bring them back to thetable, we sit down and the
(48:32):
waitress comes up and she's ohyeah, oh yeah, yeah.
I said no, no, we got him, it'sokay.
Everything about the service wasjust horrible.
My daughter ordered you know,it's not a blooming onion, but
it's something like it just thepetals.
They have like big petals andthey fried, and I'm not a big
(48:52):
fan of that fried stuff, but shewanted it.
I'm like, yeah, that's fine.
So she gets that and brings itand it's cold.
I mean it's like it's.
It was hot at one time in itslife, but now it it's cold.
And so we ate one and I'm like,oh no, no, no, no, we can't eat
this.
So the hostess is walking backby she's not a waitress and I
(49:15):
said look.
I said this stuff is reallykind of room temperature, it's
not hot, it's kind of soggy.
You know I was like oh no, I'lltake it right away for you.
Well, she did.
She picked it up right away,but it didn't come back until
almost we finished with ourentire meal.
So that was the bad experience.
(49:36):
But what was the good?
The good was.
The stakes came out fabulous.
The food was very good.
I got I got one of their statewas a ribeye.
I got the ribeye.
It was incredibly good.
The sides were very good.
(49:57):
My wife's steak, she loved it.
I mean, it's rare for her to goon about a steak but she just
went on.
Oh, this is so good.
My dad, he loved what he had.
He orders his steaks and he's aI want it.
Well done, really well, welldone.
And he forgets the rule thatthe more you cook a steak, the
(50:19):
more it becomes a mistake, andso, but hey, that's the way he
has it, you know, that's the wayhe wants it.
You know, 85 years old, I guessyou get your steak.
Oh, you want it.
But the point is everybody'sfood was good, and so of what
good would it do for somebodythat maybe has the ear of some
(50:41):
listeners in that area to saysomething bad about that
restaurant when it really wasn'ta cook, it wasn't the
management, it was just this onewaitress that just having a
real bad off day, that just shewasn't up to service that day,
but everything else was fine,and you know what?
You go back another day andmaybe even with the same
(51:02):
waitress and it may be a wholedifferent experience.
So so, anyway, that's why Idon't do that.
The restaurant business istough, it's hard and they don't
need people like me out therechirping bad things about them
when it's really just.
Maybe they just had a bad day,off day or whatever.
So, anyway, that's, that's thewhole the bad waitress
(51:27):
experience.
That's what that was about.
I know you've had them to.
My thought is you know what, ifit's not a total, total loss,
the whole evening experience,you know, give them the benefit
and and see what happens nexttime.
So, anyway, thank you so muchagain for joining us.
(51:50):
I tell you, our listeners aregrowing and growing and growing.
It's, it's wild, it really is,and so we appreciate it, we
truly appreciate it, just to beable to sit and chat and talk
about, just, I think, what it is.
It's what I loved about the the.
There was a food show I toldyou about it a few weeks ago,
(52:13):
the food show with Tom FitzMorris in New Orleans.
I'd listened to that show sinceit began 32 years ago.
I love that show and you knowwhat I think?
One of the things I lovedcooking.
I loved all of that, but at thesame time, it was just a
peaceful break away from thenews, from the politics and all
(52:42):
of the you know what I'm talkingabout, all of the stuff that
you have to put up with everyday.
It's just a break from that,and that's what I try to do with
this show is just kind of givea little different, different
vibe for the week.
You know just something else tonot clutter your mind with and
just sit back and listen to,like Gary.
You know the Cajun, the KingCajun, down in Galliano.
(53:06):
You know it's a pleasure and so, anyway, thank you for
listening and you know whatwe're gonna lead out with.
As always, I can't wait.
I get excited when I start toshow because I get to listen to
to patina, and when I end theshow I get to listen to to
patina by Ethan Langwood.
This is his version of it andhe does a fantastic job.
(53:29):
See you next time you.
Well, here we are.
Another weekend and anothershow, another pretty day.
Bad weather last night, huh,wow, wow, real bad.
In Tennessee we got.
You know, we didn't get a wholelot here, we really didn't.
So woke up, everything waswatered, nice and clean.
(00:32):
I can't complain with that.
Well, we're going to turn theturn the professor down a little
bit, boy, I tell you, we have afew things.
One that we're going to get toright away Right this time of
the year, everybody I sayeverybody, a lot of people are
(00:52):
doing stuffings, seafooddressing, oyster dressing, and
it's just this time of the yearto eat oysters.
And so, anyway, I just made abig thing of gumbo and it's
fresh crab meat, some shrimp,some oysters.
I kind of always do us.
Before I put them in the pot, Isneak out a few of them and eat
(01:14):
them raw, you know.
But that's what we wanted totalk about is eating raw oysters
.
Now we're look, nobody knowswhere that is, that bad one is.
But hey, we're going to chat alittle bit about it, and with
none other than Gary.
Gary, pokey, love, the man is afisherman his whole life, he
(01:34):
knows all about this stuff, andso we, you know, we can't speak
to the medical side of it, butwe could just tell you about
personal experiences, right?
So, anyway, we're going to talkabout that.
That's coming up right away.
What else is happening this week?
Wednesday, wednesday the GulfCoast Supper Club.
Our first, our first gatheringwith the supper club is going to
(02:00):
be at Kaitaki.
So talk with the owner again,and we've maxed the place out.
So fire marshal allows onlycertain amount and that's so we
packed it.
So that's, that's going to benice and I'll follow up with you
.
I'll let you know how it goes.
We may do a little something.
(02:20):
Live there, we'll try.
Okay, let's see how it goes.
Well, remember, we was talkingabout testing the sound and see
how it would sound.
If we do that, you know,because we don't want an
annoying show that you, you knowthat just echoes and stuff like
that.
So we're going to talk aboutthat a little bit.
One other thing you know, I Idon't, whenever we have a bad
(02:42):
experience at a restaurant.
I don't say the name of therestaurant, for many reasons,
you know, it's just, I justdon't like to go there.
But I'll tell you about anexperience that was not good
with a waitress.
I won't tell you where it is,because I've eaten that number
of times and it's been good.
When we got our food, it wasgood, but the waitress oh my
(03:05):
goodness, it was bad.
