An Oyster Stout Shout Out

Vintage Guinness Ad for Oysters and Beer

Have you noticed oyster stouts popping up on bar menus?  The oyster craze shows no signs of slowing … and oyster stouts are what's trending now.

First things first: I didn't know that oyster stouts were actually brewed with oysters. I thought it was a clever name, piggybacking on the resurgence of oysters. Nope. As it turns out, most oyster stouts are either brewed with oyster shells or steeped with an oyster meat teabag. (In my defense, a few beers call themselves oyster stouts [Marston's] but aren't made with oysters. They just taste good WITH oysters.)

So back to oyster stouts. Why in the hell would someone brew beer with oysters? 

It started like the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials: "Your chocolate got in my peanut butter. No, your peanut butter got in my chocolate." (Please stop and watch this classic commercial. You may pee your pants a little.)

Back, back in the day, shucked oysters were served in every tavern like a bowl of peanuts and stout was the beer of choice. Pop in an oyster. Sip stout. Repeat. They just seemed to work.

The first formal oyster stout is believed to have been brewed in New Zealand in 1929, though I can't find any real evidence of it. (Kids, if you are writing a research paper on oyster stouts, do not use this post as a resource.) A few breweries in Australia, Ireland and the UK rolled out their own oyster stout. Then, as trends go, stout was replaced with pale ales and oysters found themselves out of favor. Bye, bye oyster stout.

Thank goodness trends come back around (watch the Reese's '80s video again). Oyster stouts are baaaaacccccck. Microbrewers are teaming up with the biggest names in the oyster business (Hama Hama, Hog Island, John Dory) to create new award-winning stouts. Here's a few to try:

• The folks at Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, MD, aren't messing around with their oyster brew. They toss in whole Rappahannock River Oysters into their Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout near the end of the boil, according to head brewer, Ben Clark. As if the lure of brewed Rapps aren't enough, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Pearl Necklace benefits the Oyster Recovery Partnership, which helps restore oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. 

• Upright Brewery in Portland, OR, tries to do one better, using both oyster liquor and whole oysters from Hama Hama Oyster Company. Oyster Stout (no marketing gimmicks at this brewery) was a 2012 World Beer Cup Bronze medal winner. Special bonus: On the last Friday of each month, Oyster Social, a mobile oyster raw bar, sets up shop in the tasting room at the brewery. 
• HenHouse Brewing Company in Petaluma, CA, brews its stout with oyster shells from our friends at Hog Island Oyster Co. The shells are bagged, thrown into a vat, and boiled for a half hour to leach out the minerals. Brewers then fish out the shells. For now, HenHouse Oyster Stout is only a West Coast thing. (Psst.: Sources say that retired Marooned on Hog Island from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Fran may show up again in a year or two.)
• John Dory Oyster Stout from Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn is made exclusively for The John Dory Oyster Bar in NYC. Yep, there's only one spot to enjoy the brew. 
• A microbrewer from Charleston, SC, is getting props for brewing a stellar oyster stout. Coast Brewing Company brews a seasonal Bulls Bay Oyster Stout using local oysters from Jeff and Carrie Spahr at Charleston Oyster Co. The stout is available at the brewery as well as at Charleston-area bars and restaurants.
• Ireland has jumped on the oyster stout bandwagon as well. Notably, the Porterhouse Brewing Company in Dublin, Ireland, gets rave reviews. Fresh oysters are shucked directly into the conditioning tanks. Surely, someone fishes them out …??

Absent from this list is Island Creek Oyster Stout from Boston's Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, an early marquis entrant into the oyster stout market. The beer has been retired and there are no current plans to bring it back.

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BTW, if you find an oyster-like substance in your beer, it could be a "beer oyster," which isn't an oyster at all … and really gross. The kids at TYWKIWDBI blog write a first hand, really *explicit* account of a beer oyster. Don't say I didn't warn you.

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Photo from Upright Brewing

Cheers to a dozen oysters on the half shell and a cold oyster stout!

You foam within our glasses, you lusty golden brew,
Whoever imbibes takes fire from you.
The young and the old sing your praises,
Here's to beer,
Here's to cheer,
Here's to beer!

- "The Bartered Bride"

Oyster Boy Meets Oyster Girl

It's Valentine's weekend and there's no better time to have THE TALK: how do boy oysters and girl oysters make baby oysters?

