I Heart Union Oyster House

You gotta love a classic.  That's why, to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, I'm featuring ye olde Union Oyster House. Usually, I write about the oysters when I visit a restaurant.  This time, however, I think the building and its history should be center stage.

Union Oyster House is America's oldest restaurant.  That's right.  AN OYSTER HOUSE IS THE OLDEST RESTAURANT IN THE COUNTRY.  

Atwood and Bacon Oyster House
Est. 1826

In a sure sign that the building is really, really old, no one is quite sure when the building was erected.  The first records show that in 1742, the building housed a fancy dress shop (which later expanded to include dry goods).  In 1771, on the top floor of the building, Isaiah Thomas published the first newspaper in America called "The Massachusetts Spy."  Later, the building also became the headquarters for Federal troops to receive their war wages and served as a workshop for women to sew and mend clothes for the colonists fighting the war.  

Original menu from
Atwood and Bacon Oyster House

Oysters entered the building in 1826 when Atwood and Bacon Oyster House opened.  They installed the famous semi-circular Oyster Bar that still remains today.  From the Union Street House website: "It was at the Oyster Bar that Daniel Webster, a constant customer, daily drank his tall tumbler of brandy and water with each half-dozen oysters, seldom having less than six plates."  It's also known as the birthplace of the modern day toothpick. 

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Fast forward to 2013 when, on a cold day in January, I visited this historic landmark.  It was only fitting that the raw bar featured two New England classics: Wellfleets and Blue Points.  Fred Pagano, a five-year shucking veteran, was as much a shucker as he was a friend.  A few customers casually sat down at the semi-circle oyster bar and - like Daniel Webster before them - ordered six raw oysters and a beer.  I fully expected Sam and Norm to stroll in after having escaped the Cheers bar down the street.   

In between conversations, Pagano shucked oysters for diners up on the second floor, placing them in a dumb waiter behind the bar.  You can see it in the picture below to the left of Pagano.  In the picture, it looks like two black boxes stacked on top of one another.

Fred Pagano shucks oysters at the famous semi-circle oyster bar.
Daniel Webster and other notable Bostonians have slurped down oysters here.

A dollhouse captures
life in the 1800's

The brick building is warm, cozy, and tight - made for smaller people in a different time.  I wound my way up from the first floor oyster bar to the second floor, where patrons nestled together in booths.  (OK, the people weren't as small as the dollhouse below suggests, but you can catch a glimpse at a moment in time at ye olde Union Oyster House.

JFK's booth at Union Oyster House

On the second floor I found The Kennedy Booth, where JFK himself dined many times.  A climb to the fourth floor was also worth it.  I could picture the newspaper printers whirling - setting the seeds for the Revolutionary War.  (Keep an eye out for the 42-pound stuffed lobster proudly displayed in the stairwell.  The kids went nuts.)

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I talk often about my oyster bucket list.  A visit to Union Oyster House was certainly near the top of that list and I'm honored to check it off.  If you get the chance to visit, you won't find nouveau oysters.  You won't find a Pacific oyster. You won't find a chef pushing the envelop of oyster innovation.  You will, however, find a gem.  A piece of history that, thankfully, hasn't changed much since our oyster eating forefathers slurped down the bivalves.  I believe that the taste of an oyster is affected by it's ambiance.  In this case, Union Oyster House elevates the oyster in ways no one can match.

"Eat Oysters.  Live Longer."
Valentine's window at Union Oyster House

One last note:
Alas, even our oldest restaurant gets in on a Hallmark holiday.  Perhaps as a nod to its retail roots, the Union Oyster House retail shop window was decked out in Valentine wishes during my January visit.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.  Enjoy your oysters.  And remember, scientists have now proven that two amino acids and high levels of zinc found in oysters can improve your sex life.  I'm just saying.

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Union Oyster House

41 Union Street

Boston, MA  02108
p: 617.227.2750
www.unionoysterhouse.com

Oysters in Wonderland: A Tribute to Lewis Carroll

Happy Birthday Lewis Carroll!!  Jan. 27 would have been his 181st birthday!  Why are we toasting the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on Oyster Stew?

Mr. Carroll is the author of perhaps the most famous oyster story ever.  In his more famous book Through the Looking Glass, Tweedledee and Tweedledum recite a poem to Alice entitled The Walrus and the Carpenter.

The poem is about a walrus and carpenter who take a walk along the beach one night when they come upon a bed of oysters.  They invite four of the oysters to join them (having no feet didn't seem to be a problem in Wonderland).  Despite the eldest oyster's warnings, the four oysters went with the walrus and carpenter.  The walrus and the carpenter ate the oysters.

Oops.  Should have listened to big brother.


I've included the poem in its entirety below.  It's in the public domain now, so I'm not ripping anyone off, just in case you were wondering.

