Gonzo’s Fried Oysters

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr.

Try fried oysters Gonzo-style. Simple, easy to make, and delicious!

Prepare oysters by carefully shucking a dozen using oyster shucking knife and shucking board.
Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Combine flour, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (or see list of spices below for your own seasoning mix), salt and black pepper. Dredge oysters in flour mixture, dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs.
Carefully slide oysters into hot oil. Cook five at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve hot.

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Essence, plus 1 tablespoon
16 freshly shucked oysters, about 1 pint, drained
1/2 cup masa harina
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or to taste.

Other option – switch out Chachere’s seasoning for these ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Now on Twitter and Facebook!

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr.

Social media helps us spread the word on oysters and more! Join me on Twitter @halgonzalesjr or https://twitter.com/halgonzalesjr/ and/or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/halgonzalesjr. Follow us and LIKE us! Glad to have you join us!

Happy Holidays From Our Home to Yours!

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr.

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

What Is the Oyster R-Month Rule?

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr.

Don’t worry, you can now eat oysters all year long.

Kit Waskom Pollard, a writer for The Baltimore Sun, gathered information on this topic. One of the more well-known, but less understood, rules about oysters says that they should be eaten only during months that have an “R,” so from May to August, they should be off the menu. This guideline goes back hundreds of years and is rooted in lack of reliable refrigeration and a need to allow oysters to reproduce during the summer months. When oysters reproduce, they become weak and may be susceptible to disease.

Today, thanks to modern refrigeration and the development of new breeds of oysters that do not reproduce in the summer, oysters are fine to eat any time. “The thing we spend most of our time educating on is that with farmed oysters, you can eat them year-round,” says Tal Petty, who harvests the Sweet Baby Jesus oyster at his St. Mary’s County farm, Hollywood Oyster.

“First, they’re not sitting on a boat in the sun for hours on end,” he says. “And two, we grow triploid oysters — hybrids. They don’t have sex in the summer, which means their meat is firm throughout the season.”

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has a campaign to get diners past the R rule: “New aquaculture technology, strict harvesting standards and modern refrigeration have debunked this myth and made our Chesapeake delicacy enjoyable year-round!”

Source: June 10, 2014|By Kit Waskom Pollard, For The Baltimore Sun

Create Great Gifts By Recycling Your Shells!

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr.

Do You Recycle? Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.

So, what can you do with your leftover oyster shells? You will be surprised. Here are some ideas to help you get started. First shuck your oysters, then bleach your shells. Once they are clean and dry, let your creative side shine!