There's an Oyster App for That

It's been a long week adjusting to Apple's new iOS7 operating system. I'm a clicker, not a swiper. Hopefully, if you're an iPhone user, it's been a better adjustment for you. Whether you're clicking or sliding or just fidgeting, think about downloading an oyster app or two. Here's a few of my favs:

---

Oysterguru

Think of this app as the Joy of Cooking for oyster apps - it's not pretty but it is timeless and on point. A virtual encyclopedia, Oysterguru lists more than 350 oysters (none from North Carolina, just saying) alphabetically, by region or by salinity.  For each oyster, the app lists where the oyster is grown, when it's harvested, its salinity and a brief flavor profile. The app also includes links to an abbreviated list of oyster restaurants in some major U.S. cities and gives you the opportunity to buy oysters from a distributor or two.  Oyster Stew reached out to its creator, Greg Cohen, to find out why he created the app. 

"Back in 2010 when I looked for an oyster app out there, there was nothing in the market," he says.  So he decided to create one. (Yea for us!)

Two downsides to the app: no pictures and no updates.  Cohen says it's just too expensive. It's a good list though and should get you through most restaurant menus.  Maybe if we say 'pretty please' and promote his Coffeeguru app, Cohen will think about giving it an update.

Available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iTouch. Cost: $.99. Totally worth the buck.

Oysterguru app lists 350+ oysters.
Users can keep personal notes for each oyster and post to Facebook.

---

Oysterpedia

Developed by the folks at The Mermaid Inn in NYC, Oysterpedia is another of my favorite apps. The depth of oyster varieties is not as good as Oysterguru (again, no love for North Carolina oysters), but it's a solid list. This is my go-to app for one simple reason - it has pictures. When I order oysters I'm not familiar with, the first thing I do is double check the oysters on my plate with the oysters in the picture. Each time I eat an oyster, I rate it and the app saves it for next time. Now I have easy access to my list of my favs. Northeast oysters are heavily represented. 

Available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iTouch. Cost: FREE.  Also available on Google Play for Android phones. Cost: $1.99.

Each oyster in the Oysterpedia database includes
pictures and flavor profiles.

---

Oyster Bars

Ever been in a new town and start craving a half dozen oysters?  This app helps - sometimes. The app currently includes 653 oyster bars, but not all are still in business. When I did a quick search of Wilmington, NC, four restaurants popped up: two of the four restaurants have been out of business for at least two years. That said, I know it's not easy to keep track of restaurants across the country that frequently open and close, and updating apps can be difficult depending on the platform they are built on.  It's a great place to start if you're visiting a new city and want a few ideas. Just make sure to call first.

Available on iTunes for iPhone and iTouch. Cost: FREE

The search tool lets you search oyster bars by a particular city
or use the interactive map.

---

SHUCKit

Chef David Buchanan (Chef's Resources) corroborated on this relatively new app that organizes oysters both by state and alphabetically.  (Sigh. North Carolina oysters were shafted again.) Many of the oyster listings include a picture; Buchanan says he's taken virtually all of the pics himself. The database of oyster varieties is interesting and includes some varieties that are new to me.  While Oysterpedia leans toward Northeast oysters, SHUCKit leans toward the West Coast.

In addition to listing oysters and where they come from, the app provides the oyster's market size, the cultivation method, the salinity, and the flavor notes. SHUCKit definitely has huge potential and I hope they continue to build out the content.

Available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iTouch and on Google Play for Android phones.
Cost: FREE for lite version; $1.99 for paid version.  (The paid version does not have advertisements.)

On SHUCKit, you can look up oysters
by state or alphabetically to find pictures and descriptions.

---

Related only in name, the Oyster app released earlier this month is making tech heads giddier than a 10-year-old at a Bieber concert.  Oyster promises to be the Netflix of books and everyone who has a blog is talking about it. Like us. Check it out. Membership is $9.95 a month and is by invitation only. Sign up for an invite at www.oysterbooks.com.

Have a great week everyone. I hope you find some time to put down your phone and enjoy a few oysters on the half shell with good friends.  If you're in New York, don't forget to stop by an event or two at New York Oyster Week.