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Friday oysters

The Whole Foods in El Paso sells all oyster for a buck each on Fridays. We tried a half dozen last Friday and they were so good, we got a full dozen today. Today’s were Blue Points. I am the world’s slowest shucker but they were really good. Who would have guessed, oysters in the desert?
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I suggest shucking oysters at the hinge, there's a lot more structure there so you're less likely to break the shell. I use a wide flat-tip screwdriver that I've thinned down at the tip a little bit, get the point in there, twist and it pops right open.
 
I suggest shucking oysters at the hinge, there's a lot more structure there so you're less likely to break the shell. I use a wide flat-tip screwdriver that I've thinned down at the tip a little bit, get the point in there, twist and it pops right open.
I have a professional oyster knife that was a gift from my daughter (also a strong hint). It’s a little-used skill that is perishable. Maybe if we do every Friday for a couple of months, I will improve.
 
Oh yum, oysters. I live in Iowa so you can’t get good fresh oysters around here. Whenever I’m on the coast I load up!
 
When I lived in FL there was a restaurant that on Tuesday featured oysters for $.25 each! Guess where we went on many Tuesdays. Inflation has hit and it is now $.75 each and the limit is one dozen.

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kelbro

Alfred Spatchcock
Yep, Pappadeaux used to have 25¢ oysters during Happy Hour but only at the bar. If you were seated at the tables beside the bar, they were $1!
 
When I was a kid my dad and I would go out on Biscayne Bay and spend the day crabbing and gathering oysters from the mangrove roots. Good times... fresh limes and Tabasco... my record is about six dozen in a single sitting. I shot my share of nice fat mangrove snapper too.
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
I love this time of year and the meaty, briny, Gulf oysters coming back available on the half shell.

There used to be a place on Bolivar Peninsula that did an all-you-can-eat oyster deal in the Spring and Fall. This has been twenty years, and I don't recall the price exactly, but it was around $20 or a little less. You could get your oysters on the half shell, fried, "Rockefeller," "Diablo," or Florentine. A buddy of mine and I once went through 7 or 8 dozen each, mostly raw or fried but playing a little with the other variations. It was a good night!

I had to put "Rockefeller" in quotes because it wasn't a true Oysters Rockefeller in that they put cheese on them, too. It wasn't terribly heavy, but it was sharp enough to start overwhelming the oysters. I don't know when folks starting putting cheese on Oysters Rockefeller, but I've seen it more and more, and it gets heavier and heavier. It's a shame, too. You may as well leave out the oysters, as it just vanishes under all that stuff.

The "Diablo" was with a little bit of American cheese (or Velveeta-ish something) and some pico de gallo. Not bad, actually, but the cheese was weird on there. Still, it was a nice change of pace during the feast.

The Florentine actually was surprisingly traditional and light-handed with the cheese.

The place is still around (although rebuilt), but I believe those crazy oyster days are gone.
 

kelbro

Alfred Spatchcock
Many times we put away quite a few at a little place down in Port O'Connor. So fresh that the parking lot was paved with oyster shells!
 
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