I can't wait to tell you aboutit.
It was, it was.
It was almost comical.
So we'll talk about that, butfor now, let me get Gary on the
line and we're going to talkabout what so many people are
doing right now.
This isn't.
This isn't an official list ofthings to do or don't do when
you're eating oysters rawoysters.
(03:26):
There's no medical advice beinggiven.
This is just us talking aboutour experience in in eating
oysters, raw oysters, cookedoysters, those kinds of things.
So hold tight a minute, let meget.
Let's see what line he's on.
I'm going to get him.
I'll get him up here in just asecond.
All right, gary, is that youare online too, is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
That's correct, All right.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Gary.
So by now everybody knows Gary,gary Pokey.
So we, we're talking aboutoyster, gary, and I mentioned to
, to, to everyone that you know,this time, and here everybody,
everybody, not everybody, a lotof people are doing oyster
dressing, oyster salad, oyster,everything you know, and we, and
(04:14):
so I just I wanted to chat withyou about the, the safety of it
.
You've been a fisherman allyour life and, like I said,
we're not medical people, but wecan talk about our experience
with this and so what?
What is a basic?
I don't know.
Let's start from from thescratch here.
You know how, where is it safeto get your oysters and and and
(04:34):
where is it not safe?
Some of the dos and don'ts forfor just the average person out
there that wants to make alittle oyster, something that,
and especially if it's not goingto be fully cooked, if they
want to eat them raw.
What's some pointers on that,gary?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
We'll start off with.
I mean, you look at and, likeyou mentioned, I've never seen a
market like what we have foreating raw oysters.
You have more oyster bars.
It seems like that's the thing.
Now They'll do grilled oysters,but you have raw oysters.
You have all of this, butoyster should be bought from a
reputable source.
You know, sometimes you got atruck on the side of the road
(05:12):
with just oysters in it, maybeon the back of a pickup truck.
It'll advise to start off withif you're buying oysters in a
sack, it should be tagged,marked exactly where it was
fished.
And you're hearing.
If they're selling oysters, itshould be a refrigerated body
that they're coming out of.
If they're in a truck, you know.
(05:32):
So on the side of the road youmight have salty oysters.
Stop here and get this.
So I would buy it from a storeyou might say a fish market, a
reputable place that's been inbusiness.
Or if you're going to eatoysters on a half shell, you
know, go to these places becausethese restaurants they got a
reputation it keeps.
(05:52):
So when they buy their oysterto serve on a half shell, you
can believe that they're gettingoysters from a safe place.
Now, over here we got wildlifeand fisheries and they monitor
all the bees and bacteria in thebees.
And you might have heard thatif you go swimming in salt water
you can get this flesh eatingbacteria.
So there's bacteria all thetime in the water.
(06:15):
Sometimes they're more active.
The temperature has a lot to dowith it.
But in oysters you're going tohave bacteria.
But they'll close the area,that's not.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
They're trying.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
So what's dangerous, tim, is if you get somebody
that's selling oysters and let'ssay that they're buying to
resell, buy off the boat and I'mgoing to retail it and I didn't
sell all my oysters.
Now I got my oyster two, threedays and now I'm carrying on to
the fourth day.
So you have to be careful, eventhough you know sometimes
(06:49):
people might keep the oystersoff.
So if you're opening up yourown oysters on a half shell, a
telltale sign is to look and seeif the oyster is dry.
A lot of oyster has to havewater in it.
So when you open up that oysteryou're going to see the water.
The water will leak out.
If it's dry, stuck to the shellof the sign, I mean I wouldn't
(07:14):
even I would throw it away.
I do throw it away.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
You should have one.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Because now the bacteria has had a chance to get
into it.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
You should have one piece of the oyster that stuck
and that's the eye.
The rest of it, yeah, you'reexact.
I've seen.
I mean I've opened many oysters.
You open it up and it's almostlike it develops a little spider
web.
You know, it's kind of stickingeverywhere.
Now over here, kerry, the DMR,the Department of Wildlife and
(07:43):
Fisheries, so I tell you what Idid.
Look, I had oyster license,fish license, shrimp license,
all of it.
And when we had our big boatand I'm going to tell you what
you don't want to get caughtwith trying to get away with
anything over here, with oystersFor instance, if you're out
(08:04):
there and let's say you're tongin the oysters, so you're in a
little skiff and you're tong inthe oysters and let's say they
say, look, you know, yeah, theseason's open, you can go tong.
You have a certain amount oftime to get those oysters and
get them to the dock becausethey're not refrigerated.
The temperature outside isevidently that they've deemed
(08:25):
the temperature outside Okay Toput your sacks on the boat until
you get in a few hours.
But I tell you what, gary, ifnot you, they will make you dump
those oysters.
I mean, there is no exceptions.
It could be your grandfatherout there and I'm.
They will not, and I applaudthem for it Really.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I do too, Tim.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You're right.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Because over here, the same thing and and sad to
say, people have gotten sick eatoysters, and it gave it a bad
rap.
But now another thing too, andall fairness to the oyster and
eating oysters.
Tim, if you want to purgeyourself, let's say I want to
clean myself up what are yougoing to do?
You're going to drink some saltwater right, you could.
(09:08):
But if you get over here youstart eating two or three dozen
raw oysters that salt is, couldbe, and you end up with diarrhea
, please don't start saying, oh,I got a bacteria.
No, you don't purge yourself.
Too much salt water that you'recleaning yourself up.
So a lot of times I'll get abad rap.
But with, like you say, thelaws, the protection of the
(09:33):
people for food, the FDA hasstepped in we can say that
oysters are relatively safe now,compared.
Now all food, I mean I can gobuy zucchini, I can go buy
lettuce, I can go buy stuff atWalmart and all of a sudden I've
got bacteria on it and it's arecall.
Don't eat it, it's a salmonellapoison, correct.
(09:54):
So I mean all foods.
It depends on who's selling it,how they store it, how they keep
it.
Temperature has a lot to dowith it.
Like you said, they've got arefrigerator Oistars.
If you get them hot, that shellstarts to crack open, the water
starts to leak out.
Then the next thing you know,bacteria gets in.
