Table of Contents > Recipe and Essay Oysters

Cooking Time: PT30M

Cooking Method: grill

Category: seafood entree

Cuisine Type: coastal

Servings: 6-8 servings

Related: dbPedia entity

Ingredients:

  • oysters

Directions:

  1. Begin with a bushel basket of oysters. A 10 quart bucket won't be quite enough for 6 or 8 people.
  2. Another piece of equipment that helps a lot is a small iron bar or a piece of pipe about an inch or two round and about 12 or 14 inches long.
  3. If a piece of iron isn't available a stout piece of stick will help.
  4. Oysters grow in beds on the mud or on old shell beds out in the creek.
  5. They are well fastened down and the edges are awfully sharp; so that is why the piece of iron.
  6. Use it to pry the oysters loose and do be careful of those sharp edges.
  7. A pair of heavy cottage gloves might help here.
  8. After you get the oysters together give them a good washing to get off the mud.
  9. It is easy to wash them while still in the creek, though it can be done under the spigot after you get back.
  10. The main thing is to get the mud off.
  11. Now get the fire started.
  12. If some oak wood can be found, use that after you get the fire going.
  13. Oak makes grand hot coals without much smoke.
  14. You will also need a rack to put the oysters on to cook.
  15. An iron grill about 2-1/2 feet by 5 feet, or a piece of sheet iron with some holes drilled in it will work fine.
  16. The frill should be fine enough in mesh so that the oysters won't fall through.
  17. Put the oysters in layers on the frill, not to thick, and place over the coals.
  18. Put some bricks at the corners to hold the grill up over the coals.
  19. Sometimes when the oysters start getting done the shells will start popping so look out for flying pieces of shell.
  20. When the mouths are well open, that is, when there is a crack in the shells, they are done.
Oysters

Table of Contents > Recipe and Essay The Foodways of My Life

The foodways my father, Dr. William Thompson, experienced in two different regions varied greatly. These two areas were the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and the coastal region of North Carolina. These two places are where he lives and eats given the time of the year. The two regions contrast, as the valley is an agricultural area with emphasis on terrestrial food, and the shore focuses around seafood. His favorite place however is the Carolina coast for both the food and the atmosphere. During our interview he discussed going to oyster roasts in North Carolina, as the peak of his time spent there.

Carolinians have whole events around one particular creature plucked out of the ocean. This is the oyster, and it is traditional in many places throughout the Southeast to hold a party where oysters are roasted and consumed in massive quantities. These oysters are cooked by placing them on a heated metal plate over a wood fire. The oysters are then covered with a wet burlap sack until cooked. This produces a smoky steamed oyster. Dr. Thompson enjoyed these events for the food and the atmosphere surrounding it, as the gatherings are not just about food, but also about socializing with friends. He recollected these events lasting several hours with people sitting around a table, talking, drinking, and shelling the oysters. These parties are almost always some place near the ocean where people can sit back and relax, taking in the better things in life.

Dr. Thompson also reflected on the times he and I spent fishing and hunting on the coast. These were good times, and have produced a number of great stories. Catching fish and eating them the same day is something one needs to experience to appreciate, and it always brought father and son closer together. Our fishing and hunting trips have always proved eventful with many good times. The night after a tuna was caught always sticks in Dr. Thompson's mind as a particularly good eating experience. Fresh tuna cooked medium rare over the grill never gets old, and when accompanied by an oyster roast on the same trip, provides gastric comfort for all parties involved. Dr. Thompson always has maintained this relationship with food and fun.

This close relationship with food gives one a different perspective of their foodways. It permits the control of the food from the harvesting to the cooking and consuming. Eating has always been a social experience on the coast. Oyster roasts embody this spirit of closeness with food as does fishing for tuna. These events common to coastal living, combined with the recreational aspect of gathering the food are what Dr. Thompson really enjoyed about it. There are few times in the 21st century where one can have this relationship with the food they eat, and the experiences carry with it an obligation that the tradition should be passed on.