Finally, it’s here. The first major event of 2018 as Rye Bay Scallop Week officially begins on Saturday February 24, with restaurants all over Rye starting to shuck the little creatures out of their shells.
In fact the celebration of the small mollusc begins on Friday with well-known sea food restaurant Webbe’s putting on a demonstration of ways to prepare and cook them, followed by a chance to actually eat them at lunch. From 11:30am to 3pm and they repeat this the following day. Not to be outdone, the Queens Head in Landgate are having an evening bash, also on Friday with scallops appropriately accompanied by sea shanties from the excellent Rye Bay Crew. This is repeated on Saturdays February 25 and March 3 and by way of complete contrast Rye Ukulele Experiment will delight the clientele on Tuesday February 27, from 7:30pm.
Also on Saturday the Market Fisheries, Simmons Quay have a scallop-based talk and taste from 10am until 2pm and from midday onwards Olde Worlde Wines in Cinque Ports Street is worth a visit not just to drink but also to try the scallopine creations from Tatners who will also re-appear there on Sunday and the following Saturday.
There is always music in Rye and on Sunday Claire Hamill, Louis Turpin and Phil Trainor will be playing at the Ypres Castle Inn, the George, High Street and the Kings Head, Rye Hill respectively, all from around 4pm.
Scallops continue to appear at most pubs and restaurants throughout the week accompanied, on Wednesday, by The Sturdy Beggars at the Standard in The Mint from 7:30pm. If you feel the need to work up an appetite before tucking into the Standard’s excellent cooking, how about a History Walk of this ancient town, starting from the Mermaid, Mermaid Street at midday.
Thursday sees yet more scallops – this time in the form of a quiz – starting at 7:30pm at the Queens Head or there is music from Andrew Neate at the Globe Inn Marsh, Military Road and a Jazz Supper at the Mermaid.
The Landgate Bistro, Landgate are throwing a Scallop Bash on Friday from 7pm and the Geoff Everett Band are at the Ypres Castle Inn from 9pm.
Finally Saturday March 3 sees a repeat of the beginning of the week with Talk and Taste at Market Fisheries, demonstration and lunch at Webbe’s, Tatner’s at Olde World Wines and scallops and shanties at the Queen’s Head.
There are non-scallop events on Sunday, which will come as a huge relief to many, but only 358 days before we can do it all over again!
Photo: Rye News library
Image Credits: Simon Kershaw .