First, you have to embrace the transgender nature of oysters. Scientists disagree on the specifics, but they do agree that some oysters change gender during their life. Some researchers say that oysters change several times in their lifespans, some say they switch just once. Some say that they change only in response to an overabundance of oysters of the same sex; others say it's just the ladies who change; and some say that all oysters are born male, and as they get older, change to females (the ultimate cougar). Regardless, there are boy oysters and girl oysters. And you can't tell them apart just by looking at them, says Dr. Ami Wilbur, director of the UNCW Shellfish Hatchery in Wilmington, NC.

Dr. Ami Wilbur, director of the UNCW Shellfish Hatchery,
shows off the oysters she's mating.

Dr. Wilbur should know. She is leading the effort to cross breed Virginia and North Carolina oysters to develop several varieties of fast-growing, certified disease tolerant, restaurant-quality oysters to grow off the North Carolina coast.

So how do you make an oyster mate? (With restraint. They're all so "shellfish.") It starts with a rousing game of shell monty and ends with oyster IVF. Without being able to tell if an oyster is male or female from the outside, the researchers have to open an oyster's shell and examine them under a microscope to look for eggs or sperm. (Privacy, please.) In some seasons, one gender may significantly outnumber another, leaving the researchers in a haste to find a mate, says Wilbur.

Once the team - because it takes a team - finally finds a male and a female, it begins a process called "strip spawning." The ladies have up to 100 million eggs (really, who's counting?) because in the wild she releases her eggs in the open waters. It's a crapshoot whether the eggs find a sperm. In the lab, the eggs and sperm are mixed and watched as they develop into larvae then veliger then to oyster spat. Spat finally become oysters when they reach 25mm, or when Dr. Wilbur says they are ready.

From egg/sperm to larvae to veliger to spat … all in a few weeks.
Designed by Melissa Mitchell, a former volunteer with the
Oyster Spat Monitoring Project at UNCW.

At the UNCW research facility, the spat are carefully marked, fed homegrown algae, and measured often. Some spat are sent to three oyster farms along the North Carolina coast to see how they grow in different waters. Based on the results from the lab and the farms, the best oysters are cross bred again and again in an effort to ultimately develop six to eight varieties of North Carolina oysters.

Each oyster is carefully numbered in the lab's growing tanks.
Only the best move on to breed.

Dr. Wilbur and her team of researchers and farmers are well on their way to breeding great oysters that will thrive in North Carolina. I am a huge fan of North Carolina oysters and I'm throwing down the gauntlet: I would put them up against any East Coast oyster, even Moonstones and Glidden Points. Yep. They just need a little hair and makeup. After Dr. Wilbur gets done with them, they'll be as pretty as their cousins. What's not to love about that?

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SF Oyster Nerd tries a
NC steamed oyster

From one love to another … Who doesn't love Hog Island Oysters? Greg Babinecz, the SF Oyster Nerd and a manager at the soon-to-be-reopened Hog Island Oyster Bar in San Fran, stopped by Wilmington, NC, to swap oyster stories and visit the UNCW Shellfish Hatchery. Along with NC oysterman, Ronald Sheffield, we introduced Greg to his first steamed NC oyster. Steaming concentrates the brininess, and the perfect steam pops in your mouth. Thanks for the visit Greg. Looking forward to a West Coast swing in the near future. Check out his oyster blog at sfoysternerd.blogspot.com.

Oysters Rockefeller Showdown: Antoine's Secret Recipe Revealed

Oysters Rockefeller Cookoff
Baked Oysters Brownefeller (Top Row)
Hog Island Oyster Rockefeller (Middle Row)
Malcolm Hebert's Closest to the Original Antoine's Oysters Rockefeller (Bottom Row)

Oysters Rockefeller was invented in 1899 by Jules Alciatore, the son of the founder of New Orleans exclusive Antoine's Restaurant. According to legend, the name comes from the bright green color of the sauce - the color of money, fit for a Rockefeller. Since then, it's been imitated in thousands of restaurants, but the original recipe remains a closely held secret. In a world where virtually nothing is sacred, I personally think the mystery is a nice change of pace. Even so, I've done some digging and here's what we do know:

In 1948, Roy Alciatore revealed 10 recipes from Antoine's for a weekly newsmagazine. In it, he included a diversion recipe for Oysters Rockefeller that included butter, spinach, onion, parsley, bread crumbs, Tabasco, Herbsaint and salt. That recipe is still believed by many to be the secret Antoine's recipe. But like a true mystery, the same publication included a note from the editor: "This much is told: the sauce is made with 18 ingredients ... pounded together in a mortar for blending.  Then the mixture is forced through a sieve and one tablespoonful placed on each pair of oysters."


