A buddy of mine has a family cabin near Astoria, Oregon. Every year at this time he makes a run out there, and brings back fresh oysters from Willapa Bay, which he delivers the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (which is tomorrow!). I'll be getting three dozen.

I like 'em on the half shell....and broiled in the oven with some butter, chopped bacon bits, and parmesan cheese. Anyone else got recipes for fresh oysters? Given the current weather, I think grilling is out.

For the raw ones on the half shell....I like to mix horseradish with ketchup. A drop or two of tabasco sauce, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a dollop of the horseradish/ketchup concoction, then....slurp! To be followed by beer (either an Irish dry stout, or a Bohemian pilsner).

FYI, about 100 dozen come from two sacks of oysters....we had no bad ones. We are blessed with great friends in the industry. Unfortunately Hurricane Ike pretty much wiped out the crop last year and the crazy situation this year (concerns about the oil spill which turned out to be nil). Our friends have left the business. We are cultivating new friends, and they are cultivating new oyster beds!

LOVE oysters-any way, shape & form!

Oysters should be eaten raw straight from the shell with a splash of lemon. Should you need a little something, add a saltine craker and mix of half cocktail sauce and half horse raddish.

Fried oysters are good, but fried anything takes away from the flavor. So I'd say if you cook them saute them in butter, garlic, and white wine sauce. Serve with linguini with chopped parsley for a oyster linguini.

Gunnar, you have good taste.


And Ms. McDaniel (incidentally my daughters K teacher here in Kingwood), if you need friends next year, call us up!

[This message has been edited by M T Zook (11/22/2010)]

Well unless your buddy from Astoria is from Montana, thus actually knowing how to drive on snow and ice, he ain't gonna make it back given the current conditions. We live on a hill and I've observed multiple idiots attempt to climb it. Not even close. Spin outs, cops all sorts of stuff. Watching a car slide sidewise down into the ditch was fairly pathetic, but rather entertaining.

Larry, he is a native Montanan who actually lives in Avon....he just has rich relatives with a cabin on the coast near Astoria, that they let him use once a year. I am pretty sure that he will be showing up today....especially since he is bringing back about 150 dozen oysters for all of his friends here in Helena. A 150 dozen oysters weighing down a Subaru should make it back to town.

Dang, Bob....I never would have thought Sriracha sauce on Oysters...of course! I always have a bottle of that stuff in the cupboard. I will give it a try.

Thanks also, Maryann, for some recipe ideas. I will try some out in the oven broiler. Definitely no grilling....it currently is -4°F, and snowing to beat hell.

Gunnar:

You might want to cut the sriracha a bit with some ketchup or cocktail sauce...but I generally go with straight sriracha.

...but I generally go with straight sriracha.

THAT explains so much.

My husband requires oyster stew every Christmas. I think it is one of the vilest foods on the planet.

Somewhere in either a history book about the Montana railroad lines in the 1800s or in a cookbook with lots of historical background (possibly one I picked up when in college in Bozeman), there was a long introduction to seafood that talked about raw oysters.

Apparently, they were prized in the West and shipped (still in shell) in sawdust in barrels from the East Coast to points around Montana. Interesting that they were enjoyed so much even back then...

Hope this week's trip with the oysters from the west coast also has a happy ending.

Hope this week's trip with the oysters from the west coast also has a happy ending.

You mean, like a pearl necklace?

I tried to make that joke a while back by alluding to the "oysterman's association was giving away a necklace", but I think I like David's direct approach better.

Regardless, the gift is in the giving.

[This message has been edited by Bridgier (11/23/2010)]

Don't understand all of the "clam-ering" over oysters.

And if my wife "required" oyster stew for Christmas, I would give serious thought to acquiring/requiring a new wife.

My mom was into that tradition and it was a part of Christmas I truly detested. Somehow puking before you head to midnight mass is not all that it is cracked up to be...

Richard, I see the problem with your Mom's oyster stew right away. When I was a youngun...you fasted hours before Midnight Mass ...and then you would eat anything, including oysters!

Back with my three dozen oysters!

Due to the cold weather (-13°F predicted tonight), I have them in a cooler in the basement with a frozen gallon jug of ice to keep them company.

My oystermonger informed me that this year, he brought 290 dozen oysters back!

I think that Friday will be the oyster eating day.....as always, I am sure they will be fabulous!

Oh, and regards to oyster stew....I generally despise it as well...as mule train indicated earlier in this thread, the fresher the oyster the better.....the mule train may also recall a certain oyster stew prepared by a now deceased inlaw....but that is ancient history.

Time to stop digressing....once upon a time, my wife the foofy and I stopped in at the M&M cafe in Butte for dinner and their special was oyster stew....and it was fabulous. Like the best prime rib in the world compared to Kacey's french dip at the Iron Horse, this is how this oyster stew compared to every other one I've had.

When we asked for the recipe, it was "oysters, butter, milk, and worcestshire sauce"....we tried fixing it several times, and it always sucked.

So I will be eating these live ones with minimal preparation.

I remember Barney's oyster bisque...please don't ruin your oysters that way. I actually liked the bisque. It would have been really good if served as a side and not the main course. Christmas is for meatballs or prime rib.

And lutefisk.
And lefse.

I generally pride myself on being someone who will eat anything but raw oysters are something I have never enjoyed. I've only had them a couple times but I just can't get past the texture. I like them just about any other way though and I always enjoy oyster stew at Christmas.

