Tasting writing

We had just finished our first wine tasting at Donedei Winery when the whole class was shuffling out of the barn heading towards the sound of water when the sent of fire and ocean hits us all. People are talking and laughing while swirling cups in anticipation of the food to come. the brisk wind is keeping the class close together and to the grill where aromas of brine and sweetness waft through the air and are pushed with the wind. As everyone around me indulges in the unadulterated experience of the raw oyster, I slowly push through to find the tray of charred grilled oysters sitting perfectly in scorched shells sitting lonely to the side of the commotion. Up till this point I had not had an oyster that I enjoyed, but my perception on the bi-valved friend changed that moment. The first thing that hit me was the roasted under belly of the oyster, there was a deep char that brought me back to the weekends with my family roasting everything we had over an open fire. As the initial taste of smoke and fire faded I was left with a sweet almost buttery flavor with the essence of ocean to fade everything out at the end and leave the familiar and comforting flavor behind. This was my favorite tasting not only because I was truly able to enjoy the food that was brought to us, but because of the sense of community that I felt that day with my peers. Sipping wine in a cold brisk wind while shucking oysters to eat will be an experience from my academic career at Evergreen that I will not soon forget.

— Jimmy

I stood there under grey skies surrounded by cows and the lingering of their tell tale scent with an oyster on the half shell in my hand. An unassuming amorphous blob sitting in a pearlescent cup wafted an unadulterated scent of the sea towards me. Initially causing my nose to wrinkle from the thoughts of decomposing crab on a warf, which made my expectation of grandeur for this ages-old aphrodisiac to sink, but I chose to take the leap of faith to eat the Tomales Bay oyster. This Pacific oyster was by no means subtle and bombarded my senses with all that it had endured in its four some odd years of life. The liquor hitting my tongue first, greeting me like a soft wave of brine, washed over my taste buds and with almost a soft splash, I was then confronted with the oyster.

The oyster does not have a consistency that appeals to the unaware consumer. Being reminiscent of oversaturated oats, mucilaginous and chewy, which left me feeling wary. Following the guidelines of many peers, chewing thoroughly allowed the more nuanced flavors to rise to the surface. Well-rounded and crisp in flavor, the oyster left me feeling refreshed and exhilarated at the prospect of a completely unique experience. The only thing left to do was to grab another so could delay the forgetting the taste of a beautiful place.

— Ben