In 1980, Roy F. Guste, Jr., the great-great grandson of Jules Antoine, writes in his book Antoine's Restaurant Cookbook that "the sauce is basically a puree of a number of green vegetables other than spinach."

In 1986, investigative writer and author of Bigger Secrets, William Poundstone, scored a table at Antoine's. While the waiter wasn't looking, he swiped some of the sauce from the Oysters Rockefeller and had the ingredients evaluated by Associated Analytical Laboratories. Coupled with additional detective work, Poundstone thinks he found the eighteen ingredients (if you count the rock salt that keep the shells in place on the plate): "oysters, rock salt, olive oil, parsley, capers, green onions, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, celery, salt, white pepper, Tabasco sauce, and Herbsaint." 

Malcolm Hebert, a cookbook author and former food editor for San Jose Mercury News, developed a recipe with the following ingredients: fresh oysters, parsley, green onions, celery leaves, tarragon leaves, chervil leaves, bread crumbs, butter, salt and pepper, Tabasco sauce, Herbsaint and rock salt.  That's 13 ingredients.  Five short of the rumored 18.

So here's what we know about the original recipe:

• It used fresh Gulf oysters.
• It did not contain spinach.  The green sauce most likely comes from green onions.
• It most likely contained absinthe, which was banned in the 1950s because it contained woodworms.  Herbsaint, which is legal, has a similar taste and is purportedly used at Antoine's. Pernod is another good substitute.
• It was not topped with breadcrumbs.
• It was served on a bed of rock salt.

Where do we go from here? That's up to you. I just thought it was an interesting story and I like the mystery.  The real reason for this post is to find the best Oysters Rockefeller recipe - spinach or no spinach. I've sorted through dozens of recipes and narrowed it down to these six based on the following categories: Best Food TV Star Recipe (Alton Brown), Best Oyster Farm Recipe (Hog Island), and Closest to the Original Recipe (Malcolm Hebert). I've also included the recipe created by Roy Alciatore and my husband's Famous (at least around here) Oysters Rockefeller Recipe. 

• Roy Alciatore's Diversion Oysters Rockefeller
• Malcolm Hebert's "Getting-Close-to-the-Original" Oysters Rockefeller
• Hog Island Oysters Rockefeller
• Alton Brown's Oysters Brownefeller
• Steve's Famous Oysters Rockefeller

The family was in town for Thanksgiving, and I set up an Oysters Rockefeller Cook-Off. Steve shucked three dozen Rappahannock River Oysters. We slurped down six on the half shell then started the taste test. I've included the recipes as the author's wrote them, but we broiled all five varities on a cookie sheet lined with kosher salt. First up, Roy Alciatore's Diversion Oysters Rockefeller. It wasn't a strong start.

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Roy Alciatore's "Diversion" Oysters Rockefeller (as published in Life magazine's cookbook)

Roy Alciatore's "Diversion" Oysters Rockefeller

36 fresh oysters on the half shell
6T butter
6T finely minced raw spinach
3T minced onion
3T minced parsley
5T bread crumbs
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 t Herbsaint
1/2 t salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add all the ingredients except the oysters.  Cook, constantly stirring for 15 min.  Press the mixture through a sieve or a good mill. Cool. Line six pie tins with rock salt. Set 6 oysters in the rock salt on each pie tin. Divide the topping into 36 equal portions. Place one portion on each oyster. Broil until topping is brown. Serves 6.

Our comments: 
No one liked this one. There was little taste.  I think Roy was messing with everyone when he originally floated this idea to the magazine. Next ...

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Malcolm Hebert "Getting Close To The Original" Oysters Rockefeller

Malcolm Hebert "Getting Close To The Original" Oysters Rockefeller

Mr. Hebert, a cookbook author and food critic, was first credited with creating this recipe. I've seen it copied on several occasions, including by Southern Living magazine. This recipe is close to what Poundstone conjectured, without capers.