(10:15):
Then you can get sick fromeating a hot oyster.
So never get a sack of oysters.
Put it out on the semen in thesun and say, well, I'm opening
it up.
No, no, get in the shade.
Keep them in the ice chest,cool down with little ice.
So there's ways to get awayfrom getting sick and eating.
And look, I eat oysters, likeyou know, my little
(10:36):
granddaughter.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
She's starting to tell me that.
You tell me how old was shewhen you gave her her first raw
oyster?
Your granddaughter.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Two years old and, look, I got a lot of slack with
that.
People kick back or whatever.
Let me share my look on this.
The COVID was around, the fluwas around.
They got this three letter word.
I forgot what it is forrespiratory breathing.
(11:06):
And now they want you to getvaccinated.
You can even get thatvaccination for the shingles and
you get all these vaccinated.
What do they do?
They'll get a form of thatbacteria, introduce it to your
system so your sister can buildup an immune.
I don't eat so much raw oysters,since I'm a kid that every
little immune system in my bodyfinds anything to get in that
(11:27):
water.
That's the way I feel.
It's almost like that's myvaccination.
Don't take me up on that, I'mnot a doctor, but that's the way
I feel.
If I'm going to eat that oysterout of that water, I'm going to
eat it, but don't tell me notto eat that oyster and you go
swimming in that water, you goswallowing.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
That's what I wanted to hit on Same bacteria that's
in the water.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
There's bacteria in the water.
That's where the oysters aregetting it from.
So you know, sometimes oystersget a bad rapid.
I'm not telling you to go eatoysters.
I'm telling you why I eatoysters.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Now I'll tell you what Bokey and I'm sure you'd
agree, is that bacteria, theVibrio Vileciafus, I believe
it's called.
Yeah, that's it, that's whatyou want to call it Say it quick
and it doesn't matter.
The Vibrio virus.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
The Chinese food that you can't pronounce, right.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
So that bacteria now I'm like you know, I'm three
blocks from the Gulf of Mexicothat bacteria, even it's coal
right now, but that bacteria issomewhere in that water right
now, that same Vibrio bacteria,that flesh eating bacteria is
always in the water.
It loves brackish water, youknow the kind of mixed salt and
(12:47):
fresh water, a little brackish.
But the thing is, I know whenwe grew up we live right there
on Lake Pontchartrain, and sowhen we'd get oysters I can
remember my as a kid, you knowmy grandmother and uncles and
all and one or two of themthey'd say, no, you can't have
oysters, you can't have realoysters, and they wouldn't give
(13:09):
them to them because maybe theyhad diabetes, maybe they had a
kidney trouble, they had somekind of problem with them.
Now they're really susceptibleto where the average person
ingesting just the average stuffthat's in there anyway, it
wouldn't hurt at all.
So you go swimming Florida,anywhere, that bacteria is
(13:31):
always, it's just.
It's just when the temperaturegets a certain temperature and
maintained, and then it reallygets plentiful.
Now somebody goes out therewith a cut or scrape on them or
their foot is not healed ormaybe they you know some people
do they have, they can't healgood and they're getting that
water and they just well goahead and eat the oyster with
(13:54):
the Vibrio in it, becausethey're going to get it, that's
right.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I mean they give it a your immune system.
If your immune system is bad, Imean you're going to get sick
walking in the grass.
Maybe you never know, becauseyour immune system is down.
So a lot of times that comesinto play.
But let me give a little calloff for lemon.
Yes, lemon.
You know a lot of people cutlemon short.
Lemon cooks, that's what theysay.
(14:21):
You can cook stuff with lemonwith the acid.
Sure, sure, I always use lemonon my oyster, always.
I mean I say always, but almostalways, always.
I was brought up on differentseafood and they always give you
lemon when you have oyster.
Now, if oysters were not safe,I've seen enough oyster boars,
(14:44):
especially where you live, atTim.
They bump it up, bump it upover here in Louisiana, the same
thing when people are eating,and they'll end up.
And I don't hear anything inthe news about people getting
sick.
Have you been hearing anythingabout people getting sick with
oyster?
Speaker 2 (14:58):
No, no, no.
I tell you what in preparingfor the show, I did a little
research.
I'm looking at some newsarticles and stuff and it's a
shame because they used oneexample, this one particular
article.
They use an example and I said,yeah, this person got
definitely ill.
They got sick.
In fact, the lady died, shedied.
(15:20):
And so they tell them the storyof what happened.
But here's the thing they said,yeah, we got some oysters.
We got them from a friend ofours.
And right when she said thatI'm like there's your problem,
you said you got them from afriend.
So probably, look, they meantwell, maybe they, like you, said
(15:40):
they oyster, and then they hada few sacks left over.
They didn't sell them.
And now they say, hey, comepick these up, you can have them
, or whatever the case is.
But she said they were given toher by a friend.
And that's why what you said inthe beginning is so important.
That's some wonderful advice.
For example, go to a reputabledealer.
(16:01):
Go to look Rousers, rousers,you know they're going to
protect the reputation All ofthese places that sell and serve
oysters.
Man, I'm going to tell you whatyou do not want to be a
fisherman and then find out thatyou're cheating on anything,
because you'll never catch anoyster for these restaurants.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
That's correct.
You'll catch it on the revokelicense Sure.
You'll catch all kinds of findson you and things like that.
Tim, I know that that isabsolutely correct, well, the
cook stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
I guess the cook stuff, you know.
I tell you what I've look overthe years I can tell you I have
gotten sick on oysters and Iknow what it was.
I know exactly what got me.
So, in fact, one at one time ithad me and a buddy of mine.
We had hit the same restaurantI know exactly what restaurant
it come from and me and him bothhad raw oysters and both of us
(16:58):
got very sick and it got to me.
It was like okay, this isenough.
You know, I think I'm going togo to the hospital and I did.
I went to the hospital, theyput me on an IV and they just
had to get fluids back in me.
And look, I don't encourageanybody.
Did you have dark red?
It was.
I had everything, everything,everything that a bad oyster can
(17:20):
do you.
It did me Except, except stopme from eating the raw oysters.
And I still do.
So as long as I'm healthy.
