oh. my. god. oysters.

nothing screams sexy like raw oysters.

i can slurp up dozens of them. and i do. living in maine i have access to some of the freshest, most amazing seafood available any where. when i hit the Lobster Company of Arundel, Maine, i usually add a dozen or so oysters to the bill. my favorite oysters are Kumamoto...they have a subtle cucumber flavor to them that i haven't found in any other yet. but i'm not picky. it's hard to come by Kumamotos. i'll settle for a good 'ol Damariscotta any day!

i learned to shuck oysters working at Street & Co...an absolutely amazing Mediterranean seafood restaurant in Portland, Maine. it is a skill. it isn't easy. and i am not about to take responsibility for teaching anyone who reads this...but know that it is well worth the effort you exert, especially when you pair the oysters with a Mignonette Sauce. a fine tutorial is here.

mignonette is a traditional french oyster sauce. it allows for the flavor of the oyster to come through, unlike a cocktail sauce. the one i make is a bastardized version of the one they serve at the raw bar at Street & Co. when you make it you will set it out in a small bowl or ramekin to spoon into the oyster shell and slurp right up. mmmm...can't be beat.

you will need:
red wine vinegar
sparkling pellegrino water
prepared horseradish
freshly ground pepper
the water found within the oysters as you shuck them

preparation:
1. pour about 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar into a small mixing bowl.
2. add about 3 tablespoons of pellegrino to the vinegar.
3. i like my mignonette a little spicy...so i add about a tablespoon of horseradish to this vinegar/pellegrino blend...you should add what you like depending on your taste.
4. grind some pepper into the sauce to taste.
5. as you crack each oyster open pour off the water you find inside into the mignonette...and then put the oysters on a dish lined with ice...
6. spoon a little sauce into the oyster shell as you are about to eat it and enjoy!!!