36 fresh oysters
4 springs flat-leaf Italian parsley
4 green onions
Handful of fresh celery leaves
6 fresh tarragon leaves
6 fresh chervil leaves
1/2 c homemade breadcrumbs
12 T unsalted butter
salt and pepper
Tabasco sauce
2T Herbsaint or Pernod
Rock salt

Mince together parsley, green onions, celery leaves, tarragon and chervil as finely as you possibly can. Mix this together with the bread crumbs and the softened butter into a mortar and mix the whole thing together into a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper, Tabasco and Herbsaint or Pernod.

Preheat broiler. Place on middle rack. Spread rock salt over large baking sheet to keep oysters level under broiler. Spoon equal amount of mixture over each oyster. Place baking sheet on the middle rack and broil until edges of oysters have curled and herb butter is bubbling (about 5 min).


Our comments:
"Too salty."

"Too mushy.

"Yucky green color."

That's what my family said. This recipe was hands down my favorite. The tarragon burst in my mouth. The "yucky green color" does look like the color of money.

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Hog Island Oysters Rockefeller

Hog Island Oysters Rockefeller

4T unsalted butter
1/3 c bread crumbs or panko
2 minced shallots
2 c chopped fresh spinach
2T Pernod
1/8 c heavy cream or half-n-half
salt and pepper to taste
dash of red pepper flakes
2 dozen hog Island Pacific Oysters
Rock salt
lemon wedges for garnish

Melt butter in a skillet. Place the Panko or breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl and add ahlf the metled butter, mix and set aside. With the remaining butter in the skillet add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes unil the spinach wilts. Deglaze the pan with Penod and season with salt, pepper and dash or red pepper flake. Add cream and allow mixture to cook down, 2 minutes. (Topping may be amde up to two days ahead and refrigerated).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place oven rak on second to top rung. Line a rimmed baking pan with rock salt adn place in oven to preheat the salt as teh oven comes to rep (10 min).

When all oysters are pre-shucked, remove your baking sheet from teh oven and place on a heatproof surface. Set the shucked oysters in their shells on the rock salt. The salt helps to stabilize the oysters. Working quickly, spoon a heaping reaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a sprinkle of the breadcrumb mixture. When all oysters are topped reutn the pan to the oven.

Bake for 5-7 min, or until sauce begins to bubble. Finish under broilder for 1 min just to brown breadcrumbs. 

Copyright Hog Island Oyster Co., Inc.


Our comments:

This was a crowd favorite. Just the right texture and flavor. 

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Alton Brown's Baked Oysters Brownefeller

Alton Brown's Baked Oysters Brownefeller

This recipe comes from none other than culinary geek Alton Brown. I thought his expertise would be good for the competition.

24 oysters on the half shell
6T unsalted butter
3/4c finely chopped onion
3/4c finely chopped celery
1t kosher salt
1T minced garlic
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1c panko
2t freshely ground black pepper
1t dried oregano
4c rock salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a 12-inch saute pan over med low heat. Increase the heat slightly and add the onion, celery and 1/2t kosher salt. Sweat for 5-7 min. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 min. Reduce het to low and add artichoke hearts, bread crumbs, lemon zest, remaining 1/2t kosher salt, pepper, and oregano. Continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place 4 cups rock salt on a sheet pan with sides and spread evenly. Set oysters atop the salt and divide breadcrumb mixture evenly among them. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 min. Bread crumbs should be lightly browned.

Recipe Copyright 2013 Television Food Network GP

Our comments:

"Loved the breading."

This came in second in the overall voting. The artichokes were a nice salty substitute. 

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Steve's Famous Oysters Rockefeller

Steve's Famous Oysters Rockefeller

My husband, Steve, adapted this recipe a few years ago. Friends (mostly female) ask for it. The key is grilling.

12 fresh oysters on the half shell
3T olive oil
1 bag prewashed baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1/2c grate Parmesan cheese
3T panko crumbs

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add bag of spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from heat and place spinach directly into a blender. Add garlic and Parmesan cheese. Puree. Set aside spinach mixture to cool.

In the meantime, shuck a dozen oysters. Add a heaping spoonful of the spinach mixture on top of each oyster. Grill until golden brown. 

Our comments:
"Classic spinach."

"Nice kick at the end."

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So the winner is ... 

Hog Island Oysters Rockefeller

Whoo hoo!! Keep an eye out for Hog Island Oyster Co.'s new space in San Francisco's historic Ferry Building Marketplace set to open in Jan. 2014. I bet the Rockefeller is even awesomer on the Farm. 