I don't think I'm going toavoid it because I've gotten
sick off of other food.
You know, and when cooking I doa lot of fact.
Today I want to tell you aboutsome soup I did.
I did a giant pot of soup todayand when I'm preparing, cutting
(17:46):
everything everything like thechicken is done on a separate
cutting board, the the beef on aseparate cutting board, the
vegetables on, and as soon asI'm finished with like the
chicken portion, everything getswashed.
Then I pull out the stuff forthe beef and then the rest.
So what I'm saying is that mostof the time, if you're going to
get sick from food, it's goingto be cross contamination.
(18:09):
It isn't the chicken thatyou're cutting up, it's your
knife wasn't clean.
You have a dirty cutting board,your countertops were dirty.
Generally that's where you'regoing to get sick, but not from
the food itself.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Let me run something by you, not as you brought that
up.
One of the things that I do notdo is eat raw oysters like you
bomb already opened.
You can get them in a store.
I will not even care what storeit's coming from.
I will not eat the raw oystersout of a jar.
I want to see that oyster inthe shell.
(18:42):
So, and the reason is that Idon't know when it was opened, I
don't know what was the shelflife on it, but if that oyster
was fresh, even though when itopens up, if it has that water
in it.
So basically I like to open myown oysters, but I could see
where contamination could comein to a gallon of oyster that
(19:06):
you had in the refrigerator andthat gallon of oyster.
The center of it did not getcold enough to where the
bacteria started growing insidethem oyster or that gallon, and
you could end up really sickwith that.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
You can.
I would say this Poke is.
My experience has been this weused to deal with Crystal Seas
right here in Paschus, ga, inMississippi.
Crystal Seas is a giantoperation with oysters.
If you're getting oysters in it, like the little court or the
pint that you're talking about,I've been inside their facility.
(19:43):
I used to.
When I had the seafood market Iused to buy from them many,
many, many thousands of oystersand I went in and actually I'm
watching the whole process.
I'm telling you, but it's clean.
I mean it's it's clean and Iagree with you, tim.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
That's not the one that's going to get you sick.
You see, the Tim Harrison thatbought that oyster, that
couldn't sell it this week, putit on the sides.
Maybe refrigeration wasn'tmonitored correctly and it gets
bad and he's resell.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, I hear you.
That's where they're going toget sick what I'm talking about
is, in other words, you go toRousers or you go to Claben Hill
or your Bromont or what youknow what one of the stores.
You go there and you're goingto see them.
You're going to see them in theseafood department, the, the,
the little pikes they aresetting on ice.
(20:35):
And I'll tell you what I'venever.
I've never had an issue withthem, and that's what I'm saying
about a reputation.
Is that the, the processors,that that that are putting that
stuff on those shelves?
You can't afford to get nobody.
No, no, no.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
And again, I'm not talking about these big store,
I'm talking about people.
Like you said, somebody gave mesome oysters.
Somebody gave me a guy who wentto fish and rented it as I
bought a sack, or they opened upthese oysters, opened you up a
half a gallon.
I'm going to give you a half agallon of oysters and.
I'll put it in my refrigeratorand I keep it there, and here
come Tim and Carrie and you'llcome over and it's three days
(21:11):
later.
I had an infusion.
Hey, you don't want to eat someraw oysters?
We're still eating.
I just have gallon.
We're in trouble I mean you cansmell it.
Sure, when I say that that'slong, so the oyster has to be
alive, that's long you can smell.
So yeah, oysters is safe, butjust like any other food I mean,
take chicken I can tell thechickens bad.
I bought some chicken out ofthere at Walmart.
(21:32):
I had to bring it back.
She said you didn't have tobring it back.
I said I don't want to go tosmell what I bought.
I said I opened it up almostbombarded, so evidently the
refrigeration process went badSomewhere's on the line.
I said soon as I opened it.
So if you, if you smell that,even if you open up a shell and
you got a little jar and it gota little, don't eat, please
(21:53):
don't eat it, cause then you goblame the oyster when really was
our fault.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Yeah, I think that's so true.
Okay, and you know, you have alifetime experience as a since
you was a kid commercial fishingshrimp and oyster, so so I
really appreciate and and andand trust.
What you're saying about thisstuff and I think that is so
true is that you have a buddythat, look, if he oysters and,
(22:18):
and he went out the same day andhe's bringing back to you that
day, oh yeah, that's fine.
But, like you said, if it's,yeah, my, my, my brother-in-law
has got a friend that has someoysters and no, no, no, no, you
don't want to do that.
Just go ahead and get them fromthe store.
Get some, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
That has a date on it .
Like right now they have oyster.
They go, they leave everymorning, they come back every
evening and you go pick up youroysters and it's like we had a
friend of our picked up 11 socksfor some other friends, 11
socks of oysters that he went topick up off of the boat.
We got friends that's comingdown from New York and I got two
socks ordered for them and agallon opens for them and that's
(22:58):
the come off the orc.
We're going direct to the orc.
When he comes to leave thatmorning I come back in and I'm
going to go ahead and we'regoing to bring it down.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
But that oyster boat, like yesterday okay,
yesterday's in the seventiesthem oysters aren't just sitting
on a deck.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Oh no, they got refrigerated.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
See, that's the thing is.
You know, I want to hear.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
It's all refrigerated .
Speaker 2 (23:18):
You have to have cool , they have refrigeration units,
in fact and they have time.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Like you said, they got certain times that they're
allowed to keep oysters on theboat and that's it.
Yeah, no more.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
The big, the big oyster places that have that
serve on the half shell, likethe big places in New Orleans.
Do you know some of thoseplaces?
They have their own, their ownleases.
They have their own oysterlease, in other words, that
nobody can fish.
That's their property, that'stheir oysters, their land and
(23:52):
they oyster it and you believeme, they take care of it.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
So yeah, and they're coming out with this forming of
oysters.
So now you can move your oysterto an area where it never gets
in the mud.
It's floating what it is, it'slittle floating containers on
yeah.
Water containers.
I've seen it and they'refiltering the water.
(24:17):
And some of the best oystersyou want to eat is these former
oyster.
The only thing I like.
Open them.
They're small.
