Getting to know Mothershucker Oysters
Aviwe from the Neighbourhoods Market team sat down with one of our longest-standing traders, Catherine from Motherhucker Oysters, to talk about her journey of trading at the market and her relationship with food. This is how it went:
Aviwe: So Catherine, tell me a bit about yourself. How did you get into the culinary world and oysters in general?
Catherine: Well I worked in Gympie St before Woodstock became the cool place to be, where a friend of mine had a big ceramic studio. This was around the time that the old biscuit mill was being built and we were looking for a retail outlet. Its always been my dream to have a champagne and oyster bar but the capital was always a hurdle to overcome. I realised all I needed was a simple set up of a trestle table and my stock and I’d be ready to roll. I approached the previous owners of the market (Justin and Cameron) and they were very keen to do something with me and that's really how I started trading at the market, around September 2006.
A: Wow so you were right there at the beginning of the OBM Market!! I mean, 2006 is a daily long time ago, 16 years to be exact, and obviously, the market has changed quite a lot since then. How has your business been affected by the change throughout the years?
C: So initially the market started as kind of an organic, ethically sourced farmers market vibe but as more markets started popping ups around the city we had to change our game plan and head into a street food orientated vibe which has been great, I mean, it still suits the oysters because its a quick simple dish to eat. I wanted the oysters to be accessible to everyone who came to the market so I priced them very reasonably so anyone, from a student to someone who maybe lives in Constantia, I really wanted it to be accessible to everyone. I honestly didn’t want to make it a big deal, that it was this super luxurious food and that it would be very pricy, I just wanted anyone to have the experience of enjoying a delicious oyster.
A: So can you give me a little insight on how you serve your oysters?
C: So the early days, when I started, basically it was just tabasco and lemon juice, and then thought of trying to make different sauces and things but in hindsight, people weren’t really open to that.
A: Yeah I totally get you. I mean, oysters can be a very daunting dish, especially for newbies.
C: Exactly! So I just decided to keep out very simple by serving them with Tabasco but every week I would try and make a different sauce but nobody touched it hahaha. To be honest, I can say in comparison now, 15/16 years later, people have been more educated when it comes to oysters so have that space now to try different sauces again.
A: So what’s the go-to sauce that people love?
C: The one that everybody loves is the mignonette which traditionally is a sauce made with red wine vinegar and shallots but I do mine with red wine vinegar, red onions and a few secret ingredients.
A: Amazing! Personally, I’ve been blessed to have my first ever oyster experience thanks to you.
C: Yeah, I’ve had a few oyster virgins hahaha
A: Me being one of them hahaha. I have to say, your oysters are very delicious!! Where do you source them from?
C: So for the last 12-13 years I’ve been buying them from a farm situated in Saldana bay, which is one of the only places where you can farm oysters in South Africa.
A: I see you also sell Champagne at your stall. What gave you the idea of combining the two?
C: It’s such a classic combination. I’ve had people pair the oyster with different types of stout beers, which pairs beautifully with the oysters. I’ve done whiskey pairings, even bloody marks, which people love but I just found bubbly and oysters to be a perfect combination.
A: It’s also such a classic combination to have an oyster with a hot sauce. Do make your own or do you source it from someone else?
C: I got my hot sauce from Maries Deli, which is based in Claremont. The owner (Marie) approached me a while ago and showed me her sauces and she was kind enough to make me my own custom hot sauce which is kick-ass. It’s called The Disco and it’s honestly my favourite hot sauce!
A: That sounds amazing, I definitely need to try to get myself a bottle soon!
A: You’ve been at the market for a very long time and probably experienced a lot of changes throughout the years but I’m sure this pandemic we’re experiencing must’ve been a tough hurdle to overcome. How did it affect your oyster business?
C: In lockdown, I opened up a little online shop for deliveries. I knew South Africans were pretty hesitant about shopping online before but they were forced to because of the lockdown. It worked out well for me because I could now sell my oysters during the week and once things started to open up, I could continue selling on the weekends at the market!
A: In terms go the market, I’m very curious who is one of your favourite go-to traders when it comes to getting a bite to eat?
C: I always get the samosas from Saffron Eatery and ribs with chips from Slow + Low. Their ribs are divine, fall of the bone! I really love the Korean Kitchen too!
A: That’s great to hear! I’m definitely trying their food soon!
A: I heard you and Pitso from Pitso’s Kitchen know each other outside of the Neighbourhoods Market. How did that friendship come about?
C: Well I work as a tour guide and I take around the city to see what the locals are doing and most importantly, what are they eating. Pitso had a restaurant in Long street where I used to take my clients. It was such a lovely space with a real African mentality and cuisine. We would try all sorts of dishes like chicken feet and steamed bread which was amazing and so delicious. We live in South Africa and do many of us don’t know that side of our local South African cuisine. Yeah, that’s how we started hanging out, we’re best buddies now and so nice that can see him at the market every weekend.
A: Ok, onto my final question. In the 16 years, you have traded at the market, what has been your most memorable experience?
C: Generally speaking, I think the best thing about the market is my clients coming back. I have so much love for my local regulars but it’s always such a high when I see someone from Berlin or from Tokyo or someone who visited the market years ago on a honeymoon who’s coming back for their 10th anniversary or whatever it might be. I love that so much and when they see me again I always get a similar response of, “ Oh! You’re the same lady from 10 years ago! We’ve been dreaming about you oysters for so long!” I think that makes me the happiest, that actually had an impact on people’s lives.
A: Well Catherine, thank you so much for your time and for telling me a bit about your life trading at the market. I can't wait to have another oyster next time I see you at the market!
C: Looking forward to it!