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Walrus & Carpenter Oyster Bar
Faneuil Hall, Boston

And now you know, if you didn't already, why oyster bars from Seattle to Boston are named after the walrus and the carpenter.  Our two favorites:

The Walrus and the Carpenter 
4743 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA  98107

Chef Renee Erickson is letting the oyster sing in the newly restored Kolstrand building.  Named #3 Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appetit magazine in 2011.

Walrus & the Carpenter
200 Faneuil Hall Market Place
Boston, MA  02109

Get past the fact that it's in one of America's favorite food courts, and you'll see that in the right hands, oysters can be served anywhere, anytime.

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The Walrus and The Carpenter

Lewis Carroll

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"
"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."
The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.
But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.
Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."
"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"
"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"
"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

Island Creek Oyster Bar. WOW!

Island Creek Oyster Bar has been on my oyster bucket list for a while so I was thrilled when I finally got the chance last week to stop by for a visit.  Wow, wow, wow!

Island Creek Oyster Bar
Boston, MA

Island Creek Oyster Bar is beyond good.   In fact, the restaurant would be a little intimidating if the staff weren't so friendly, the menu so approachable and the atmosphere so cozy.  The chef is pretty cool too.  It's all part of the secret sauce that has made this a hotspot for oyster newbies and ostreaphiles alike.

Jeremy Sewall, chef and co-owner
Island Creek Oyster Bar

I sat down with Jeremy Sewall, the chef and co-owner of Island Creek Oyster Bar, to talk oysters.  It turns out he's a quiet champion of the bivalve, intent on elevating and innovating the oyster experience.  He's inventing modern recipes, preaching the importance of knowing the oyster growers, introducing Northeasterners to impossible-to-get oysters, and stretching the palettes of his diners.

Sewall opened Island Creek Oyster Bar with acclaimed Island Creek Oysters owner/farmer Skip Bennett and restaurateur Garrett Harker in 2010.  The trio are heavy hitters on the Boston food scene.  In a line of many firsts, Sewall was the first chef to visit the Island Creek Oyster farm when he was searching for oysters to serve at Lineage, the restaurant he owns with his wife, Lisa.


What's the fascination with oysters?

He says he "riding the wave" of the oyster's growing fan base.  Cultivated oysters are sustainable and they're carbon negative, he says.  "And there's tons of health benefits." Oysters are high in zinc, are packed with high quality protein, and are a natural source of Vitamin D.  (I'll blog soon about all the health benefits from eating oysters.)

Located just a stone's throw away from Fenway Park in downtown Boston, Island Creek Oyster Bar has quickly become a favorite pre- and post-game spot for Red Sox fans. "Oysters, beer and baseball," he grins.  "Come on."  A perfect combo.

Raw bar at Island Creek Oyster Bar
The restaurant offers 8 - 12 varieties a night

The raw bar features 8 - 12 varieties of oysters per night.  Island Creeks are a staple, as are locally cultivated oysters from New England.  "It's not uncommon for people to eat through the list," he says.  The list of available oysters is updated online every night by 5pm.  Check out the available selections and the rest of the menu.

Another Sewall first: Island Creek Oyster Bar is the first and only East Coast restaurant that serves the infamous Hog Island Oysters.  (Visiting Hog Island Oyster farm is another entry on my bucket list).  The restaurant receives a bag of Hog Islands a week and when they're gone, they're gone.  Sadly, they were gone when I visited, but Sewall did treat me to a half dozen local oysters.

Ichabod Flat from Plymouth, MA

Island Creeks

Chef's choice: Island Creeks, Beach Points, Chathams, Rocky Nooks, Ichabod Flats and wild Wellfleets.  I'll write more about them in a future blog, but the quick take away is Yum!  My favorite was the Island Creek, but a close second was the Ichabod Flats from Plymouth, MA.    Both have an elevated briny flavor that I prefer.  I also enjoyed the wild Wellfleet, which were lettucey, a nod to their cousins on the West Coast.

Which one does Sewall prefer?

"Island Creeks, of course!"

The Ichabod Flats also happen to be Sewall's favorite at the moment.  That's the thing about oysters, you always get to try new ones and choose a new favorite.

Oysters Gregory
Recipe by Jeremy Sewall and Shore Gregory

Sewall's favorite oyster recipe?

 Oysters Gregory.  It's a dish he created and it boasts a following online.  Freshly shucked Island Creek Oysters sit on a a bed of creamed leaks topped with garlic, bacon, panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest and paprika.  They are then baked and served hot.  I tracked down the recipe for you thanks to the foodies at how2heros.com.  You can watch a video of Sewall himself making the dish he loves.

So now I cross off another item from my bucket list.  I think I've found my new favorite oyster bar.  Thanks for the oysters Chef Jeremy!

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Island Creek Oyster Bar

500 Commonwealth Ave.

Boston, MA  02215

p. 617-532-5300

www.islandcreekoysterbar.com