You got to have a special kindof knife to open them, but
they're good.
That's the future, that's allthings of the future.
Yeah, look at them.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Well, for right now I tell you what we'll wind it up
with.
Let's just say if you're outthere listening and you want
oysters, buy them from areputable dealer.
And look the price of oysters.
They go up every well, and theycrab meat too this time of the
year, or all the seafood.
It's going up becauseeverybody's cooking with it.
But if you're going to do it,just go ahead and get a
(24:55):
reputable grocery store,somebody that really specializes
in that kind of stuff seafoodand you're probably you're going
to be safe.
If you have some type ofillness, then maybe stay away
from it.
Otherwise, a little harshradish, some ketchup and some
lemon.
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Then look, and even if you buy from a reputable
place, let's say that I want togo ahead and I got people coming
over you know, family that Ihaven't seen and I want to
prepare my oyster Dish.
So I'm gonna go ahead and I'mgonna get a half a gallon of
oysters and I'm a bite two,three days ahead of time.
Keep it cold enough.
(25:39):
Oysters is not like a Hamthat's been salted down and you
can put in your refrigerator.
Mm-hmm.
They pack them in ice at thestores for a reason ice needs to
keep it right at what.
What is ice?
32 degrees to freeze ice, Ithink first one.
So 30, so at 40 degrees.
If your refrigerator is not 40degrees, man don't keep it in
(26:02):
that too long, or ice them up inan ice chest when ice
surrounded around them.
So they just stay very cold.
You know, don't allow thebacteria to set in there, cuz
you're gonna get sick.
Yep, even though you buy that areputable place, that pool,
just like that is so true youknow meat or anything else.
If you don't refrigerate itproperly, your bacteria is gonna
go in.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Well, I tell you what , Gary look, whenever we have
these subjects of seafood, your,your, your.
The value of your knowledge ispriceless, and I'm so glad that
you come on and and and clarifya few things.
Just give a little look, atleast People are listening to
someone who has done this theirentire life.
They, they, you know a bragabout you, but it's true.
(26:47):
Yeah, when it comes to seafood,you're an authority.
You have yourself, yeah, Ithink two of your son's still
crab.
They've run close to a thousandcrab traps.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
I mean that that's when you know long, but he's
thinking about coming by.
But, yeah, you're right.
Yeah, in fact, all three of myboys were fishermen.
Sure, we always did do that,yeah, so your knowledge is Truly
appreciated.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And look, if we get another question up here,
because we get questions in andI just kind of compile them and
wait Till we get enough of themon a certain subject.
But this oyster thing, becauseI think, because it's just a
holiday season and a lot ofpeople are cooking, you know the
oyster dressings and stuff thatwe do down here and and that
subject just kind of kind ofcame up.
(27:37):
But but anyway it's appreciatedand thank you for always
volunteering, you and sharingyour knowledge.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
You're very welcome.
Thank you for having me on theshow and I thank you, your
audience, for listening in.
You know and look, the oysterbars are popular right now.
Man Go eat some more oyster Goto your oyster bars.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Be sure you got your favorite one.
They got some good ones.
If you see a lot of peoplethere, you can be sure that they
they never.
They don't have the reputationof people getting sick that
could get following in on.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yeah, that's right, boy.
Well, hey, that's been somegreat advice.
I'm gonna.
I'm gonna talk a little bitabout.
I tell you what, gary, if Icould put you on a spot just a
second, I did a big pot of soup,but it's you were telling me
about a soup that I didvegetable, beef and chicken, and
(28:30):
I had all the vegetables andeverything in there and in fact
it's on the stove now.
I did almost, I guess, fourgallons of it's soup and a
vegetable soup and I share it.
I have.
You know, we have some, someolder friends that that can't,
you know, really love to cookbut they can't.
And what we'll give them, youknow, we'll give them enough to
(28:51):
where they have meals for thenext week and a half, you know.
But you talked about a Soup, ofbeef soup.
Now what I'm thinking?
Okay, I'm doing vegetable beefsoup.
No, you, you said somethingabout a different type of soup.
Well, what is the long andshort of of this vegetable, not
vegetable, this beef soup?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Yeah, well, that's, that's a beef soup.
See, my mom would makeVegetable beef and my grandma
vegetable beef.
But one of my grandmas wouldmake beef soup and I beat so
you're starting at the vegetableentities on, not on.
You get about eight onions.
You peel them down once theybrown down and you take your.
(29:35):
You take your beef.
I'll go with the chuckles, abig chuckles.
I'll cut it in chunks, oh, andI'll put a little flower on and
I'll brown it.
I'll just brown that and thenI'll put it on the side and then
no, then then, like my onions,once my onions are caramelized,
really well, then I'll go aheadand I'll throw, I guess, about
(30:00):
six pounds, five, six poundropes.
You'll cut up a cube.
Then I'll buy Two packs, twobig packs of beef ribs and you
need to have these beef ribs andthen I'll buy the beef bone
With the marrow in it.
You can buy the bone with themarrow in it.
Sure and I'll buy that and I'llthrow that in my soup and then
(30:22):
I'll cook that thing down untilthe meat comes off the bones of
the ribs.
And Then you can't leave it set.
You get all of that towel andoil and grease off the top of it
and you want to eat a soup.
You eat that.
Now.
You got all the stuff comingout of the bones.
You got the onion it has goodand you season it to taste sure
you know whatever, whateverseason you want, but to me
(30:44):
that's a beef soup.
Then you take that meat that'sso tender, you pull it out and
you make like a salad with a rawonion, garlic, green onions,
and you put a little olive oilon it, no black pepper, and then
you eat that on the side andthat's my beef soup.
Wow, sick, that's what I make abeef soup.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
So it's just, it's just beef, beef and onions and
seasoning.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Beef onion seasoning, but you put the beef, you got
to have the ribs.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I'll win the ribs and now chicken.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
I'll make a chicken soup.
That's me the chicken soup.
I think I had like 10 legquarters.
I put a big chicken soup but Icook them things until it bones,
till the meat come off the bone.
Then I go ahead and I pull theskin off after I pull the fat
out, the boner, the boner.
Then I'll put it back togetherand I'll put some of them, some
noodles in it.
