Unlocking Deliciousness

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Oysters have long been thought of as an aphrodisiac. Personally, I’m not sure that I buy that. I have eaten hundreds of oysters and have never found myself looking like someone from a Viagra commercial. It would be much easier to just buy some of the various products from somewhere like https://www.vigrx.com/, surely? I have also shared oysters with many different people before, sometimes even on dates, and I don’t think any of them had an increase in their sex drive after eating them, although I guess I may not have known. If I was going to buy someone something to try and turn them on, it would be lingerie or a sex toy – a pretty common choice I would say. That being said, I must admit that the mere thought of fresh oysters does get me pretty damn excited in other ways.

It’s not a taste or experience most people are born loving. The whole thing is messy and slightly dangerous if shucking them yourself. The eventual reward is a salty sea crustacean that tastes like, well, the ocean. But like all things you come to appreciate later in life like wine, coffee, or spicy food, they are pretty deliciously addictive.

With some practice, you will even be able to shuck oysters with a rental car key

With some practice, you will even be able to shuck oysters with a rental car key

So you were brave, picked up a dozen and are now standing at the kitchen counter yelling “open sesame” while trying to pry these things open with a crowbar. The oyster shucking technique is actually pretty simple you just need a small stiff knife and a kitchen towel. Most oysters are shaped like an elongated fan. At the back of that fan you should notice a little indentation where the top and bottom shell meet that almost looks like a hinge. Bracing the oyster against the cutting board with your towel wrapped hand (the towel protects you from and knife slippage and allows you to get a grip on it) stick your knife into the indentation as far as it will go and turn. Just like you would be if you were unlocking some old treasure chest, the shell should separate as you turn the knife as you would a key. You are not done yet, move your knife down to finish prying off the top shell taking extra care not to get little pieces of shell or dirt inside. Once the top shell is off, in a gentle motion cut the oyster loose from the bottom shell. The real trick here is keeping as much as that delicious juice in the shell as possible so no abrupt movements here. Your masterpiece is now complete and can be kept on ice until you get done shucking the rest.

If all this sounds just sounds a little much, don’t worry there are a few places serving up delicious oysters around town. Rendezvous Bistro has a live bar fully stocked of the tasty crustaceans. Choose from a variety either on the halfshell or as one of the Red, Green, or Bloody Mary shooters. Local has a nightly varietal that they offer either by the half or full dozen on the half shell or individually in shooter form. The Kitchen offers up a delicious fried oysters Rockefeller as an appetizer. The dish comes complete with Roadhouse Bacon, spinach cream, preserved lemon, and parmesan. Sudachi also stocks oysters depending on the season that accompanies their other great raw seafood choices.

If you are still excited about the prospect of preparing some at home Jackson Whole Grocer, Lucky’s and Liquor Down South (they get in super fresh shipments on select Fridays) are your best bets. Aspens Market and Pearl St. Market occasionally stock them also just be sure to call ahead. If you are planning a big party there are quite a few places online that you can source from, but unless your ordering in bulk, they can be pretty expensive.

People have all sorts of preferences on an accompaniment ranging from just a drop of lemon juice to cocktail sauce. I prefer a simple mignonette as a great way to impart a little extra flavor without overpowering the oyster.

Chris Hogberg

Food and cooking has been a great travel buddy for Chris, finally taking root in Jackson. Originally from Seattle, Chris enjoys rainy walks to get coffee, cold dark beers, and cozying up in a warm restaurant kitchen. He has a background in marketing but has spent most of his days working in fine dining behind the line. Now you can find him selling hummus, perusing the farmers markets, or mountain biking behind his Aussie Shephard, Zephyr.

New West Knife Works
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