Mick Doobie
Resist We Much
Oyster Stew is delicious. I've seen different versions, or recipes, but i'm a purist, no potatoes or anything like that. It's pretty simple. On about medium to medium high heat, melt about 3/4 to one stick of real sweet cream unsalted butter in a pot. Don't brown. Dump in a quart of oysters in their own liquor into the pot. Add salt and some black pepper. Let it gently simmer until the oysters start to curl. Then add about 3/4 gallon of whole milk. Set the heat to medium low and let stew for at least an hour. During, check the level of salt. Salt will draw the flavor out of the oysters, but it shouldn't be too salty. To each their own, but I like a lot of oyster crackers in mine. I don't want to drink it, I want to eat it. In a bowl, or soup mug, oyster stew and a fair amount of crackers. Once the crackers get soggy and soak up the stew, go at it. It becomes almost like a light porridge, the soggy crackers keep it in the taste zone rather than going quickly down the hatch. IMO, cheap crackers with not as much toasty taste are preferable. It can go pretty quick, so best to be prepared to make more, or use a bigger pot. It ain't cheap eats, Oysters these days are going for about $20 a pint. Worth every penny. Oysters cooked(or raw on the half shell) in any fashion are my #1 favorite. An oyster shooter, raw oyster in a small glass, a bit of cocktail sauce, a couple ounces of beer. Shoot it, but you gotta chew! Oh yeah.
Oysters are interesting little creatures. Here, Chesapeake Bay area in Virginia where I live, best oysters in the world. At a time in history they were everywhere, the natives had an unlimited and constant replenishing supply. They are making a comeback, somewhat. Efforts to clean The Bay, aquaculture, etc have helped. Although it is illegal to harvest them, I see them all the time fishing or kayaking in the tributaries. The beds are exposed as the tide ebbs. They spit little streams of water, it is both amusing and beautiful, a dance. They filter the water.
The good book says we should not eat oysters, forbidden. We are all flawed, we all sin to some extent or another. It is important that we acknowledge this fact. According to The New Testament, Jesus came to forgive us of our sins. He taught, provided an example, and ultimately suffered greatly so that we may be forgiven. He could have saved himself, yet He did not, He fulfilled prophecy. He died for each and every one of us. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend. Think of it how your heart swells when you look at your grandchild, that rush of emotion, as if you could not love anything more, or didn't realize you had the capacity to love so much. That, and more. He is our savior and redemptor. Yet, in celebration of his birth, we do that which is forbidden, by eating oysters. Perhaps it is fitting that we do so?
Merry Christmas, brother Snowman, and everyone.
Oysters are interesting little creatures. Here, Chesapeake Bay area in Virginia where I live, best oysters in the world. At a time in history they were everywhere, the natives had an unlimited and constant replenishing supply. They are making a comeback, somewhat. Efforts to clean The Bay, aquaculture, etc have helped. Although it is illegal to harvest them, I see them all the time fishing or kayaking in the tributaries. The beds are exposed as the tide ebbs. They spit little streams of water, it is both amusing and beautiful, a dance. They filter the water.
The good book says we should not eat oysters, forbidden. We are all flawed, we all sin to some extent or another. It is important that we acknowledge this fact. According to The New Testament, Jesus came to forgive us of our sins. He taught, provided an example, and ultimately suffered greatly so that we may be forgiven. He could have saved himself, yet He did not, He fulfilled prophecy. He died for each and every one of us. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend. Think of it how your heart swells when you look at your grandchild, that rush of emotion, as if you could not love anything more, or didn't realize you had the capacity to love so much. That, and more. He is our savior and redemptor. Yet, in celebration of his birth, we do that which is forbidden, by eating oysters. Perhaps it is fitting that we do so?
Merry Christmas, brother Snowman, and everyone.
.........sorta