The shy young man selling clams and oysters, Alex Brenner, 21, is proud to be a fifth-generation Brenner. The oysters on ice at the modest stand at the Federal Way Farmers Market are just the tip of the iceberg of a Washington dynasty — the J.J. Brenner Oyster Company, a grower and wholesaler of shellfish for over a century.
In 1893, John Joseph “Jack” Brenner founded his company in Olympia. He relocated in 1910 to Shelton, its current location. Through his dedication and hard work, Jack Brenner became known as the father of the oyster industry in Puget Sound.
Alex Brenner is learning the family business from the ground up — “Retail 101,” his father Bruce calls it. Alex willingly shares his extensive knowledge of the company and its history. The J.J. Brenner Oyster Company harvests its crop of farm-raised Manila Clams, Geoducks, Pacific oysters, Little Skookum Sweet Oysters and Steel Point Oysters, right within a nine-mile radius of company headquarters in Shelton. The company ships its bivalves to the East Coast, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest and Asian markets.
Alex smiles as he describes the oddly-shaped and even more oddly-named geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck), the world’s largest intertidal clam, as “a clamshell with an elephant trunk.” Geoducks are delivered within 24 hours to China, where they are highly prized.
He is well-versed in the environmental hazards endangering the fragile shellfish industry in lower Puget Sound, a toxic chemical cocktail from pollution, acidification and fertilizer runoff. The Brenners have been at the forefront of environmental protection for the shellfish industry, and by extension, the Puget Sound, since the 1920s. Alex is proud that his family members have been “superb advocates for cleaning up the waters.”
In the fall, Alex will return to his studies toward a drafting degree from Highline Community College. He enjoys making pencil or charcoal drawings of people and scenery. He attributes his artistic ability to his mother, who enjoys painting abstracts, although they do have their artistic differences. “I prefer realism,” he quips.
In his spare time, he’s building a scale model of the company plant for his father. As a little boy, he remembers his father pulling him out of a quagmire in the muddy flats of the Shelton clam beds.
The Brenners recommend these tasty recipes for their bounty from the sea:
Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 40 min
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 4-5 pounds live clams scrubbed
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons cooking sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
• 3 tablespoons black bean sauce do not drain
• 1 green onion chopped for garnish
Directions: Melt butter in pan. Add garlic and brown. In a large pan, add onion, lemongrass, garlic, sherry, salt, pepper, sesame oil and black bean sauce. Saute lightly. Add 3/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add washed clams to the pot. Mix well and cover. Bring to a boil until clams open. Sprinkle green onions on top and cover for 5 minutes.Take off stovetop and serve immediately.
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Steamed Clams
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ready in: 35 min
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds small live Manila, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup clam juice
• 2 tablespoons garlic minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1/4 tsp. dry dill weed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dry thyme
• Garnish: Lemon wedges, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or other fresh herbs
Directions:
1. Place the clams, butter, wine, lemon juice, clam juice, garlic and herbs in a large deep pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the mussels and cover the pot. Boil until the mussels and clams are open, 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally; discard any clams or mussels that do not open.
2. Remove from the heat and toss in the diced tomato.
3. Divide the shellfish and broth into serving bowl(s) and garnish with chopped herbs and lemon wedges.
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Pan Fried Oysters
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ready in: 20 min
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients:
• 2 pints shucked oysters drained & rinsed
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup biscuit mix
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges and parsley for garnish
Directions: Beat together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside. Mix together biscuit mix, bread crumbs and flour. Set aside. Rinse and drain oysters. Dip oysters in egg mix, then coat with breading. Fry in 1/2 inch of cooking oil over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes until oysters are golden brown on both sides. Garnish and serve.
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Simple Steamed Clams and Pacific Oysters
• 2 dozen Pacific Oysters and 3 pounds of Manila Clams. Wash and scrub.
• In a large pot put a steamer on the bottom add either white wine (10 ounces) and add enough water to get just below the steamer. Or: Add 2 of your favorite beers and add water to below the steamer.
• Add one table spoon of minced garlic.
• Place the oysters on the bottom of the Steamer then add the clams on top of the oysters.
• Put 2 cubes of butter on top of the clams.
• Cook until the clams are open on top of the pot.
• The butter glazes the shellfish and goes into the broth for great French bread dipping while your eating your seafood feast.
• Serves 4-6 people.