And lutefisk.
And lefse.

Much better.

Many years ago, a buddy of mine was having a large dinner party, and called me in early for help. In the fridge, he had a large tray of oysters, each with a date inside, and each wrapped in bacon. I commented that I was not gonna go there, and he said that I would be very surprised at how good they were. After about 12 beers, consumed while prepping food, I mentioned that I may give them a go. He immediately popped them in the oven. They came out smelling and looking great. I tried one, with great trepidation, and found them to be outstanding. So he and I ate the entire tray. I then had to make a run to the store for more oysters, more dates, and more bacon, so we could prep another tray for the party. The moral of the story is that no matter how bad you think something may taste, if you have enough beer, it may just be ok.

[This message has been edited by Mathew Schmitz (11/24/2010)]

Levi: Those were probably the Rocky Mt variety

It's lefse day today. I made oyster stew for my husband last night. I just don't get it. But perhaps the M&M stew is better. I'm sad that it is closed. One of the few things about living in Butte that I liked.

Ya'all are makin' me miss South Carolina again.

Well, lefse is one thing I'll never understand. How people get excited over that dull, flavorless concoction escapes me. What makes it any better than a flour tortilla?

For scandinavian bread, give me limpa, or good ole rye hard bread, any day.

I'm more of a lavash guy myself - I know that's probably heresy, but too bad!

I do like Oysters, and I am lucky to live where there are several oyster beds. I no longer buy oysters in the shell. I buy them fresh shucked, they come in containers similar to cottage cheese containers. If I want oysters barbecued on the half shell I go to the shell pile and pick out several nice shells the size I want bring them home and clean them, put a pat of butter and squeeze a little garlic in the shell put a oyster in the shell put it on the barbecue until hot and serve with Tabasco sauce. My favorite though is lightly breaded and grilled. Here is my recipe for Oyster stew.(not mine it is just one I like out of a seafood recipe book)

Ingredients
Makes 8 servings

24 fresh oysters, shucked, juices reserved
8 bacon slices, minced
2 Large onions, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 quarts milk
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream, heated
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Oyster crackers (optional)

Directions
Drain the oysters in a colander over a bowl. Reserve the juice. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook until translucent, about six minutes. Do not brown.

Reduce the heat to low, add the flour, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and reserved oyster juice in batches, using a whisk to work out any lumps between each addition. Add the bay leaf and simmer, twenty minutes, skimming as necessary.

Add the whole oysters and continue to simmer until the oysters are barely cooked, about five minutes. Remove from heat. Add the hot cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve in heated bowls, garnished with the reserved bacon and oyster crackers, if desired.

Lutefisk = The piece of cod that surpasses all understanding!

There is nothing better than a hot-off-the-grill lefse slathered with butter. If you can't appreciate that, Gunnar, there's no hope for you.

Wendy: True dat.

Better yet lefse smeared with gjetost.

Well, lefse is one thing I'll never understand. How people get excited over that dull, flavorless concoction escapes me. What makes it any better than a flour tortilla?

Well, with all due respect Gunnar, maybe none of your relatives can make decent lefse.

(Sorry Mrs. Emillson)

Well, here you go.

http://milescity.com/foru...pid=170753

When the Scandinavians migrated to Scotland they took the lefsa recipe with them. The Scots fixed up the bland taste and created Scottish short bread, which goes much better with a pint of Guinness anyway.

Scottish Shortbread? Huh?

[This message has been edited by Wendy Wilson (11/24/2010)]

lefse is for nords. hard bread for swedes. I like both.

BTW...how about a picture of the oysters?

I'd guess that Gunnar is too chicken to attempt lefse. It can be a dangerous endeavor. Just trust me on this.

shuck them and eat RAW ! I Lived in grays harbor Wa for 30 years

BTW...how about a picture of the oysters?

Okay....how about OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER????



I cooked them the classic way....chervil, Pernod, parmesan reggianio, bed of rock salt, the works! Although I have to admit, I like 'em better raw on the half shell.

Those look great, snugglebunny.

The last time I saw something like that it was in the snow in front of our house after one of my brother's infamous "jungle juice" parties.

Only one woman can call me snuggle bunny.....and it ain't you, pootie pie.

Your Oysters Rockefeller looks great. I am envious. In the 1950's edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook there is a recipe for Oysters Casino that is excellent and prepare in a similar way. As for that crack about Lefse, I never have tried to make it although I enjoy the stuff that comes from Opheim. Chad brought some great lefse to our Santa Lucia party last year. It is snowing again and looks like a good year to have glogg with the meatballs.

[SPAM DELETED, ACCOUNT GAGGED. 12/1/2010]

Poor Muhammed, gagged already. Well, at least no one waterboarded him.

Back in the day, if one or both of your grandmothers were swede or norsk, at Christmas eve the tradition was oyster stew and lutefisk. Thank God for oyster crackers and lefse.

When I was young, I would have agreed with you, Ike....but now that I am nearing 50, I find that lye-soaked fish to be delicious.

Go figure.

I had great Batch of Rocky Mountain Oysters at the 519 Club a few months ago. Those oysters are probably easier to find around here. They were really good. Just a basic deep fry job. Anybody have any good recipes for the Rocky Mountain variety...

I like my oysters fresh off the Line 1 Hereford calf and toasted on the heater for the branding irons.

Like I said...

What are the hours for the Richard Cafe? They sound excellent!