Quick shout out to Greg, Nicole, Ann, Jim, and Steve for their comments and taste buds.

Sex, Death & Oysters ... And Other Great Oyster Books

I hate to admit it, but my summertime reading consists of the local newspaper (if it hasn't been soaked by the sprinkler) and celebrity mags. Come fall and winter, when it's pitch dark by 5:30p, I pick up the scope a bit. I pulled out my oyster books last week to find some recipes for an upcoming post, and thought that Oyster Stew readers may be interested in a few.

For this post, I've chosen a wide range of oyster tomes. Some are history books, some are cookbooks, some are both. One is a documentary. Two are guide books. I even threw in a couple of children's stories. All of them evoke a passion for oysters. With each book, I've also made suggestions about who may be interested in the book. The holidays are coming soon.

Cozy up this week with a good book - and a bowl of oyster and brie soup. Enjoy!

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OYSTER BOOKS TO START YOUR LIBRARY

Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm
Author: Erin Byers Murray

I have a girl-crush on Erin Byers Murray. I read this book for the umpteenth time this week and, as always, I found another bit of humor or wisdom. Shucked is the true story of Murray's year long "sabbatical" from her supercool job as an editor at dailycandy.com to work 12+ hours a day on the Island Creek Oyster farm. She actually did what many oyster lovers dream about and, in the process, reminds us just how much labor and love goes into growing oysters. She doesn't sugar coat the people or the process, but Murray always respects the oyster. From oyster "poop," to culling (which she calls "looking for ones with potential,") to the immense stress of raising baby spat, Shucked is a front row seat to her brutal, spiritual, rewarding oyster journey.

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Oyster Culture
Authors: Gwendolyn Meyer and Doreen Schmid

Oyster Culture is oyster porn. The photographs by Gwendolyn Meyer are stunning, rhythmic - and evoke all the senses. I swear I can smell the mud and the brackish water wafting from the pages. The book is an easy read about oyster farming and oyster eating - the oyster culture - around Marin in Northern California. But really, it's all about the photos. Bonus section: must-have recipes from Marin-area restaurants (including the Marshall Store and Nick's Cove). Great coffee table book and oyster gift.

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Sex, Death & Oysters: A Half-Shell Lover's World Tour
Author: Robb Walsh

From oyster porn, to sex and death. This book reminds me in spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. James Beard Award-winning author Robb Walsh is not your typical food writer. He masks the sometimes murky world of oyster farming with potty humor and brilliant insights that you don't appreciate until four chapters later. The food is not the end game - the journey is. He travelled across the U.S. and to Europe to unveil the business and culture of oyster farming and the oyster market. He definitely knocks the innocence out of oyster culture. This book is great for travelers and arm chair adventurers.

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A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America
Author: Rowan Jacobsen

My copy of A Geography of Oysters is dog-earred, ripped, curled, and highlighted. Rowan Jacobsen, who describes himself as a semi-professional oyster taster, is a pioneer in the oyster merrior business. Others have described oysters as having hints of melon or a slight metallic taste, but Jacobsen was really the first to seek out every oyster he could find and describe them as religiously and respectfully as a wine sommelier. Despite the high brow talent, you get the sense that his favorite place to be is at the oyster bar, sharing a dozen oysters and a pint of beer. We appreciate Jacobsen's early support of Oyster Stew. This is the first book you need in your oyster library.

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The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell
Author: Mark Kurlansky

Finally, the oyster gets her due. Mark Kurlansky recounts the history of New York City as inextricably linked to the oyster. From Pearl Street to the Hudson, the New York Time best-selling author places the discovery and growth of NYC on the very solid, capable shoulders of the lowly oyster. The Big Oyster is not a breezy read, but it's written carefully by a gifted writer. A fascinating book for native New Yorkers and history lovers.

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Oyster: A World History
Author: Drew Smith

"The oyster is older than us. Older than grass," begins author Drew Smith, who's book quite literally starts at the beginning of time. Where would the world be without oysters? Smith knits a complex history of oysters, and their influence on human migration, colonization, water quality, art, kingdoms and much more. He gives us the good, the bad and the ugly when people and oysters collide. I promise this book delivers stories, insights and oyster facts you never knew about. Suggest that everyone coming to your Thanksgiving read it before dinner. Then discuss. Great book for the non-oyster lover in your family.

