Perfectly Good Oysters, what's a chef to do?

[bbally]

With my wife flying back home, I went out to do the shopping so we would not have to tomorrow. And to my amazement they Oysters had come in on the truck yesterday. Well what is a chef to do? Purchase oysters of
course. Darn lucky I did, her plane is being delayed and so she won't get in til after 8 PM tonight.

I washed the buggers off to get the sand out and the tagalongs off the outer shell.



Oysters on ICE, so much potential, what shall I do with them. Have them raw on the half shell of course! So I prepare to do the deed to the oysters, dispatching them quickly from living creature, to human food!



I like a heavy blade, sharp pointed, angle ground oyster knife with a big full tang handle. If I was going through these in the commercial kitchen I would put on the glove cause I would have about 200 to do. But at home
with six of them. I think I can manage not to lop off a finger.



This oyster is about to become food! Really really fresh food.



Since the wife's plane is delayed, I will sit down to a little snack and hold dinner til she gets home. So I will need a TsingTao as it is an excellent beer with oysters. Plus some real nice Queen olives I picked up. That Santa Barbara Olive Company sure makes a nice product. Then my own cocktail sauce, based on Chili Sauce and Wasabi, and a few lemons. That ought to hold us til dinner time!



Ah that should really go down nicely. Is there anything better then a fresh shucked oyster?



Should have purchased a dozen. But portion control is real important in keeping the weight off. You can eat anything, you just can not eat an unlimited amount of everything.

'til we speak again, when your cruising the supermarket next, pick up something that will make a real interesting snack. You will enjoy the treat!

Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA

[Suzanne]

Oh, gee, thanks. You have made me soooooooooooo hungry for oysters, and I can't go out to get some.





Although I am not much a fan of cocktail sauces -- I usually find they overpower the more delicate oysters. In fact, the best sauce I ever had with raw oysters was a mignonette made with verjus instead of vineger. It was a heavenly combination. That was at Union, in Seattle.

[cape chef]

That was a fun read!
Thanks

[kuan]

Ooohh man! Excellent! Great post!

[oldschool1982]

Haven't had oysters is probably 20 years. Yup it has been 20 years. Scary when ya gotta hit the day/date icon on the tool bar and scroll back. It was 1987 when I lived on St Simmons Island, GA at a place called The Emiline and the Hessie (sp?). Danged if my mouth didn't start to water looking at this post. Unfortunately oysters give me heartburn past the point of being able "grin and bear it" but still a most excellent post indeed.

[Whitey Ford]

I'm drooling. I'd pass on the cocktail-like sauce tho. A few squirts of lemon and those six oysters would be downed pronto. I remember having oysters with a fancy vinegar and minced shallot combo once; was good.

[kuan]

You know how I like them? With a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of vodka.

[oldschool1982]

Kuan,

Only a few drops?????? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

[Harpua]

Nice!

Treated my dad to some fresh oysters, sushi bar style last weekend. He hadn't had them for about 10 years. He was in heaven!

[arkboynko]

but is there any truth to the saying that you should only eat them in months that have an 'r' in them?

[shroomgirl]

supposedly they are milky in the summer as they "mate" or "spawn" or whatever oysters do to replicate. A couple of oyster places in New Orleans would close in the summer. Cosamento's on Magazine is the first to come to mind.....mmmmm oyster loaf.....bienville, rockerfeller.....

[bbally]

Originally Posted by arkboynko

but is there any truth to the saying that you should only eat them in months that have an 'r' in them?

No, left over from the days prior to refridgeration.

Shroom is correct, they reproduce in the summer months.