Peconic Bay Scallops to Be Sold in the Shell Gregg Rivara, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County The bay scallop season on eastern Long Island has begun, and for the first time, a small amount of cultivated scallops will be sold in the shell, thanks to a new state regulation that went into effect in July. Unlike scallops sold shucked, which grow wild in Peconic Bay, these do not have a minimum shell size (but those pictured above are not ready; they will be returned to the bay for another month or so). Gregg Rivara, an aquaculture specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, has been working with four Peconic Bay oyster farmers to develop a cultivated scallop industry as a way to diversify. Cornell provides tiny seed scallops, which the farmers place in the bay and harvest in mesh cages, like those used for oysters. The cultivated scallops, a very small crop this year, will be sold mostly to restaurants. Peak season runs until late December. Steamed in white wine, they are tender, sweet and briny; it's easy to eat 15 to 20. You're eating the whole animal, not just the muscle. But scallop lovers may wonder about the deep red roe, which usually comes with scallops in the shell in Europe. These bays are not mature enough to have roe, Mr. Rivara said. Empire State In-Shell Scallops are available from Cornell Oysters of Hog Neck Bay, (516) 971-7254, among others. The scallops will be served in a tomato broth, $18.95, at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal, starting Monday for several weeks, depending on availability.