Oysters for always.

Last winter I read M.F.K. Fisher's seductive description of her first oyster at her all girl's boarding school Christmas party. I wished that I was excited by oysters so that I could appreciate the passage better.

Next it was oysters at Neptune for KH's birthday in March. Of course I couldn't meet her until after the oysters eaten and I missed the chance. I didn't think of anything of it then, having never had an oyster.

In June, we went to the third Franklin and at KH's urging I got an oyster with her and SEM, not wanting to be outdone or boring. My first oyster was exciting and fresh and unusual and perfect as I was dying for the weather to be hot enough to go body surfing in some Atlantic waves.

By mid July SEM and I had orchestrated a culinary camping trip (all the money was for the food) to Portland, Maine with JP and TM. The point was Fore Street (hopefully I will go again this winter and I will write about it - especially because it may have been the best meal of the season). Our reservations were for very late. We needed something to do in the mean time. JB had ordered oysters before I even realized it. Another mollusk down the hatch. I loved it but still didn't understand it.

Late in July GMA and I found ourselves on a beach in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, listening to a novel being read aloud by SEM whose protagonist was the best oyster shucker in her family's Whistable Oyster house. We were completely clueless to the fact that we were in WELLFLEET reading about the famous WHISTABLE oysters! In our fog about it all we didn't look for any. We just enjoyed the seals and whales we swam with.

In August SEM ate oysters in Oslo!



Later in my favorite month I had friends in from out of town and they wanted a good food treat on a Monday night. Perfect! We went back to Rialto and had a beautiful plate of 12 oysters on the half shell with four different and refreshing toppings. This was the first time I had more than one in a row. Each one a little rush.

October brought SEM to New Orleans, another town famous for the oyster, but had no time to squeeze a taste of them in. Ah, the good and bad of a business trip...She did find this postcard. At least this time she knew where she was in relation to a good oyster.

Last weekend an impromptu dinner at Rendezvous in central square with GMA and SEM led me to my most recent oysters. They were the highlight of the meal and from Wellfleet. This renewed my newly established longing for them.

I want to know what I missed at Neptune last spring. I want to experience B&G Oysters. I want more oysters. I want the thrill of each one.


Norway and Franklin oyster were photographed by sem.