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!
Tag Archives: Oyster recipes
Happy Holidays From Our Home to Yours!
Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
What Is the Oyster R-Month Rule?
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
Make Your Own Oyster Po’ Boys!
Fried Oysters Po’ Boys… Mmm! Mmm! Good!
Start by shucking your own fresh oysters. Use 6 large shucked oysters; 1 1/2 pints stout, preferably Guinness; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 pinch seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay; 1 pinch salt 1 pinch ground black pepper; and Vegetable or canola oil, for frying.
Marinate the oysters in the beer for 30 minutes or more.
Heat a few inches of oil in a large saucepot to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper. Dredge the marinated oysters in the flour, and then shallow-fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Use your favorite French bread, cut in half; top with lettuce, tomato, and your favorite red or remoulade sauce.
Bon Apetit!
For information about the oyster shucking knives and oyster shucking boards click on underlined link or contact 51gonzo46@gmail.com.
Raw Oyster Toppers!
Here are some excellent examples of toppers for your fresh oysters. Share your favorite topper.
Simple Tabasco Sauce. 1 dozen oysters in the shell, crushed ice, TABASCO® brand Original Red Sauce, and lemon wedges.
Oysters and Sausage. Fresh oysters with chorizo for a multi-sensory experience. She mixes the spicy sausage with lemon zest, candied ginger and hazelnut oil for a topping that is meaty, sweet and bright to contrast with the oyster’s delicate, briny flavor.
Oyster Omelette. The omelette, which has bacon, three eggs, and, of course, fresh oysters.
Simple Jalapeno Topper. A simple slice of jalapena pepper on top of your favorite oyster.
Barbecue Oyster Sauce. Oysters with lemon, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and with a little vodka. Also very nice with a drop of good, tart, Barbecue sauce.
Mignonette sauce. Just cracked pepper, finely minced shallot and champagne or red wine vinegar.
Tomato & Basil Salsa. Cut a tomato into quarters and use a knife or a teaspoon to remove the seeds. Chop the flesh into ½ inch pieces. Combine the tomato, finely chopped cucumber, finely shredded fresh basil and a little extra virgin olive oil. Click here to see more toppers!
Hal "Gonzo" Gonzales, Jr. - "The Knifemaker" 