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Oysters of Locmariaquer
Author: Eleanor Clark

I was turned onto this book by none other than Erin Byers Murray who described it as a "poetic and bewitching story." And with a forward by The Big Oyster's Mark Kurlansky, the late Eleanor Clark is feeling the post-humous love from her fraternity of oyster authors. Much like Murray's account of oyster farming in New England, Clark describes how French Belon oysters are cultivated in the tiny town of Locmariaquer, affecting the people and culture in fascinating ways. She weaves French history with personal and often tragic stories about the gypsies and oyster people who eek out a living raising baby oysters, only to ship them off to more suitable estuaries to grow up. A gentle read for the romantics among us.

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Consider the Oyster
Author: MFK Fisher

The late Mary Frances Kennedy (M.F.K.) Fisher was an original. Everything she did, she did with unbridled passion. Written in 1941, Consider the Oyster was not and is still not like any oyster book I've ever read. Fisher not only loved oysters, she LOVED oysters (if you know what I mean). And she took great, tedious pains to defend classic oyster dishes. As an oyster appreciator myself, I'm honored that she chose to write about them. To really get Fisher and this book, I would suggest reading Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher written by Joan Reardon. Downton Abbey addicts will love this quick read.

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Collecting Oyster Plates
Author: Jeffrey B. Snyder

THE reference book for anyone who collects or who is thinking abtou collecting oyster plates. From the first days during the frivolous Victorian era, oyster plats have become a luxury for those who use them and a treasure for those who collect them.  Collecting Oyster Plates includes manufacturers and their marks, materials used, and market value.

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OYSTER COOKBOOKS

Oysters on the half shell - no sauce - is my favorite oyster prep. But it's nice to mix it up sometimes. Here's a list of some of my favorite cookbooks that celebrate the oyster.



The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant Cookbook
Authors: Sandy Ingher with Roy Finamore

Featuring more than 100 of its classic recipes, The Grand Central Oyster Bar Cookbook is as much a history book as it is a cookbook.  Anyone who has ever visited this marquee oyster bar will appreciate being able to bring home a bit of the NYC train station home with them. It's not the same as being there, but it travels well.

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Union Oyster House Cookbook
Authors: Jean Kerr and Spencer Smith

When the late Sen. Ted Kennedy writes a forward to your cookbook, you know you are a pillar of Boston history. The Union Oyster House Cookbook is both history book about the oldest restaurant in the country and a cookbook. No doubt, the recipes haven't changed much - Lobster Thermidor and New England Seafood Pie anyone?  And as Sen. Kennedy writes, the food will "always be a little tastier, though, when they're served in the unique atmosphere of the Oyster House itself." You can't cook up atmosphere in your home kitchen, but you can master a few classics such as cornbread and New England baked beans. Oyster Stew visited Union Oyster House in Season 1 and found a gem of history we should all be grateful is still cooking.

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The Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook
Author: Jairemarie Pomo 

This is a sweet book that includes a snappy history lesson about the beloved Hog Island Oysters. The book also includes some references to oyster bars, the most common oyster brands sold in restaurants, and other oyster resources. The info is a little dated, but the real meat of the book is the list of yummy and offbeat recipes, including Oysters with Cucumber, Lime & Sake; Steamed Oysters with Spicy Asian Sauce; Hangtown Fry (eggs, bacon, sriracha and oysters); and of course, the famous Hog Island Barbecued Oysters.

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The P&J Oyster Cookbook
Authors: Kit Wohl & the Sunseri Family

Featuring Lousiana oysters fron P&J Oyster Company, this cookbook is a taste sensation for anyone who wants to try new flavor combinations. Using ubiquitous Gulf oysters, this cookbook is brimming with oyster recipes you'll want to share. Check out the to-die for recipe for Oyster and Brie Soup at the end of this post.

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KIDS BOOKS

Not to be left out, I have two favorite children's books about oysters.  Both are fiction stories that capture the childish spirit of the oyster. It's never too early to find new oyster lovers. (To be safe, young kids shouldn't eat raw oysters.)