(31:35):
I'll put a little noodles ineither angel hair pasta or
whatever you like.
You know, and that's my chickensoup, that I like.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I think I'll do.
I think I'm gonna do the beefBecause it, you know, it sounds
so simple.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It sounds really.
I like the beef for you.
I'm not crazy about this.
So many people make a vegetablesoup and you got so much tomato
sauce.
It's like eating a can oftomato peas.
That's not, I don't even isacety yeah.
Yeah, I don't like spaghettithat much because of the tomato
sauce.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
I put on this poke.
I put it's about four gallonsthat I made, and I put one
tomato per gallon.
So so I get a tiny bit of, butI know what you're saying.
I don't want it to overoverwhelm it, and so I put one
tomato per gallon and you windup with with a mile, very mile,
(32:31):
but.
But it gives you that littletomato a little bit of.
Just that, just a hint, justthat you know you got a little
bit of tomato in there.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
You know, my grandma used to use v8.
She wouldn't even use to me.
She make a spaghetti.
She make a little better.
I need her spaghetti.
But then, like you take, like,well, others would make a
spaghetti.
Man, they got so much, you gotit hard, burn the rest of the
night and your belching tomatosauce.
But that's me, but that's mystomach.
Yeah, some people that's whatthey like, but that's how I am.
(32:59):
You know I can't.
You know how do you say thatI'm a body ragout leaves?
It started cooking it before Ihad a talent we did.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I tell you, I get carried away cooking.
I'm gonna tell you, last MondayI did about five gallons of
tomato, of Spaghetti, thespaghetti sauce would would meet
.
You know, my wife can't carry,come in and she said she just
shakes her head.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
What are you doing?
She walks but?
Speaker 2 (33:27):
but she knows I'm at law when I leave.
That kitchen is spotless.
I clean everything.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
So she don't have to come.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Then two days later, wednesday I think, I made
another big pot of Seafood gumboand and carry it she went and
got fresh crab meat, freshoysters well you know, fresh
from from I think we went toRousers or Claiborne Hill and
and and we got that, the crabmeat.
And then we went and got shrimpright there on the dock, off
(33:56):
the dock.
Here they said, oh, there'ssome beautiful shrimp coming in
Boke.
Oh, I wish if people only knewyou people listen, I tell you
all the time, you peoplelistening up north, because I
see, I see everywhere Way upnorth.
We have people all over UnitedStates that listen and I'm gonna
(34:16):
tell you you have to, you haveto if you want shrimp, like
right now.
I'm gonna give you an example.
There's boat, a boat's, out ofthe wrigglies now wrigglies is
around slide L, louisiana inbetween, right near the
Mississippi line that they, theyput it look little, little
skimmers.
They put in little skimmer netsdown and they coming up with in
(34:39):
in one, in one evening, 24boxes, which is 2400 pounds 2400
pounds and but guess what?
they getting a dollar fiftydollar seventy five a pound for
Gorgeous, gorgeous shrimp thatyou would, if you up north,
you'd pay twelve dollars a poundfor this, and, and, and you can
(35:03):
get it fresh.
So I look, I don't wantanything out of the deal, but if
you email me, you can contactme.
Tim at the Gulf Coast food show, calm, yeah, you contact me and
I will put you in touch withsome of these fishermen.
You come down here, bring yourice chest, go back up with with
four or five hundred pounds andyou know you, you might, you
(35:26):
might pay for your vacation andeverything you better hurry,
because the one that's coming,it's almost over.
You're right, you're right, so I.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
See all my boy, he's fishing and I told myself, look,
I like to put some, a littlebit of shrimp in the freezer for
bait.
I want some small shrimp thatwhen I go fishing I have some
bait shrimp.
He brought a man and they count30 something to the pound.
It's almost like a mix, almosta jumbo.
I said man.
He said, daddy, see, they nevergot smaller, still got big
(35:55):
giant, oh, they giant abeautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful shrimp.
So yeah, and good flavor.
My good, in fact.
I went to Rousers.
Rousers is still running tenfor a dollar, milly for ten for
a dollar.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Wow, that's one I was proud.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yesterday I cooked ten milly tons, stuffed them and
fed people.
It cost me a dollar.
Shrimp didn't cost me that.
My Boy gave it to my stuff, themilly tons of shrimp, and put
dollar.
This is a big, eight people upin on milly tone.
So anyhow, I mean get it whileit's dead.
(36:32):
That's how you got to work it.
Melitons in season.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
It sounds like poke is eating good down in Galliano.
On by your Lafouche.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Well, it was almost sent you a picture the milly
tons I had in the oven when Iwas baking.
Nice, my boy came, he ate three, oh, and then he said, he said,
look, I'm gonna bring some morehome.
He says, let me lay it on.
And then he brought seven homes, half-shells, you know.
Or he had to bring in 10half-shells, that'd be 10 of the
others.
(37:00):
So, but look, he's just so good.
I mean, they came out good.
It wasn't the same like theother ones, because what I did
was I had boiled some shrimp andI used ball shrimp instead of
raw shrimp.
So it was dry, it was stillgood, but I don't know that raw
shrimp gave that flavor becauseit let the juices out with the
belly trauma.
You know.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Well, how about this Po?
How about we set up?
The next time we talk and nexttime you come on, I want you to
tell the people about the big.
I know Okay.
Now now yeah, nobody gonna knowwhat a big I know is.
Well, you're gonna tell them.
You're gonna tell them and lookyou people listening when I have
(37:43):
him on and he's gonna talkabout a big I know.
Okay, now that's all Cajun talk.
It's a delicacy that's servedaround the world and when Pokey
wants it, he gets it by the gas.
He can get as much as he wants.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
I've eaten I get bring him by the bushel, by the
bath if you'll bring him in.
I'll have five gout in mybucket and I gotta stop him
because boy gives me the goutwhen I start eating this thing.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Okay, we gonna talk about that next time.
Big I knows, yes, indeed, I'veeaten it on your dock.
I've eaten it.
It was delicious.
So, man, hey, look, thank you,pokey, for coming on and sharing
your knowledge with us and yourexperience in fishing and this
(38:30):
oyster safety Type.
