Our Most Memorable Oyster
Savannah: My most memorable oyster experience was when I was at Coastal Kitchen on Capital Hill in Seattle with my sister. The presentation was really great, the oysters came out on a large platter with ice with a sauce in the middle- It was an oil based vinaigrette. They gave us horseradish and cocktail sauce. The first one I had didn’t have anything on it. I remember it being a better experience because we were sitting down at this nice restaurant and no one was pressuring you. The taste was heightened by the two sauces because for me it brought the taste out even more and it was more enjoyable for me. Overall, the real reason this is my favorite oyster because I was with my sister so it is a fond memory.
Alana: My most memorable oyster experience was when I tried my first raw oyster shooter in Olympia at Fishtail Brewery. The oyster was served to us in a little plastic cup with a side of cocktail sauce, surrounding the meat. I was with two friends who were familiar with oyster shooters, and knew exactly how to eat this food. I on the other hand sat there for a minute inspecting it, looking at all the components of the oyster I could see, while swirling it around in the cocktail sauce. I wasn’t too excited about this tasting, but sat there hoping the sauce would mask the oyster’s briney flavor. By the time I had put it in my mouth to finally consume, my friends had already swallowed theirs almost completely whole. They had told me not to chew, but it was too late! I spent a lot of time chewing this very salty and slimy textured “food”, as my friends sat there watching me taste this, laughing at me. The disgusted look on my face must have said a lot. Coming from someone who is really interested in food and flavors, I really wanted to actually taste the oyster, but after this unenjoyable tasting experience, I had immediately regretted it. Giving me a hard time they looked at me smirking, while asking, “So, how was it?” I had survived this raw oyster experience, and they could easily tell it was slightly less than enjoyable for me. I wouldn’t say I would willingly do another raw shooter again, but the now hilarious memory associated was definitely worth sharing.
Nikola: My most memorable oyster experience was when we went to Taylor Shellfish Farms. As much as I wish I loved oysters, I can’t stand them! So the idea of eating them with the whole class was giving me major anxiety. I was watching everyone slurp down their oysters with envy and fascination. I had the shell of a Hood Canal oyster poised to my lips but I couldn’t stop gagging. I was terrified that I was going to pop it in my mouth and projectile vomit would follow. After a few separate”1,2,3s!” Ocean salty, slightly sour goop immediately and fearfully was spit out on to the grass.
Kathy: My most memorable oyster experience was at Bodega Bay Oysters. This was my first experience consuming and even encountering an oyster. We all squished into the little wooden establishment as the speakers shucked a handful of oysters by the minute. The angst began to build in the room as experienced eaters began to recount their favorite memories and their worst. I approached the laid out oysters wearily. The moment finally came to try- first a wash of very saline water swooshed the inside of my mouth. As easily as I was transported to a sunny day at the beach, with a lingering smell of sunscreen and the water surrounding me, I was easily taken back as I began to worry I was eating it incorrectly. The body of the oyster hadn’t been shucked fully and one abductor muscle was still attached. Embarrassed, I struggled to detach the stubborn muscle with my tongue. Once I was able to detach the body and it finally entered my mouth, I was not only taken back to endless hours in the sea with the saline water pushing me around, but to a pier in San Francisco or a boardwalk in Santa Cruz. The balance of the faint umami and strong salinity brought about an image of my family spending a weekend near the bay. Growing up a little more inland from the coast, these days were a treat yet always felt so familiar. This was my favorite oyster because it surpassed a passive experience with food, but engaged and captured me entirely.