The Walrus and the Carpenter
Author: Lewis Carroll, Illustrator: Jane Breskin Zalben

Perhaps the most well-known poem about oysters, The Walrus and the Carpenter is a clever, nonsense poem from the brilliant Lewis Carroll. The poem warns about ignoring the wisdom of elders, and about the perils of instant gratification. It also asks an important moral question: is the Walrus more wrong because he tried to hide how many oysters he ate or is the Carpenter more wrong because he ate as many oysters as he could? The illustrations of oysters dressed in hats and tiny little shoes are precious - and eerily foreboding. Check out the Oyster Stew blog post from Season 1 about Lewis Carroll.

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Why the Oyster has the Pearl
Author: Johnette Downing, Illustrator: Bethanne Hill

Did you ever wonder why oysters create pearls? Why not diamonds or rubies or sapphires? Why the Oyster has the Pearl is a familiar folk story about a generous oyster and a sly snake that forever change the history of gems.  We all know at Oyster Stew that oysters have emotions, illustrator Bethanne Hill brings those feelings to life.

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I found a lot of great recipes while re-reading my favorite oyster books. This one from P&J's Oyster Cookbook for oyster and brie soup is stupid good -  and incredibly decadent. The Sunseri family offers a few more gems on oysterlover.com. Bon Appetit!

P&J's Oyster and Brie Soup

Not only are oysters grilled with Brie divine, the two are also grand partners when served in a velvety soup. This recipe was created by Al Sunseri following a Thanksgiving dinner when there were a few leftovers. The soup is so rich it may be served as half portions in demitasses.

Ingredients:

• 36 shucked fresh oysters (2 pints)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 8-12 ozs. Brie cheese, rind removed and cheese diced
• 1 cup finely chopped green onions
• (white and light-green parts)
• salt and pepper to taste
• crusty French bread, for serving

YIELD: 8 teacups or 16 demitasses

Strain oysters to remove liquor and grit. Set liquor aside and freeze for future use. Chop green onions and set aside 1/4 cup for garnish.

In a one gallon pot, melt the butter over a medium heat and sauté garlic and green onions until translucent. Add the drained oysters and simmer until the oysters curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, half and half, and cheese, continue stirring until cheese melts. Add salt and pepper to taste, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls or cups and garnish with green remaining green onions and serve, with crusty French bread on the side.

Oyster Girls Know How to Have Fun!

Oyster Girls - Jazmine, Elka, Tamara 

Some people just make you smile. That's how I felt when I found The Oyster Girls - sisters Aluxa and Jazmine Lalicker. They are everything a good oyster should be: mysterious, sexy, fun ... and hard working.  Who are The Oyster Girls?  They are the genius behind a mobile oyster bar.  Traveling mostly through the San Franciso Bay area, the sisters set up oyster bars for parties, corporate events and weddings.  Their oysters come from the Tomales Bay (famous for Hog Island oysters).  But it's not a grab-and-go relationship.  They actually work out on the Tomales Bay Oyster Co. oyster nursery, watching their oysters grow from spat to the "perfect designer half shell oyster."

Here's my cyber-chat with these ostreaphile chicas:

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What gave you the idea for this company?

My mother always fostered creativity and ideas. She raised two girls that could dream and not be deathly afraid to fail. This lead us to spending many nights coming up with business ideas for fun. Most of them presented just for the silliness of the idea and others for the "strike it rich" dream. The Oyster Girls was an idea that seemed very attainable, fun and satisfying. We just kind of dived into it and used all the skills we had acquired and we have learned many more along the way. It is not easy to run your own business but I like the risk. It is a better way to gamble away your hard earned money - that is how I see it. And so far things are looking alright for us.

Aluxa Lalicker (co-owner, The Oyster Girls) and Liz

What's your favorite oyster tidbit that you share with customers that always surprises them?
Most people are surprised to find out that oysters are a live product. But obviously we don't like to weird people out at the oyster bar, so we wait for people to ask us questions and we focus on "entertainment" like telling bivalve jokes. ...

Do you know what an oyster girl does on her night off? rock-er-fella

You offer wine, beer and booze tastings.  What's your favorite(s) drinks to pair with oysters?  Do you choose the same for East Coast or West Coast oysters?
We are a unique oyster bar in the fact that we only offer local oysters grown in Tomales Bay. We are lucky to live in an area where we can get such an delicious array of local wines and micro-brews so it is hard to pick a favourite. Jaz is the bubble girl and I am a beer girl! As for booze, I like a splash of cucumber vodka on my oyster, topped with zest of a Meyer lemon.  As for the pairing parties, our clients provide the drink and we create the sauces and provide the fresh oysters.