Yeah, look, we just gave somebasic ideas of how we can be a
little more safe and eat inoysters, especially raw oysters,
and no way are we marinebiologists or doctors, anything
like that.
We just happen to know morethan all of them.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah, we just know that the government has come a
long way in trying to protectpeople with food.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
They have.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
But it would all the protection.
You can still go get thatchicken that was watching you,
put it in your refrigerator andit'll get bad on you.
So do your own part.
That's what I'm saying.
If you're gonna eat oysters orseafood, make sure your
refrigeration or ice them up inthe ice Don't let the bacteria
get in there.
You get sick and then theoyster fisherman and the oyster
will get the wrap.
When it was your fault, youknow my fault.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
That's why I say I appreciate so much the wildlife
and fisheries.
The Mississippi Department ofMarine Resources, they you know
what, when I was shrimping outthere it was really was
aggravating.
And you know my boat it was abig boat.
I have double rigors.
I just get the nets down andI'm pulling for 20, 30 minutes
and here comes the DMR and theywant me to pick my nets up.
(39:35):
They're gonna check to see if Ihave my turtle excluded device.
And look, I did, but it wasstill.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Like you can't, you can't stir it.
I thought we could.
No, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
But they'd check you out good and make sure that
you're legal and at the end ofthe day I'm like, okay, I
appreciate what these people aredoing Unless they did it to me
twice in one night and then itgets real bad.
But when they out there andthey protecting, they truly are
protecting the nation literally,because oysters come Alabama,
mississippi, louisiana, some inTexas, a lot of Texas that's
(40:08):
where the oysters are comingfrom and they really are
protecting the reputation.
And so when they out there,they not harassing people, they
out there doing a wonderfulthing for restaurants, for
stores and for me and you, justa regular consumers now.
So I applaud them and I'm gladthey out there.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
So Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
Yes indeed.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Okay, pope.
I shared with someone today.
I said, look, I'm gonna bedoing a podcast on oysters,
really, and I sent us some ofthe podcast, so they're gonna be
excited.
They can't wait to listen.
Oh wonderful, your audience isgrowing.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
It's crazy, pope.
You know we're in 20 somethingcountries.
I mean, we just picked up somemore listeners.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
All right, tim.
You know, in the case of Galyan, it's not a country, we're not
a country.
I mean, I mean go, we're inlook Chechnya, italy, israel,
vietnam.
It's crazy and so in all of theUnited States.
We got the point associate thepoint of fool.
We got all the other ways.
(41:21):
So that can be some countries.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
The show didn't pick up until you started coming on,
Pope, that's what I'm saying.
Oh yeah, sure I'm coming on topof it, okay, well.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
So yeah, that's it.
So, countries, I'm so proud ofyou, tim, that evidently you're
doing something right.
Oh well, it's the Red M&M's man, the.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Red M&M's.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
You put on stuff like the Red M&M, they're like
yellow fog.
You know, that's all the thingsthat you got to walk.
That's knowledge, knowledge, Ilove it, that's right, that's
right.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Well, we enjoy it, man, thank you.
Thank you so much, pope, forcoming on.
And look, we're gonna next showwe do with you.
Big.
I Know, big.
I Know People need to know whatit is.
It's.
You know you're gonna flip out.
You're gonna love this.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Hey look, just so that your audience knows that
we're in no way no experts and alot of the people you bring on
here were just common people andyou remember that.
That one that come on that saidmy son in law cooked the best
steak you ever wanna eat.
Yes, he went by his dad's houseHim and my boy, the one that
showed him how to cook mydaughter told me she said it was
(42:24):
like trying to eat beef jerky,Said he couldn't eat it.
They ruined the steak.
They blamed it on the egg theywere cooking it in, and one of
them green eggs or whatever.
Oh no.
Like four of them watching itand then they're burning the
meat and it says man, it's likethe grits in here.
She said oh no, oh no.
So they ruined some hard dollarfilet mignon.
(42:47):
So look, just cause we said onthere, they don't always come
all like a week, that's so true.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
I just want to pass that on.
That's so true.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
We'll see if Trey's listening or he'll give us some
kickback at the end.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Oh yeah, he'll call, there you go.
Speaker 3 (43:01):
Okay buddy.
Hey, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Okay, bye, bye, okay.
Oh man, it's always nice totalk with Bokey.
I tell you, he's such a wealthof knowledge when it comes to
seafood it really I've known himfor many, many years and
between him, his sons, his dad,I mean, you figure, he lives in
(43:24):
the.
You can't get a better location.
If you're a commercialfisherman, maybe you can build
you a pier right on the Gulf ofMexico, but other than that,
he's within a few miles of justsome of the best fishing
shrimping in the country andhe's done it all his life and so
(43:46):
he's got a wealth ofinformation.
I'm so glad that he comes onand shares it with us.
So that's all the little showabout oysters and some of the
little safety things I told you.
Well, I told you about theSupper Club that's gonna be this
Wednesday.
This Wednesday, if you wanna goand you're in the area, we have
(44:10):
them coming up at numerouslocations.
Here's the problem as soon aswe put it out there, it's packed
.
I mean, I have friends that Iwanna invite and I can't because
it's already packed.
He was okay, I wanna go, boom,and it's done and over with.
(44:32):
So the next location we'regonna have?
Well, I don't know the nextlocation, but there's a few of
them and they're good.
We're gonna go to good places.
They're gonna show off theirbest and that's what we're gonna
do.
That's what we're gonna do atKaitaki.
They're gonna put on a nicelittle show of some of the
(44:53):
better things that they cook andanyway, I can't wait to do that
.
So this little thing, I tell youwe'll close on this because
it's a good news, bad news typething.
So the good news is we went toeat my dad, my wife and my
daughter Yesterday.
We went to eat at a let's justcall it a chain restaurant, but
(45:17):
a good one, a good chainrestaurant, and so we get it's a
steak place.
So I'll tell you that much.
And again, the reason I don'tlike to mention when I have a
bad experience, this is a primeexample of why I don't like to
mention the name.
This experience here will helpyou to see why I don't do that.
(45:38):
So we get there.
They're a little busy, but notreal busy, not terribly busy.
