ALEX: All right, Seth.

So, we're here at Ferry Cove, which is one of the most automated and high-tech hatcheries in the country.

SETH: And so what are we looking at in these little containers right here?

ALEX: So, this is literally six million oysters, oyster larva in this container right here.

SETH: Six million?

ALEX: Yep.

That's how they start.

That larva is then taken and put into these tanks where there's a culch at the bottom that larva settles, finds something hard to attach to, starts to grow its shell.

Just after a few weeks, it gets to a size big enough like this, and these are now seed oysters that we can plant in the water.

The Dancing Molly, what makes it special first is where it starts.

These seed will go into our lease on Harris Creek.

Very calm, easy-going body of water.

The oysters are very happy in the beginning, but that oyster, we don't want it to grow too fast.

We then take it, pluck it out of Harris Creek after about a year, and take it out to the rough waters of Eastern Bay.

That's where Mother Nature really creates that beautiful final product that we call Dancing Mollys.

SETH: So, there's a lot happening in the water with these oysters.

They're not just sitting there on the seabed floor.

ALEX: Absolutely not.

There's a lot of husbandry that goes on from seed all the way to shuck.

Seth, let's go get our waders on, head out to the bay, and see what we can find.

SETH: That sounds like a lot of fun.

Let's do it.

ALEX: Let's do it.

♪ ♪ SETH: Alex.

ALEX: Yes sir.

SETH: I'm all waded up, ready to go.

ALEX: Looking good.

SETH: What are we looking for out here today?

ALEX: All right.

We're on one of our oyster leases here.

We're in Eastern Bay, Chesapeake Bay.

Dancing Mollys, this is where they come from.

SETH: I see we got another passenger with us.

ALEX: Yes.

This is Lucy.

This is, uh, her beach, so we're just happy to be here.

SETH: Hey girl.

ALEX: And, uh, let's hop on board.

We'll pull anchor head on out.

This is part of our farm for almost 13 generations, and that's the heart and soul of why we started farming oysters, working on the water.

SETH: If this is your office, yeah, you're doing something right.

ALEX: Yeah, exactly.

This is a floating oyster lease that brings our oysters up on the surface.

You can already see those cages are rocking and rolling, and that's the name of the game.

These oysters get tumbled around inside and that's what really makes them cup up nice, gets a nice shell on them and a fat meat on the inside.

SETH: On top of getting that flavor, they're also doing their part to help the bay, right?

ALEX: Correct.

They are filtering water.

So, it's just a positive byproduct of our product.

While we sleep, they're cleaning the bay.

SETH: Thank you, oysters, for your service.

ALEX: Yeah.

Let's hop on in.

SETH: Woo, all right, so these are the cages?

ALEX: Yes, sir.

Right now it's in the down position where it's floating just below the surface.

As you can see, it's wire mesh with bags of oysters inside.

I like to clean them in the water.

All right, so we open them up.

SETH: Wow.

ALEX: We've got some oysters.

SETH: We do, and they are absolute beauties.

ALEX: This is perfection right here.

If I could grow a million of these, I'd be happy.

I can tell right away just from size, feel in my hand, the cup, density of the shell, that these are going to be beautiful without even having to shuck them open.

You can see there's definitely a variety of sizes.

This little one, these are the same exact age.

What happens sometimes is maybe the oysters will cram into a corner, and this one's eating all the nutrients and this one's getting stunted.

Ones that take a little longer actually become a little better, but we won't see this one until next year.

SETH: So, even in the world of oysters there's, uh, some late bloomers.

ALEX: Correct.

One of the perks of the job, though, and it's actually a job requirement, is to shuck oysters because I need to know where the flavor is at and it changes every single day.

I'd love to shuck one for you right now if you're ready.

SETH: I would love to eat one.

ALEX: All right.

I'm going to stab it from the bill, cutting the adductor muscle, and there's the reveal.

Get the bottom muscle for you.

I'll do one more for myself if you don't mind.

SETH: Perfect morning out on the water.

ALEX: Can't get fresher than that.

SETH: Down the hatch.

ALEX: Damn.

That is so good.

SETH: Wow.

ALEX: The salinity's coming up this fall.

I mean, they're perfect right now.

SETH: That's an incredible oyster.

I guess when you're done, just chuck them?

ALEX: Right back in the bay.

Give them back to where they came from.

SETH: There you go.

ALEX: Got our harvest.

We got our harvest tag telling exactly where the oysters came from, let's go party.

SETH: Let's do it.

(overlapping chatter) KYLE: You guys enjoy these.

SETH: Beautiful, chef.

Thank you.

All right.

Just had an awesome time out in the water.

Got to try my first Dancing Molly, but what toppings should we enjoy with these?

KYLE: We've got a squeeze of lemon, house-made cocktail sauce, classic mignonette, and this is a variation on the, uh, on the mignonette, like a seasonal thing that we do.

This one is local farm apples, minced shallot, and a base of rice wine, vinegar, and mirin.

SETH: All right, and is all that acidity going to be a nice counterpoint to the oyster there?

KYLE: Absolutely.

SETH: What are your favorite toppings, gentlemen?

JEREMY: Just going to get a squeeze of lemon.

SETH: Alex, you seem like a no accompaniments needed kind of guy.

ALEX: Straight up.

They are great no matter what you put on them.

That's what I'm proud of.

SETH: All right, well, cheers.

ALEX: Cheers.

SETH: Cheers.

JEREMY: Delicious.

ALEX: Damn.

SETH: The crunch of the apple and the chives, perfect accompaniment.

KYLE: Thank you.

JEREMY: Well, Seth, it's not The Salt Line experience without some beers to go along.

Our tagline is oysters and ale, so here you go.

SETH: I think cans are okay because we're on the road today.

JEREMY: Yeah, definitely.

SETH: Oysters and ale, can't beat that.

KYLE: There's a few more to enjoy this.

ALEX: Heck yeah.

SETH: Kyle, you've been around the seafood game for a while.

These oysters are a lot different than the type of oysters that were coming out of the Chesapeake even, what, 10, 15 years ago?

KYLE: Even five years ago, for sure.

These are going to have a higher salinity, so a little more brine to it, still sweet, the deep cup.

ALEX: Yep.

Up on the surface, they're going to be extremely clean because they're not getting any grit from the bottom, which makes them just silky smooth.

I love 'em, I just can't stop eating them on my own.

I take them home as much as I can, so... SETH: Hey, by the way, did we get Lucy an oyster there?

ALEX: We sure can.

Lucy Goose, want a oyster?

Good girl, and she'll go for the shell.

SETH: It's not a party until the dog gets an oyster.