Is there anything on your oyster bucket list?
Since I just had sashimi geoduck the next thing would be .....to go to New Orleans! A year after we had already decided on a name for the business we discovered that The Oyster Girl was also a famous burlesque show in the 1940's  .... she can still be found on stage today. [Editor's Note: Click here to find out more about Evangeline the Oyster Girl.]

What's your favorite recipe for an oyster shooter?  
This is going to sound simple but the secret is in the garlic. LOTS of garlic, dash of Tabasco, fresh horseradish and some tomato puree. O and vodka of course.

What were the first oysters you ever ate?
I don't remember what kind it was, but I do remember I was on a date with my grandfather who was taking me out to teach me the etiquette of dating. At the age of 12 he took me to a fancy oyster house, Oyster Rockefeller in Tulsa Oklahoma. I loved them! On my 21st birthday the only thing I wanted to do was enjoy a plate of oysters on the half shell while sipping a cold beer in public :) and that is what I did back at the same restaurant my grandfather took me too.

Jazmine Lalicker
Co-owner of The Oyster Girls

Besides Tomales Bay oysters, what are your favorite oysters?
I favor any oyster that has come straight out of the water. The fewer the days, hours or minutes between being out of the water and being shucked and slurped, the better the oyster! I truly love them all. I love the differences you can taste in oysters from around the world. I love the briniest oyster as much as the mineral sweet flavors just as much as the sweetest melon flavor.

Good luck ladies!  Can't wait to shuck oysters with you soon.

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The Oyster Girls

San Francisco Bay Area

info@theoystergirls.com

707-694-3755

www.theoystergirls.com

Oyster Bucket List: 25 Top Oyster Experiences

I talk a lot about my Oyster Bucket List on this blog.  Until now, it's always been an informal list bouncing around in my head of oyster-related things I want to do.  I finally decided to write it down, make it real, and share it with my favorite oyster people at Oyster Stew.  I've had the honor of checking off the first one. Can't wait to plan for the rest!

TOP 25 OYSTER EXPERIENCES

• Visit the country's oldest restaurant: Union Street Oyster House.
• Visit Island Creek Oyster Bar and Island Creek Oyster Farm.
• Visit Hama Hama Oyster Farm and pick/dig my own oysters.  Eat 'em.
• Kayak through Tomales Bay and eat oysters right out of the water.  
• Visit Hog Island Oyster Farm and Shuck My Own Picnic.  
• Cook a 30-minute oyster meal with Rachael Ray.
• Eat fresh Belon oysters in Cancale, France.  Make a stop at the Ferme Marine Musee de l'Huitre - a museum dedicated just to oysters.
• Judge an oyster eating contest.
• Shuck oysters at Acme Oyster House.
• Tong for Apalachicola oysters in Apalachicola Bay.
• Eat Olympia oysters at Elliott's Oyster House in Seattle, WA.
• Visit the pearl farm at J. Hunter Pearls in Fiji.
• See an original turkey oyster plate from the Hayes administration.
• Try an oyster loaf at Casamento's in New Orleans.
• Stop by Marlow & Sons restaurant in Brooklyn when Dodge Coves are in season.
• Enjoy a dozen oysters at Pearl Oyster Bar in Greenwich Village.  
• Eat Miyagi oysters at the counter of Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco.
• Drive north from San Francisco and enjoy oysters roadside at the Marshall Store and at the Tomales Bay Oyster Company.
• Eat until I'm stuffed at Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant in NYC.  Plan visit when Rhode Island Moonstones are on the menu.
• Visit Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto.
• Visit the inspiration for the Seamus Heaney poem "Oysters" at Moran Oyster Cottage in Galway, Ireland.
• Eat at the Mandarin Grill + Bar in Hong Kong.
• Visit the Oyster & Wine Bar in Kowloon and eat as many of the 800 oysters they serve every day.  Hope that the Gillardeaus are on the menu.
• Eat Sydney Rocks at the Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay in Australia.  Cross my fingers that Tasmania oysters are also on the menu.
• Put on something fancy and enjoy an oyster or two at Wilton's in London

There are actually 100's of oyster farms, restaurants, people and experiences that are on my mental list. My official bucket list is a mix of classics and my own desires.  Please let me know what else you would include on the list.

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