Tasty Tantalizing Tidbits pt2

The Oyster…every once in a while on Facebook you see a post imagining the first person to try a raw oyster. Had to have been very hungry..but they got a pleasant surprise

Hard to believe that as early as the 1st century the ancient romans were farming oysters.

There are oysters raised all over the world for consumption but of all the oysters I have tried …give me the oysters from the Chesapeake Bay…specifically Chincoteague, Va area.

Blue points are good but there is something about the oysters from the Bay.

Raw…broiled..fried..scalloped..casino..fritters…or Rockefeller….delicious.

Back in the day I can remember several times a year going to my good friend..Paul Bonaccorsi’s house with a group of friends for a good old oyster roast in his basement.

A barrel of oysters..bring your own shucking knife…and Paul’s Oyster Stew…

The following recipe is the closest I ever came to his stew.

1 pt shucked oysters with juice

1 qt hot milk

1/4 cup butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook oysters in there own juice..(called liquor)..until the edges curl…roughly 5 minutes

Add milk,butter,salt and pepper. HEAT BUT DO NOT BOIL. Serve st once..some people like a little bit of “Old Bay seasoning” sprinkled on top…I prefer without.

Remember do not boil.

This will make about 6 delicious servings… By the way you can get oysters already shucked in can with juice at your supermarket.

In case someone wants to broaden their horizons…one of my favorite ways of eating oysters other than raw..would be good old Eastern Shore Oyster Fritters

1 pt shucked oysters

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup pancake mix (any brand)

2 tablespoons corn meal

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup cooking oil

Drain the raw oysters and drain the juice and save it…put the oysters in a bowl and add milk. Add pancake batter, corn meal, salt and pepper. Mix this well all together..the batter will be thick.

Heat oil in 10” frying pan…I prefer cast iron…drop the batter in the oil making sure to include 2 oysters in tablespoon of batter…cook till brown on one side…should e a minute or two…turn over carefully and brown the other side…this should make about 18 fritters.

Note: if batter gets to thick on you..thin with the oyster juice you saved.