Oyster Madness

Wowee, a southern coast tradition is Oyster Roasts. It's a bit like a clam bake, for you New Englanders out there, but they don't actually roast them in a pit like the clam bake. They just steam 'em up by the truckload, or the black container load to be exact. Shoosh, I ain't never seen so many shellfish in my life. It's a dirty and slightly dangerous endeavor. First, you sidle up to one of these tall and rather large wooden tables. Then you grab a towel and a knife, if you haven't brought your own. Then you just pick a few oysters from the steaming pile at the center of the table and you begin. You hold the oyster in the towel with one hand, and with the other you force the knife into the joint where the top and the bottom shell come together. Here's where it can get dangerous. If you don't have a glove or a towel you can cut your hand on the shell. Furthermore, if you aren't careful with the knife, you can cut yourself or your neighbor when you slip off the shell. And we thought Lobster eating was hard???? So you get oyster juice and mud all over you, but so does everyone else so who cares!

I went with some new friends of mine, Mike and Vivian. They're married and from Gloucester, MA. The Oyster Roast was at the Bluffton Oyster Co. in Bluffton, SC very near to my parents house in Hilton Head. It was a great time! I think we each ate 3-4 dozen oysters!