In 17^th century New York the island of Manhattan was covered with oyster beds and the salty shellfish was enjoyed by rich and poor alike, and by the 19^th century oysters could be enjoyed from the street carts of the city, in saloons, or in elegant dining establishments on the island—scalloped oysters, fried oysters, oysters dipped in butter, pan roasted oysters, and even oyster stew.  Shards of shells could be found gleaming from the streets, and the calcium-rich shells fertilized gardens across the city.  Although the love affair with oysters waned considerably after the 1800s, they are making a strong comeback and harvests along the east and west coasts have been growing steadily since 2006.

Raw oysters are all the rage. Photo Credit: Giuseppes Ferratore

Where oysters were once relegated to fine dining menus, or maybe at a few casual independent restaurants, lately the oyster bar concept has been thriving.  Again we find young diners setting the trend, using food as a means to impress, and oysters seem to be the perfect fit for the adventuresome twenty-somethings.  For restaurants and bars alike, raw oysters are seen as a “loss leader,” an inexpensive lure to drive alcohol sales.

And let’s face it; if you know nothing else about oysters, you probably know that they are an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.  Pair with luxurious champagne, with an ice cold beer, with an elegant glass of wine.  Or be really adventurous and try your oysters with a dirty martini or a gin gimlet—Americans, after all, pioneered the pairing of spirits with their oysters.  And experts say that if you really want to experience a match made in heaven, try the bivalve with a side of absinthe (now legal again in many US states)—the briny oysters pair extraordinarily well with the soft fennel and mint flavors of the liqueur.  Some bars even serve many varieties of absinthe for pairing with many varieties of oysters.

Chefs show their artisanal talents with their oyster creations. Photo credit: Sharon Ang

Raw oysters seem to be all the rage, but cooking them gives chefs a place to showcase their artisanal talents.  For example, Melissa Kelly, chef at Primo in Rockland, Maine, “offers Oysters Three Ways:  raw with Prosecco mignonette, roasted with marrow butter and garlic chips, and fried with scallion aioli” according to NRN in Survey: Oysters becoming more popular among younger consumers.  Some establishments serve them with just a simple cocktail sauce, some with kimchee, some grilled with garlic butter.  There are myriad ways to prepare this single food item, and chefs are cashing in on their creativity.

And then there are the connoisseurs of all things oyster—those masters who can taste the subtle distinctions between the waters in which they were cultivated, who talk about things like hints of melon, cucumber, and finish.  Like locally sourced foods, knowing the origin of your oyster is a talking point, and a point of connection between the provider and the consumer.  Simply being an east coast oyster or a west coast oyster is no longer enough; customers now want to know about the oyster farm, about the owner, about the conditions in which the oysters were raised.

Oysters must be eaten alive or cooked alive.  If the shell is open and stays open even after being provoked by a tap or a poke, toss the bivalve out.  Also, if a shell doesn’t open after cooking it also should be tossed.  Oysters with shell damage should not be consumed.  There are some experts who believe oysters are safe even if they don’t open after cooking, but a strong word of caution:  just don’t do it.  Eating a bad oyster can leave you feeling lousy, if not very sick.

Whether you think of oysters as innovative, as adventurous, as elegant, or as something you would never ever in a million years sink your teeth into, the fact is that the trend seems to be in it for the long haul.  As a low-cost loss leader to drive traffic or as a delicate entrée at your favorite posh restaurant, the oyster continues to gain in popularity with no indication of slowing down.  Have you tried oysters?  How were they prepared?  Will you eat them again?  We’d love to know your experience!

The post Adventure on the Half Shell appeared first on Houston's Blog.