We get there, we get our seats,we go sit down and we order an
appetizer.
Everybody orders a drink and mywife orders a salad.
(45:58):
Of course she wants a salad, soshe orders a salad, that comes
first before her steak, butthere's no silverware.
So the waitress comes back andhey, could we get some
silverware?
That way, you know, my wife caneat a.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I'll be rightback with it.
Well, five minutes passes, sixminutes it's, you know.
(46:19):
And so I see her over at thelittle counter in the back and
so I think, well, let me go overhere, maybe she's something
come up.
So I went over and I said, hey,could we get that silverware?
I said I don't mind getting it.
If you tell me where it's at,I'll go get it.
And no, no, I'm coming with it.
What?
Another five minutes pass andI'm like, okay, wait a minute.
(46:42):
So finally I go up to thehostess up front, when you walk
in, and I said, look.
I said could we get somesilverware?
And maybe, I don't know, threeor four minutes later it was
still another low weight.
She came out and she, oh, yeah.
So she was apologetic.
I'm sorry, maybe theyoverlooked it.
(47:02):
I'll give them that one, thefirst one.
Okay, you overlooked it, but Idon't know, the waitress is not
that long.
So she brought it.
My wife had a beer and she saidcan you?
When you bring it.
Could you bring me a lemon I'msorry, an orange with my beer?
And I ordered a beer too and Isaid, yeah, I'd like one also.
(47:26):
So we get the ultra light andthat way you don't fill up on it
, but if you put the orange init it gives a little more of a
flavor.
So you're not drinking justwater, you know, because I like
heavy beer if I'm going to drinkit.
So we get the dark on beerthere.
Well, there's no limit Orange.
So we say, okay, you know shecomes back around.
(47:48):
Hey, could we get the orangefor the beer?
Yeah, yeah, I'm going to getthat now.
Okay, never came back.
So I just walked up to the barand while we were waiting, we
had about a 10 minute waitbefore we got there.
I mean, when we got there andthe bartender was really nice,
my dad and everybody I thinkeverybody got a beer and I made
(48:11):
sure I took care of him, Itipped him really nice because
nice guy and stuff, and so whenI walked back up there, you know
he was right away.
He was like hey, what do youneed?
You need something?
I said yeah.
I said we need a couple oforanges for our beer.
We got.
We didn't get them and he gotthem right away, boom.
So we bring them back to thetable, we sit down and the
(48:32):
waitress comes up and she's ohyeah, oh yeah, yeah.
I said no, no, we got him, it'sokay.
Everything about the service wasjust horrible.
My daughter ordered you know,it's not a blooming onion, but
it's something like it just thepetals.
They have like big petals andthey fried, and I'm not a big
(48:52):
fan of that fried stuff, but shewanted it.
I'm like, yeah, that's fine.
So she gets that and brings itand it's cold.
I mean it's like it's.
It was hot at one time in itslife, but now it it's cold.
And so we ate one and I'm like,oh no, no, no, no, we can't eat
this.
So the hostess is walking backby she's not a waitress and I
(49:15):
said look.
I said this stuff is reallykind of room temperature, it's
not hot, it's kind of soggy.
You know I was like oh no, I'lltake it right away for you.
Well, she did.
She picked it up right away,but it didn't come back until
almost we finished with ourentire meal.
So that was the bad experience.
(49:36):
But what was the good?
The good was.
The stakes came out fabulous.
The food was very good.
I got I got one of their statewas a ribeye.
I got the ribeye.
It was incredibly good.
The sides were very good.
(49:57):
My wife's steak, she loved it.
I mean, it's rare for her to goon about a steak but she just
went on.
Oh, this is so good.
My dad, he loved what he had.
He orders his steaks and he's aI want it.
Well done, really well, welldone.
And he forgets the rule thatthe more you cook a steak, the
(50:19):
more it becomes a mistake, andso, but hey, that's the way he
has it, you know, that's the wayhe wants it.
You know, 85 years old, I guessyou get your steak.
Oh, you want it.
But the point is everybody'sfood was good, and so of what
good would it do for somebodythat maybe has the ear of some
(50:41):
listeners in that area to saysomething bad about that
restaurant when it really wasn'ta cook, it wasn't the
management, it was just this onewaitress that just having a
real bad off day, that just shewasn't up to service that day,
but everything else was fine,and you know what?
You go back another day andmaybe even with the same
(51:02):
waitress and it may be a wholedifferent experience.
So so, anyway, that's why Idon't do that.
The restaurant business istough, it's hard and they don't
need people like me out therechirping bad things about them
when it's really just.
Maybe they just had a bad day,off day or whatever.
So, anyway, that's, that's thewhole the bad waitress
(51:27):
experience.
That's what that was about.
I know you've had them to.
My thought is you know what, ifit's not a total, total loss,
the whole evening experience,you know, give them the benefit
and and see what happens nexttime.
So, anyway, thank you so muchagain for joining us.
(51:50):
I tell you, our listeners aregrowing and growing and growing.
It's, it's wild, it really is,and so we appreciate it, we
truly appreciate it, just to beable to sit and chat and talk
about, just, I think, what it is.
It's what I loved about the the.
There was a food show I toldyou about it a few weeks ago,
(52:13):
the food show with Tom FitzMorris in New Orleans.
I'd listened to that show sinceit began 32 years ago.
I love that show and you knowwhat I think?
One of the things I lovedcooking.
I loved all of that, but at thesame time, it was just a
peaceful break away from thenews, from the politics and all
(52:42):
of the you know what I'm talkingabout, all of the stuff that
you have to put up with everyday.
It's just a break from that,and that's what I try to do with
this show is just kind of givea little different, different
vibe for the week.
You know just something else tonot clutter your mind with and
just sit back and listen to,like Gary.
You know the Cajun, the KingCajun, down in Galliano.
(53:06):
You know it's a pleasure and so, anyway, thank you for
listening and you know whatwe're gonna lead out with.
As always, I can't wait.
I get excited when I start toshow because I get to listen to
to patina, and when I end theshow I get to listen to to
patina by Ethan Langwood.
This is his version of it andhe does a fantastic job.
(53:29):
See you next time you.
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